WHO: Women's Basketball vs. VCU
WHERE: EagleBank Arena - Fairfax, Va.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 70, VCU 54
RECORDS: VCU (13-6, 2-4 A-10), Mason (8-11, 3-3 A-10)
KEY PLAYERS: Taylor Brown 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists; Tiffany Padgett 13 points, 6 rebounds

BOX SCORE (HTML)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Taylor Brown shined on a milestone night, Tiffany Padgett charged out of the gate and Kara Wright continued to provide a steady presence.

Together, the trio of upperclassmen combined for 45 points to lead the George Mason women's basketball team to a 70-54 victory over VCU on Wednesday night at EagleBank Arena. 

Brown scored a game-high 21 points, Padgett added 13 and Wright chipped in 11. The Patriots shot a season-best 53.3 percent from the field and shared the wealth as Kristi Mokube scored nine and Chinyere Bell had eight to snap a two-game losing streak. Mason (8-11, 3-3 Atlantic 10) will try to start a winning streak this weekend as it plays at George Washington at 12 p.m. on Friday. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was moved up 24 hours in an effort to avoid the predicted snowstorm to hit the area this weekend.

“We played with great effort and togetherness tonight against a very athletic VCU team,” head coach Nyla Milleson said. “Tay Brown shot the ball very well while still setting up her teammates for great offensive flow and balance. Our defensive awareness was key for us.”

With a 3-pointer just 20 seconds into the second quarter, Brown eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for her career. The redshirt senior from Bowie, Md., moved into fifth all-time in program history and surpassed Marcell Harrison, who scored 1,499 points from 1990-94. It also marked a sign of Brown getting back on track. The team's leader in games in double figures with 15, scored at least 10 points for the first time since Jan. 10. She had scored a total of just 10 points in the previous two games. 

Brown, who scored her most points since a season-high 28 on Dec. 7, was 7-of-12 from the field and made all five free-throw attempts. She also added five rebounds and three assists.

Wright, the team's second leading scorer, once again offered consistency. The redshirt junior notched her sixth straight game in double figures – all in conference play – and 11th of the season.

Padgett, also a redshirt junior, scored the game's first four points. She finished shooting 5-of-8 from the field and was just one point shy of her career high of 14.

The Patriots never trailed and the game was tied for just over a minute in the first quarter. They stretched their lead to 42-26 early in the third quarter and seemed to be in control. But VCU (13-6, 2-4) charged back. The Rams ended the fourth quarter on a 14-4 run to pull within six heading into the fourth quarter.

Then Mason pulled away for good with a 7-2 burst to start the final period. After a free throw by Bell, Mokube sandwiched two baskets around a nifty up-and-under layup by Brown to stake a commanding 53-42 lead just two minutes into the fourth.

The Patriots will now play on less than 48 hours of rest against George Washington (16-3, 6-0), which has won 11 in a row and is one of two A-10 teams still undefeated in conference play.