FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team fell to a hot-shooting Maryland team on Monday night, ultimately falling 88-51 to the Terrapins.
 
The Patriots (0-1) were led by junior Taylor Jameson, who picked up right where she left off last season, scoring 15 points for her 21^st career game with double-digit scoring. She also contributed four rebounds on defense.
 
Graduate student J-Naya Ephraim had a comprehensive night across the court, tallying nine points, five rebounds, three assists and three block assists. The three blocks are a career-high for the guard.
 
The Terrapins' (1-0) defense did not allow a Mason point until 5:13 left in the first quarter when Jameson tallied her first points of the night. Maryland took advantage of Mason turnovers and fast breaks to build a 20-9 lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
Senior Tamia Lawhorne scored the first five points of the second quarter to pull within eight on a layup and a three-pointer and adjust the score to 22-14. Maryland responded back immediately however, hitting four-straight three-point shots to stretch the lead to 20 with 2:31 left in the half. The two teams traded free throws and two-point field goals down the stretch as Maryland held a 39-17 lead at the halftime break.
 
Mason's offense turned the corner in the second half, as the team doubled their first half output with 34 points. Jameson and senior Jazmyn Doster teamed up in the third quarter for a combined nine points. As a team, the Patriots shot 50% from the floor and 40% from deep as Maryland outscored them by just seven points.
 
Five Mason players scored three points each in quarter four and both teams gathered 11 rebounds. The Patriots found some rhythm in the final stanza, going on a 6-0 run with points from Doster and fellow senior Trey Kennedy, who scored their first points at Mason with a three-pointer with 2:29 left in the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Mason's 51 points are the most against Maryland since it scored 61 in 1990.
• Jazmyn Doster led the Patriots with seven rebounds, including four offensives, with seven points.
• Sophomore Paula Suárez led all players with four assists, which matches her career-high, to go along with five points, four rebounds and a steal.
• In her NCAA basketball debut, senior Nalani Kaysia registered two solo blocks, while posting two points and five rebounds.

 
GAME THOUGHTS
"We were really grateful that Brenda brought her crew over to this side and for us with the build with this program, to be the best you have to beat the best," said head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. "Every single night we need to come and compete no matter who is on the other side of the floor."
 
"These games are really important to prepare us for conference," added Taylor Jameson. "We all step out on to the court every game looking to compete. The ultimate goal is to always win but, in those losses, we just want to learn and push forward."
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will get on the road for a two-game road swing through Pittsburgh, beginning with Robert Morris on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.