FAIRFAX, Va. –
Natalie Butler once again added to her long list of accomplishments this season as the George Mason women's basketball team got back on the winning track.
Butler posted her 25th straight double-double with 30 points and 19 rebounds as the Patriots rallied past Massachusetts for a 71-60 victory on Sunday in front of 1,567 at EagleBank Arena. After losing to rival George Washington on Wednesday, Mason (19-7, 8-4 Atlantic 10) bounced back to pick up its 19th victory – its most wins since 2000-01.
Butler scored 30 points or more for the second time this season and in her career. The graduate student from Fairfax Station, Va., leads the country in double-doubles (25) and is just the second player in Division I women's basketball history to post a double-double in 25 consecutive games. Former All-American Courtney Paris did it three times (28, 31, 33) from 2005-08 at Oklahoma.
Freshman guard
Nicole Cardaño-Hillary scored 17 of her 19 points in the second half. Sophomore guard
Sarah Kaminski chipped in nine points, including eight pivotal points in the first half when Cardano-Hillary barely played in the second quarter due to foul trouble.
The Patriots fell behind by nine less than four minutes into the game and trailed most of the first half. Butler and Kaminski combined for 27 of Mason's 30 points to briefly take the lead before UMass jumped back in front with a layup right before halftime for a 32-30 lead.
The Minutewomen (11-14, 3-9) pushed the advantage to five points in the opening minute of the third period. Then the Patriots went on a game-deciding 17-2 run. An offensive putback by Butler sparked the run. Butler scored seven points during the spurt, Cardano-Hillary drained a couple 3-pointers and
Jacy Bolton chipped in four points. The sophomore guard knocked down a fastbreak layup to cap off the flurry for a 53-41 lead with 56 seconds left in the period.
The Patriots led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter and the margin never dipped below in the final period. Mason outscored the Minutewomen 32-22 in the paint and won the rebounding battle 47-35. The Patriots scored 24 second-chance points off 22 offensive rebounds.
Butler shot 11 of 24 from the field and made 8 of 9 free throws in addition to two blocks and a steal. Cardano-Hillary, the league leader in steals, also nabbed four steals. Kaminski, Bolton and senior
Tayler Dodson each had four assists. Dodson also had six rebounds and two steals in addition to four points.
Mason hits the road to play in-state rival VCU at 11 a.m. on Thursday in Richmond, Va.
