FAIRFAX, Va. -- The George Mason women's basketball team came up short against Duquesne, falling 55-49 on Sunday afternoon in EagleBank Arena.
Trailing by one with under two minutes remaining (50-49), the Patriots were unable to convert on the offensive end as the Dukes held on for the victory.
Mason made a season-high 10 three-point field goals (.357) and shot 36.7 percent from the floor overall (18-49).
The Patriots did a good job defending the three-point line, holding the Dukes to a mark of 25.0 percent from behind-the-arc (6-24). Duquesne finished 33.9 percent from the floor (21-62).
Entering Sunday's game, the Patriots led the conference in offensive rebounds per game (14.4). But, it was the Dukes who had success on the boards, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds which resulted in 16 points. Duquesne was +9 on the glass (43-34) and +12 in points off turnovers (18-6).
Redshirt freshman
Rachel Balzer led the Patriots with a team-high 14 points on 4-of-12 shooting from three-point range. She added two rebounds, two assists and two steals in 39 minutes of action.
Senior
Marika Korpinen scored nine points and recorded five rebounds, three steals and two assists in the loss. Freshman
Taylor Jameson and sophomore
Vita Stam added eight points apiece.
It was all Balzer to start the game for the Patriots, scoring the first five points (5-0). Duquesne responded with a 6-0 run to take its first lead with 5:52 on the clock (6-5). Mason then went on a run of its own, outscoring Duquesne 8-2 up until the media timeout (13-8). The Patriots finished the quarter 6-of-8 from the floor to lead 17-13. Balzer had eight points while Korpinen added seven in the opening frame.
Duquesne went on a 12-4 spurt to begin the second quarter, reclaiming the lead with six minutes on the clock (25-21). Balzer,
Livija Kaktaite and Jameson then hit three straight three-pointers to give Mason the 30-25 advantage. Duquesne scored the last five points of the half to even the game (30-30).
Balzer's fourth three-pointer cut the deficit to one with 7:19 left in the third quarter (34-33). Duquesne took its largest lead of the game with 2:08 on the clock (43-36). Jameson and Stam knocked down back-to-back treys to trail by one with one period remaining (43-42).
Stam made her second three-pointer of the game to begin the fourth quarter (46-46). Doster made a layup to cut Mason's deficit to one with 2:25 on the clock (50-49). Duquesne's Libby Bazelak made a three-pointer with under two minutes remaining (53-49). The Patriots were unable to convert on the offensive end as the Dukes held on for the victory.
Mason wraps up its home slate next weekend, including Senior Night on Saturday, Feb. 20 against Davidson (7 p.m.).
