TOWSON, Md. – The George Mason women's basketball team overcame a 14-point second-half deficit en route to an 83-76 win to close out non-conference play on Friday afternoon.
 
The Patriots (9-2) were led by 20-point performances from Sonia Smith and Zahirah Walton. Smith also pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds for her first double-double in the Green & Gold, while Walton tallied a career-high 23 points, including nine free throws.
 
The Tigers (7-3) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes, before Smith scored eight of the next 10 to pull Mason within one. Towson held off the Patriots, hitting 11 shots, including three from deep, to lead 25-19 after the first.
 
It was more of the same in the second quarter, as the Tigers went 3-3 from beyond the arc and shot 64% to stretch their lead to 11 at the halftime break.
 
After Towson pushed their lead to 14 at the 8:16 mark of the third quarter, Smith and Walton combined for all 12 points of a 12-0 run for Mason in a six-minute span to pull within two. The teams traded points down the stretch and Towson led by just four with one quarter remaining.
 
Walton led the charge in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points on three layups and going 4-5 from the charity stripe. Trailing by two with 6:30 remaining, Nekhu Mitchell pulled down a rebound and Walton drew a foul to convert a three-point play and give Mason their first lead of the game.
 
The Tigers would regain the lead with 2:27 remaining, but Mason forced a turnover on the Tiger's next inbound play and Paula Suárez converted a jumper to tie the game. The Patriots would grab a defensive rebound on the next Towson possession and Ta'Viyanna Habib hit her first three of the game to push Mason ahead for good. Taylor Jameson converted six free throws down the stretch to preserve the lead as the Patriots completed the comeback.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• Paula Suárez tallied a career-high 16 points, matching her career-high of six field goals, to go with two assists, a steal and a block
• The Patriots forced Towson into 21 turnovers compared to just seven of their own, the fewest since they had six in the season opener against Bowie State
• Off of the 21 turnovers, Mason converted 20 points
• Zahirah led the Patriots with three steals, matching her career-high 
• Mason converted a season-best 21 of 23 free throw attempts
• Jazmyn Doster tallied her 83^rd career block, moving into fifth all-time at Mason

 
UP NEXT
Mason will welcome La Salle to EagleBank Arena to open Atlantic 10 play on Dec. 30, a rematch of last season's A-10 Second Round game. Tip-off with the Explorers is set for 6 p.m.