FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team nearly pulled off the comeback Wednesday in Fairfax but could not quite get past the Tribe, falling 48-43 inside EagleBank Arena.
After trailing by as many as 18 (29-11), the Patriots pulled within one with less than three minutes left and had a couple chances to tie or take the lead. But William & Mary was able to stave off the comeback bid and hang on for the victory.
Graduate student Daijah Jefferson posted her second double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
Sophomore Jazmyn Doster finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. She scored seven of her 13 points in the final quarter, sparking the Patriots' comeback effort.
The Patriots shot 27.8 percent from the floor (15-54) and made just one three-pointer (.063). Mason was +8 on the boards (39-31), including an 18-7 advantage on the offensive glass.
The Tribe finished 17-of-45 from the floor (.378) and made seven three-point field goals (.333). William & Mary's Sydney Wagner had a career day, scoring a personal-best 27 points, including 18 points in the first half.
Junior Livija Kaktaite proved instrumental to Mason's defensive adjustments with less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter. Along with freshman Taylor Jameson, the pair went on to hold W&M's Wagner to just nine points after her hot start.
William & Mary shot 66.7 percent from the field (8-12) to take a 17-7 lead after one quarter of play. Mason struggled offensively and made just 2-of-11 of its shot attempts in the opening period. Jefferson accounted for six of Mason's seven points.
The Tribe extended its advantage to 18 with 4:31 left in the second quarter (29-11). Four straight points by Jefferson brought Mason within 14 with 2:42 remaining (29-15). Kaktaite entered the game to defend William & Mary's Wagner, who had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting up until that point.
The substitution proved beneficial as Mason held William & Mary without a field goal for the final 4:30 minutes of the half, and scoreless for the final 2:22 minutes.
A pair of free throws by Jefferson brought Mason within 11 at the break (30-19). Jefferson led the Patriots with 12 first-half points on 4-of-9 shooting. Mason had 11 turnovers in the first half which resulted in 14 points for the Tribe.
It was defensive battle to open the second half as Mason held William & Mary without a point for the first 5:30 minutes of the third quarter (32-20). It was a scoring drought of nearly ten minutes for the Tribe, going back to the second quarter of play. The Tribe then made five straight points to push their lead to 15 (37-22). Back-to-back baskets from Doster and Marika Korpinen brought the Patriots within 11 at the end of the third period (37-26).
Mason scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to four with 5:06 remaining (37-33). Jameson scored a layup to bring Mason within one with 2:20 on the clock (40-39). But, William & Mary responded with five straight points, including a three-pointer by Wagner (45-39). Despite a strong comeback effort by the Patriots, the Tribe held on for the victory, 48-43.
Mason returns to the court Saturday (Dec. 19) for a noon tip against Ole Miss in EagleBank Arena. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
