FAIRFAX,
Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team downed Florida, 75-71, on Wednesday evening at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Va.
Mason earned its third straight win to improve to 6-3 on the season.
It marked Mason's second-ever win over an SEC opponent, and the first one since Dec. 30, 1996, when the Patriots defeated Auburn in overtime (56-55).
Senior
Amaya Scott led the Patriots and tied her career-high 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting (.588). She scored 15 of Mason's 29 first-half points, and added a team-high nine rebounds. It marked the sixth 20-spot of her career, and sixth straight game in double figures.
Junior
Tamia Lawhorne added a season-best 19 points, draining four three-pointers on seven attempts (.571).
Junior
Jordan Wakefield (15) and sophomore
Taylor Jameson (10) also finished in double figures for the Patriots. Wakefield and Jameson both went 5-of-6 from the free throw line to help seal the victory down the stretch. Mason improves to 6-0 when three-of-more players score 10+ points.
Mason shot 45.5 percent from the floor (25-55) and made a season-best eight three-pointers (.381). The Patriots made 27 trips to the free throw line, making 17 attempts (.630).
Florida finished 42.6 percent from the field (29-68) and made just five three-pointers (.263). The Patriots limited the Gators to only 12 trips to the charity stripe (.667).
The Gators quickly stormed out to an 11-3 lead before the first media timeout, capitalizing on three early fouls by the Patriots. Mason then made a defensive stand, holding the Gators to just four points for the remainder of the period. The Patriots fought back and trailed by three after the first quarter (15-12), courtesy of a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Wakefield.
Mason went on an 8-0 run to take its first lead of the game with four minutes remaining in the second quarter (23-22). The Patriots and Gators then took turns taking the lead in a back-and-forth contest for the remainder of the first half. The Patriots held a four-point advantage at the break after making seven of their last nine field goals (33-29).
The Gators rallied from their deficit to even the score at 41 all. The Patriots took a two-point lead at the media break, and held a three-point lead with one quarter to go (51-48).
To start the fourth quarter, Mason went on a 6-2 run to jump ahead by seven. Florida closed in on the Mason lead at the media timeout (61-58), and made it a one-point game with under a minute to go (65-66), but the Patriots got it done from the charity stripe to hold on for the victory (75-71).
Up next, Mason continues their homestand against Norfolk State on Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside EagleBank Arena.
