WHO: Women's Basketball vs. Drexel
WHAT: FIU Holiday Classic
WHERE: FIU Arena, Miami, Fla.
FINAL SCORE: Drexel 82, Mason 71
KEY PLAYERS: Casey Davis – 20 points, seven rebounds; Kara Wright – 14 points, five assists; Jacy Bolton – 10 points; Sylvia Maxwell – 10 points

MIAMI – Despite another career day from redshirt sophomore Casey Davis the George Mason women's basketball team was unable to stymie Drexel's sharpshooting.

Davis scored a career-high 20 points but Drexel sank 11 3-pointers to hand the Patriots an 82-71 loss on Tuesday in the FIU Holiday Classic at FIU Arena. The Dragons, who have a national RPI ranking of 38, were boosted by 46 points and nine 3-pointers from seniors Sarah Curran and Meghan Creighton.

Mason battled back from a 16-point deficit to pull within three in the fourth quarter. After falling into a 50-34 hole early in the third quarter, the Patriots (7-6) responded. Davis and senior Kara Wright combined for 11 points during an 18-4 run. Mason pulled within four on Tayler Dodson's turnaround jumper with 2:14 left in the third quarter.

The game stayed tight and the Patriots cut the deficit to 59-56 with 8:36 to go after a bucket by Dodson and a free throw by Wright. But after a Mason turnover, Curran sunk one of her four 3-pointers to double Drexel's lead. The Patriots came within four points twice but the Dragons answered with a basket each time.

Drexel pushed the lead to 71-62 with 4:43 left and made 13 of 17 free throws in the fourth quarter for its fifth straight victory. Curran finished with a game-high 29 points and four 3-pointers while Creighton added 17 points and five 3-pointers.

"We played a very veteran and talented team today," Mason head coach Nyla Milleson said. "Unfortunately we were not able to take away what they do best - shoot the 3-ball. We had a stretch in the second quarter and the first two possessions of the third quarter that dug us a hole. We battled and got within three but couldn't get over the hump. Losing Tayler Dodson (to injury) for the majority of the first half really hurt us. We must show maturity and resilience and get ourselves ready for (FIU) tomorrow."

Fresh off her first career double-double against Navy with 16 points and 16 rebounds a week ago, Davis continued to assert herself inside. The Gambrills, Md., native scored 11 points in the second half, shot 6-of-8 from the field and made 7-of-9 free throws. She also grabbed seven rebounds.

Wright added 14 points and Jacy Bolton and Sylvia Maxwell each scored 10 points. Starting forward Tayler Dodson came down on her foot awkwardly midway through the first quarter and didn't return until the second half, finishing with six points in 19 minutes.

The Patriots led 13-8 when Dodson left the court with 4:54 in the first quarter and kept a five-point lead with 2:52 remaining in the period. But the Dragons ended the quarter on a 12-4 run - aided by back-to-back 3-pointers from Creighton - to take a three-point lead into the second quarter. Mason tied it twice in the second period but couldn't jump ahead as Drexel led the rest of the way.

Mason shot 46.8 percent from the field, outscored the Dragons in the paint (30-22) and shot 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the free-throw line. The Dragons, who entered ranked 11th in the country with 9.1 made 3-pointers a game, shot 44 percent (11-of-25) from beyond the arc.

The Patriots look to rebound as they close out their non-conference schedule with their final game of the FIU Holiday Classic on Wednesday. Mason will play host FIU (2-8) at 2 p.m. at FIU Arena.