FAIRFAX, Va. – Led by the most points in a game since 2014, the George Mason women's basketball opened the 2023-24 season with a strong 96-45 win over Bowie State.
 
The day was highlighted by senior Sonia Smith scoring her 1,000^th career point on a perfectly executed driving layup midway through the third quarter. She was one of four players to score in double-figures with 12 to go with four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
 
Junior Ta'Viyanna Habib (18), Sophomore Zahirah Walton (17) and freshman Kennedy Harris (15) shined in the Mason debuts, while Walton also tallied a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double.
 
Bowie State (0-1) scored the opening basket of the game, but Mason would quickly respond with a 20-2 run to stretch the lead with two minutes left in the first quarter. Harris sparked the offense with back-to-back three-pointers to kick off her Mason career as eight players scored a point in the opening frame. 
 
The Patriots (1-0) held Bowie State without a point for the first three minutes and 30 seconds of the second stanza. Leading by 24 after the media timeout, graduate student Jazmyn Doster grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback in a three-point play. The teams traded points down the stretch until Walton notched a steal and went all the way for a fast break layup to push the lead to 32 at the half.
 
Habib opened the second half in fashion, hitting a three-pointer to become the first player in double figures. The Patriots slowly continued to build the lead until Smith's 12^th points of the game and 1,000^th of her career pushed the lead to 43 and force a Bowie State timeout. Habib continued her hot shooting throughout the quarter, going 3-6 from beyond the arc for nine of her 18 points.
 
Mason's lead ballooned to as many as 56 in the fourth quarter, as the Patriots' bench scored all 20 of the team's points. The newcomer pair of Walton and Harris combined for 15 of those points as the entire teams shined, committing just one turnover.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• The Patriots' 96 points are the most since Nov. 19, 2014 when Mason downed Delaware State 110-91 in EagleBank Arena
• Sonia Smith becomes the 21^st player to score her 1,000^th point in a Mason uniform
• Every player dressed for Mason stepped on the floor and tallied at least a point or a rebound
• Paula Suárez picked up right where she left off last season, leading the Patriots with five assists to go with four points and three rebounds
• Mason doubled up Bowie State in rebounding, pulling down 63 to the visitor's 31
• Sophomore Jada Brown set a new career-best with six steals
• Taylor Jameson moved into the top-15 in Mason history with her 105^th made three-pointer of her career

 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will return to EagleBank Arena on Thursday, Nov. 9 to host Marshall. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.