BRONX, N.Y. – For the first time since both teams joined the Atlantic 10, Mason downed Fordham in dominating fashion, avenging last season's postseason loss with a 74-63 win in Rose Hill Gym.
 
The win over Fordham marks the first time that Mason was victorious as members of the Atlantic 10 conference. Mason's last win came on Dec. 22, 2008, when it won 76-74 in overtime in Fairfax.
 
Multiple career-highs were set throughout the night, highlighted by an incredible stat line from sophomore Paula Suárez. The guard posted career-highs in points (15), assists (6), made free throws (5-5), blocks (3) and steals (2) in a team-high 38 minutes.
 
Freshman Nekhu Mitchell and senior Nalani Kaysia also tallied career-highs in points with 10 and 19, respectively. The two were also just one rebound off of a double-double, each pulling down a game-high nine boards.
 
It was all Mason from the jump ball, as Kaysia won the opening tip before putting away a layup off of Suárez's first assist less than 30 seconds in to the game. Fordham pulled within one, 6-5, at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter, but it would be the closest it could get as the Patriots (14-14, 7-8) led for the entire game. 
 
Suárez scored seven of the team's next nine points before junior Taylor Jameson checked in and hit her first of a team-high three three-pointers to push Mason ahead by eight, a margin they would hold onto until the break to lead 21-13 after the first.
 
The Rams (16-11, 8-6) limited Mason to their lowest point total of the evening in the second quarter, but Mason was still able to keep pace, shooting 40% from the field to match Fordham's 14 points. Led by seven points from Kaysia, Mason held on to their eight-point lead at the halftime break, 35-27.
 
The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle, as the Rams were able to connect on a game-high 44.4% of their shots, outscoring Mason 20-18 to cut the lead to just six with one quarter to go.
 
Fordham pulled within two with 6:42 remaining in the fourth, but back-to-back scores from Jameson pushed the lead back to seven at the media timeout. After the Rams hit back-to-back shots from their own, Mason called timeout and came out of the break with lockdown defense, allowing just four points from the hosts in the final 4:15. Clutch free throw shooting from the Patriots saw three players go 8-8 from the charity stripe to ice the 74-63 victory.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• For the first time this season, five players scored in double-digits. The quintet of Kaysia (19), Sonia Smith (17), Suárez (15), Jameson (13) and Mitchell (10) combined for all 74 of the Patriots' points
• Smith and Mitchell also dished out multi-digit assists, tallying three and two, respectively
• With her nine-rebound performance tonight, Kaysia is now averaging 10.5 rebounds/game in A10 play, a mark that ties her for first with UMass' Sam Breen
• Mason outrebounded Fordham 37-31
• The Patriots shot a season high 80% (16-20) from the free throw line, with half coming down the stretch of the fourth quarter
• As a team, Mason shot 49.1%, their eighth time this season shooting over 45%. The Patriots are 7-1 when hitting that mark

 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will host St. Joseph's for their final regular season game on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. After conclusion of A10 play next weekend, Mason will await its' official seeding for the Atlantic 10 Tournament beginning on March 1.