FAIRFAX, Va. - The last time the George Mason women's basketball team won this many in a row the Patriots were in a different conference.
The Patriots cruised to a 56-37 victory over Illinois State on Wednesday afternoon at EagleBank Arena for their fifth straight win. It's their longest winning streak in head coach
Nyla Milleson's five years at the helm and the longest since the 2011-12 season when Mason was still in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Mason (5-1), now in the Atlantic 10 Conference, is also off to its best start since that 2011-12 season when the Patriots began the season 6-1 and won six in a row.
Three players scored in double figures for the Patriots, led by graduate student
Natalie Butler's 13 points and 15 rebounds for her fifth straight double-double. Freshman Nicole Cardano-Hillary added 12 points and sophomore
Jacy Bolton had 10 points.
Mason got off to a sluggish start but started to come alive at the end of the first quarter. Trailing 15-9, sophomore
Jacy Bolton sunk a her second 3-pointer of the game with 1:45 left in the opening period to spark a run that spilled into the the second quarter.
A block by Butler on one end led to a three-point play by
Camden Musgrave, who sunk a driving layup, drew a foul and made the free throw to tie the game. The Patriots went ahead for good on a turnaround jumper by Butler. Bolton followed with a layup and
Sarah Kaminski capped off the 12-0 run with a 15-foot jumper for a 21-15 lead with 5:46 left in the first half.
The Redbirds (1-2) scored on the next possession but Mason never let the lead dip below five after that. The Patriots shot 50 percent (7-of-14) in the second quarter, which included Butler's first career 3-point attempt (and make).
Mason led by seven at halftime and Cardano-Hillary and Butler made the first two baskets of the third period as the Redbirds never got closer than 10 from there on. The Patriots extended the advantage to 23 on
Allie McCool's offensive rebound and outback with 6:57 left in the game.
Milleson used all 13 available players as 10 Patriots scored against the Redbirds.
The Patriots board a plane Wednesday night to Denver and will head to Boulder, Colo., for the Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic hosted by the University of Colorado. Mason plays Drake at 4:30 p.m. (EST) on Friday and will play either host Colorado or Mississippi Valley State at 2 or 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
