FAIRFAX, Va. – Big plays, outstanding team basketball and hot shooting highlighted the George Mason University women's basketball team's victory over Longwood on Tuesday night in EagleBank Arena.
After leading by as many as 16 points (52-36), the Patriots staved off a late comeback by the Lancers to secure its second straight win, 77-65.
The Patriots knocked down nine three-point field goals (.429) and shot 45.3 percent overall from the floor (24-53). Mason also posted 15 assists on its 24 field goals made.
Five Patriots finished in double figures for the second consecutive game while two Patriots recorded double-doubles in the victory.
Senior
Marika Korpinen led the young Patriot squad, leaving her mark in several statistical categories. She finished with 19 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and seven assists. It marked the first double-double of her career.
Sophomore
Jazmyn Doster recorded her second career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She scored seven of her 10 points in the fourth quarter, going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.
Graduate student
Daijah Jefferson was one rebound shy of a double-double, posting 14 points and nine rebounds in the win. She knocked down five of her seven free throws in the final quarter of play.
Sophomore duo
Jordan Wakefield (11) and
Tamia Lawhorne (10) also provided double-digit scoring performances.
The Patriots got off to a blistering start, going on an 8-0 run to lead 10-2 with under six minutes remaining in the first quarter. Four different Patriots registered a bucket during that span, including a pair of three-pointers by Lawhorne and Jefferson. Mason pushed its advantage to 10 at the media timeout (15-5). At the timeout, Mason was shooting 6-of-9 from the floor (.667) and 3-for-4 from deep (.750).
Taylor Jameson, Wakefield and
Rachel Balzer each knocked down a triple to extend the lead with a minute on the clock (24-9). The Patriots made six three-pointers (.750) to lead 24-13 at the end of the first period.
Mason used a 6-0 run to start the second quarter, extending its advantage to 15 with 7:30 on the clock (30-15). Longwood then responded with a run of its own, going 5-of-6 from the floor and cutting Mason's lead to eight (37-29). Both teams exchanged three-pointers to end the first half with Mason holding an eight-point advantage (40-32). The Patriots shot 69.2 percent from the behind-the-arc (9-13) and 51.7 percent from the field (15-29) while Lawhorne added eight of her 10 points in the first half.
Out of the break, Mason held Longwood without a field goal for nearly three minutes to maintain a 12-point lead at the media timeout (48-36). But the Lancers would not go away so easily. With 2:48 on the clock in the third quarter, Longwood outscored Mason 21-5 to tie the game with 6:55 remaining in the game (57-57).
The Patriots staved off the Lancer comeback with a 9-0 spurt over 2:36 minutes to reclaim the lead (66-57). Once again, Mason shined from the charity stripe in the final minutes, outlasting Longwood for the victory (77-65). The Patriots were 11-of-16 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
Mason improves to a perfect 9-0 against Longwood on its home court.
Up next, Mason will travel to CAA preseason favorite JMU on Sunday (Dec. 6). Tip-off in Harrisonburg is scheduled for 2 p.m.
