FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to rally past Navy on Sunday afternoon inside EagleBank Arena.
After trailing 51-41 with 8:22 remaining in the game, Mason used a late 10-2 run to reclaim the lead and earn its first win of the season (72-68).
Sophomore Jazmyn Doster finished with a career-high 22 points, the first 20-spot of her career. She also chipped in eight rebounds and four blocks in a career-high 31 minutes of play.
In addition to Doster's dominant performance, graduate student Daijah Jefferson posted her first career double-double (12pts/11rebs).
Taylor Jameson (11), Marika Korpinen (10) and Jordan Wakefield (10) also finished in double figures. It marked the first time since Feb. 21, 2019 that five Patriots finished in double figures.
The Patriots shared the ball well, posting 16 assists on 24 field goals made.
Mason also held the advantage on the glass (56-42) and were +10 in points in the paint (34-24). It marked the most rebounds by a Patriot squad since a win over LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 7, 2017.
The Patriots limited the Midshipmen to just 3-of-13 from behind-the-arc (.231) and forced 17 turnovers.
To open the game, Mason relied on its defense to stifle Navy's offensive attack. The Patriots held the Mids scoreless for the first 5:30 minutes of the game. At the media timeout, Mason held a slim 5-2 advantage. Junior Devyn Wilson made a layup with less than 30 seconds remaining to put the Patriots in front, 10-9. But Navy responded with five straight points to lead after the first quarter (14-10).
Doster scored three straight baskets to start the second period, pushing the Patriots back in front with 8:33 remaining (16-15). The 11-2 run extended the Patriots' advantage to six (21-15) with 5:59 on the clock. On the other end of the court, Mason's defense held Navy without a field goal for the final five minutes of the half (29-24). At the break, Mason was +13 on the glass (32-19) and +12 in points in the paint (18-6).
Mason struggled to find its offensive footing in the third quarter. Navy used a 13-2 run over four minutes to reclaim the lead with one minute remaining (44-39). Mason was 2-of-12 from the floor during the stretch. The Mids outscored the Patriots 22-12 in the frame, shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
Navy stretched its lead to 10 with 8:22 remaining in the game. That's when the Patriots took over. Back-to-back three-pointers from Wakefield and Korpinen cut the lead to four with 5:49 on the clock (55-51). Then a late 10-2 run, sparked by three straight baskets by Doster, put Mason back in front with 42 seconds left in the game (66-62). The Patriots knocked down eight clutch free throws in the final minute to seal the victory, 72-68.
Mason remains at home for a midweek matchup against Longwood on Tuesday (Dec. 1). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
