UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Taleia Moton became the quickest
player in George Mason women's basketball history to cross the 1,000-career
point mark Friday evening, but the 22-point effort from the senior was not enough
as the Patriots dropped a 64-54 decision to #2 James Madison in the
quarterfinal round of the 2012 Virginia 529 CAA Championship.
Moton became the 15th member of the elite club in
Mason history and surpassed the mark in just 61 games over two seasons scoring
1,007 points.
Amber Easter added 11 points for Mason and pulled down a
team-best eight rebounds as the teams finished deadlocked at 43-all on the
glass. For the Dukes, Tarik Hislop led three players in double figures with 16
points. Nikki Newman finished with a double-double behind 13 points and 10
rebounds. After a 3-for-11 effort at the free throw line in the first half, JMU
went 21-for-26 in the final 20 minutes to finish 24-for-37.
For the first time in three meetings between the teams this
season, Mason led at the halftime break, carrying a 26-22 lead into
intermission. Moton led Mason with 11 points, while Easter chipped in eight.
The conference foes battled through a tight first half,
working through seven lead changes and one tied score. The Dukes opened with
the lead, but Mason quickly turned the page, grabbing its first lead on a Moton
jumper at the 16:16 mark. Newman answered returning the lead to JMU as the
Dukes expanded their lead to five before six points from Easter put Mason in
front with a 14-12 lead with 9:24 to play.
With JMU leading by three, five straight from Moton put
Mason back on top with just over six minutes remaining. The teams would work to
the only tied score in the half at 22-all as Mason closed the period hitting
another four free throws for the difference at the break.
JMU opened the second period using a 16-5 run to grab a
seven point lead, 38-31, at the 12:39 mark. Cierra Strickland would cut the
lead to four, but the Dukes regained a 45-38 advantage before Moton's
three-pointer that pushed her past 1,000 career points sparked an 8-2 run over
three minutes, slicing the score to 47-46 with 6:21 to play.
The Dukes pushed their lead back out with a 9-0
run for a 56-46 advantage at the 2:36 mark. Moton buried a trey to snap the run
and Pickard cut it to five points, 59-54, but the Dukes closed the game going
4-for-5 at the free throw line for the 64-54 victory.
