AMHERST, Mass. – The George Mason women's basketball team pushed its' win streak to four on Sunday evening with a win at Massachusetts, downing the Minutewomen on the road for the first time since 2019.
The 21-point win marked the fifth out of all five Atlantic 10 wins that the Patriots have beat their opponent by 20 or more points.
Three Patriots scored in double-figures, led by
Sonia Smith with 15, who has scored 15 or more points over the last five contests.
Zahirah Walton was right behind her with 14 points, including going 5-5 from the free throw line, to go with seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Despite shooting 50% from the field in the first, the Patriots (14-3, 5-1) found themselves behind after the first 10 minutes. The Minutewomen (3-16, 1-6) outshot Mason, finishing at 64% on 9-14 from the field and 3-3 from deep, to take a 21-18 lead after the first.
Mason's defense locked down in the second, allowing just eight points by the hosts. Offensively,
Taylor Jameson scored seven of the Patriots' opening 11 points, with a three-pointer putting them ahead by four, and for good. Stout defense by Mason held UMass to just 22% shooting, including 0-7 from three, to take a 40-29 lead into half time.
The Patriot defense shined once again in the third quarter, allowing the offense to get some breathing room. Although UMass connected on two shots from deep, Mason held the hosts without a field goal for over eight minutes of the quarter. The Patriots stretched its' lead to as many as 17 on a three-pointer from Walton, and Mason held a 15-point lead going into the final stanza.
Two
Kennedy Harris field goals bookended two UMass free throws with 4:30 remaining to increase the lead to over 20 for the first time in the game.
Amy O'Hara contributed four points down the stretch and Mason held the Minutewomen to just 11 fourth-quarter points en route to the Atlantic 10 victory.
PATRIOT POINTS
- For the first time this season, Jazmyn Doster registered double-figure rebounds, pulling down a game-high 10. Mason outrebounded UMass 39-24
- Mason went 15-16 from the free throw line as a team for a 94% mark, the highest this season by the Patriots
- Taylor Jameson (10) joined Walton and Smith as Patriots with double-figure performances on the night
- Paula Suárez dished out a game-high five assists, while Kennedy Harris matched her career-high of three. The two also combined for 14 points and six rebounds
- The Mason bench outscored UMass' 38-9, and outscored it in the paint 32-18
UP NEXT
The Patriots will take the short trip to the nation's capital on Wednesday, Jan. 24 for a matinee game at rival George Washington. Tip-off with the Revolutionaries is set for 12 p.m.