WHO: Women's Basketball at Massachusetts
WHERE: William D. Mullins Memorial Center, Amherst, Mass.
FINAL SCORE: Mason 66, Massachusetts 55
KEY PLAYERS: Kara Wright – 22 points, 10 rebounds; Jacy Bolton – 14 points, three steals; Sarah Kaminski – 13 points, four 3-pointers, three steals

AMHERST, Mass. – George Mason's guard heavy starting lineup ensured the Patriots started Atlantic 10 Conference play off on the right foot.

Senior Kara Wright, freshmen Jacy Bolton and Sarah Kaminski and junior Tayler Dodson combined for 57 points to lead the Patriots to a 66-55 road victory over Massachusetts on Sunday at the Mullins Center in the A-10 opener for both teams. Wright led the way with her second career double-double, scoring a game-high 22 points and tying a career high with 10 rebounds.

Mason (5-4, 1-0 Atlantic 10) won its conference opener for the third straight season while also winning back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a year. With three road wins already this year, the Patriots have matched their most in a season since the 2014-15 campaign. That was also the last time Mason won consecutive road games.

"A big win on the road in the A-10," head coach Nyla Milleson said. "It is a different format when you throw an A-10 game in the midst of non-conference play. I thought our kids showed good focus. Great job by Kara Wright at the free-throw line down the stretch and we came up with some big defensive stops down the stretch as well."

The Patriots led by as many as 18 in the third quarter but the Minutewomen (4-4, 0-1) battled back. UMass trailed just 56-50 a little more than three minutes remaining before Wright continued to get to the free-throw line.

Wright was clutch down the stretch, sinking nine of 10 free throws in fourth quarter to help Mason pull away. The Louisville, Ky., native finished 12-of-13 from the foul line for a career high in made free throws. Over the final 2:52, Mason made 10-of-12 foul shots and held UMass to just five points.

Bolton had 14 points and a career-high three steals. Kaminski added 13 points, draining a career-high four 3-pointers in addition to a personal-best three steals and a career-high tying two blocks. Dodson added eight points and a career-high seven assists.

"Honestly, I think my adrenaline was rushing more than my first game just because I love conference play," said Bolton, who has started all nine games this season. "I like how competitive it is and I know we have a goal to be in the top five (in the conference). So with the first game and it being on the road, we definitely had to have more energy."

Bolton scored the first six points for Mason and tied a personal-best with two 3-pointers. Bolton (32) and Kaminski (30) each logged 30-plus minutes. The freshman duo combined for 27 points, six 3-pointers and six steals. 

"This team doesn't really make us feel like we're freshmen," Bolton said. "We're just basketball players and we know what we can do. The freshman mindset, I don't feel like we have that."

The Patriots led by as many as 18 in the third quarter but the Minutewomen (4-4, 0-1) battled back. UMass trailed just 56-50 a little more than three minutes remaining before Wright continued to get to the line. Wright was clutch down the stretch, sinking nine of 10 free throws in fourth quarter to help Mason pull away. The Louisville, Ky., native finished 12-of-13 from the foul line for a career high in made free throws. Over the final 2:52, Mason made 10-of-12 foul shots and held UMass to just five points.

Mason won the rebounding battle 42-32. In addition to Wright's 10 boards, Casey Davis, making her first start of the season, grabbed a career-high nine rebounds. The Patriots also dished out a season-high 17 assists, grabbed 13 steals and blocked a season-high nine shots. UMass turned the ball over 22 times, which Mason turned into 17 points.

After matching their earliest start to conference play in program history, the Patriots now step back out of conference. Mason returns to action at 7 p.m. on Thursday with the short trip to Georgetown in Washington, D.C.