ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The George Mason women's basketball team swept the Navy Classic with a win over Navy on Sunday evening in Annapolis, Md.
The Patriots defeated the Mids, 69-64, to improve to 5-3 on the season. It marked the Patriots' fourth straight victory over Navy.
Senior
Amaya Scott was named Co-Most Valuable Player of the tournament while junior
Tamia Lawhorne earned All-Classic Team honors.
For the second straight game, four players finished in double figures: Scott (17),
Taylor Jameson (15), Lawhorne (12) and
Jordan Wakefield (11). The Patriots improved to 5-0 when three-or-more players score 10+ points.
Scott posted her 12th career double-double with a 17-point, 12-rebound outing. It marked her fifth straight game in double figures, and second double-double in the last four games.
Despite a cold shooting night, Mason got it done from the charity stripe, sinking a season-best 29 free throws on 37 attempts (.784). The Patriots finished 27.9 percent from the floor (17-61) and made six three-pointers (.300).
Mason was +6 on the glass (47-41) – outrebounding its opponent for the sixth time this season. The Patriots also forced 14 turnovers, and committed a season-low seven miscues on their end.
Wakefield, Lawhorne and Jameson each knocked down a three-pointer in the opening three minutes (9-2). Navy responded with a 9-2 run to even the score (11-11). Lawhorne made another two three-pointers as Mason owned a three-point lead after the first quarter (19-16).
The Patriots struggled offensively to start the second period. Suarez ended Mason's scoring drought with 5:07 on the clock (23-21). Mason later used a 7-2 spurt to extend its advantage to five (32-27). A pair of Navy free throws brought the Mids within two at the break (33-31).
Navy took its first lead of the ballgame with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter (37-36). Scott scored four points in the span of a minute to put Mason back in front at the media timeout (41-37). The Patriots locked down on defense to end the third quarter, holding the Mids to 2-of-11 from the floor. With one quarter remaining, Mason held a slim two-point advantage (48-46).
Mason got off to a 5-0 start in the fourth quarter behind three points from Jameson (53-46). Wakefield and Lawhorne each knocked down a pair of free throws with 6:44 remaining (58-52). Then Wakefield completed an emphatic and-one play to give Mason its largest lead of the day (61-52).
Scott would later drain a pair of clutch free throws to give Mason the lead (65-63), silencing the Mids' 9-0 run with 49 seconds remaining. She then sealed the victory with a layup as Mason earned its fourth road win of the season, 69-64.
Up next, Mason returns home to host Florida on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside EagleBank Arena.
