FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team fell to the Massachusetts Minutewomen, 78-57, on Sunday afternoon inside EagleBank Arena.
Prior to the game, the team honored the five members of the 2023 graduating class,
Jazmyn Doster,
Tamia Lawhorne,
Trey Kennedy,
Riley Childs and
J-Naya Ephraim. The team also honored
Rachel Balzer, whose playing career was cut short last year due to injuries and career-ending surgey.
The Patriots were led offensively by seniors
Nalani Kaysia and
Sonia Smith, who both scored a team-high 13 points. Smith also dished out a team-high four assists while Kaysia was just one rebound off of another double-double with a team-high nine boards while registering a career-high four blocks.
After the Patriots (12-14, 5-8) scored the first basket, UMass rattled off 19 of the next 21 points to take a 19-4 after the first stanza.
The second quarter was evenly matched as the Patriots were able to get the offense going, shooting 50% from the field as they were able to cut the lead to 10 with 5:12 in the half on a three-point make. UMass responded however, finishing the half on a 12-4 run to lead by 18 at the break.
The Minutewomen (21-4, 11-1) had their best offensive output of the day in the third, shooting 45.5% from the field and 50% from deep.
Mason ended on a high note however, outscoring UMass 19-15, with scoring from six different Patriots. All three of its' offensive rebounds led to second chance points while the Patriots' bench dropped 11 points in the quarter.
PATRIOT POINTS
- For the second-straight game, freshman Nekhu Mitchell set a new career-high in points, scoring nine points on 4-7 shooting while pulling down four rebounds.
- The Patriots registered seven blocks to UMass' two. Along with Kaysia's four, Doster tallied two and Kennedy tallied one. Their seven blocks matched a season high set on Nov. 19 against Loyola (Md.)
- Mason's bench outscored UMass' bench 33-8, led by Kaysia's 13 and Mitchell's nine.
- As a team, the Patriots shot 40% from the field, their 10th time this season they shot 40% or better.
UP NEXT
Mason will travel to A-10 first-year member Loyola Chicago on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Tip-off from the Windy City is set for 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET.
