Redshirt juniors Taylor Brown and Jasmine Jackson combined for 45 points as George Mason Women's basketball opened conference play with a 66-57 win over Saint Louis Sunday afternoon at the Patriot Center. Brown led all scorers with 25 points, her fifth straight game topping 20 points, while Jackson tied her career-high with 20.

“I'm really excited for this team,” Head coach Nyla Milleson said. “The key today was that we stayed together and played together through the ups and the downs. We gave up a big half time lead but we just stayed at it.”

The Patriots (9-5, 1-0 Atlantic 10) shot 50 percent from beyond the arc in the first half on their way to a 31-23 lead at the break. The Billekens (7-7, 0-1 A-10) would improve their offensive output in the second half taking a 40-39 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining thanks to a 17-8 SLU run. The lead would exchange hands a total of six times in the second half before Mason regained control for good off Jackson's third trey of the game with just over five minutes to play.

Seniors Talisha Watts and Sandra Ngoie led the way defensively for the Patriots with nine rebounds each. Junior Reana Mohamed added big minute down the stretch with five rebounds of her own.

“We had some key people, we got our usual and I thought Talisha's defense was huge as was Reana's effort coming down the stretch,” Milleson said.

Mason returns to the road this week, taking on Duquesne Thursday at 7 p.m. followed by a trip to La Salle Sunday at 1 p.m.