FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason Patriots topped the UMBC Retrievers in a Friday afternoon matchup, 75-53. This moves the Patriots to 11-1, continuing to mark the best start in program history.
Graduate student
Nalani Kaysia was the engine of the first half. After 13 minutes of play, she had a double-double. Just before halftime, she had 14 points and 16 rebounds before an unfortunate box-out sidelined her for precautionary reasons.
With Kaysia down, the rest of the team stepped up. Junior
Zahirah Walton put up 10 points in the second half, 14 points overall, helping widen the Patriots victory. Senior
Paula Suárez tallied 15 points and added 5 rebounds and 5 assists to the win.
The Patriots controlled this game from start to finish, jumping out to an 18-8 start and maintained at least a 10-point lead for the rest of the game. All available players played today.
PATRIOT POINTS
- Nalani Kaysia finished with 14 points on 70% shooting, 16 rebounds, and 1 block in just 18 minutes of play
- Zahirah Walton put up 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals
- Senior Paula Suárez tallied 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists
- UMBC averages 55 points against them – the Patriots beat that average in three quarters
- UMBC has the #4 three-point percentage defense in the country with opponents' shooting 21.7% - the Patriots shot 38.1%, hitting 8 threes in this game
UP NEXT
The Patriots take their longest break of the year before they kick off the bulk of their conference play. The Green & Gold will be back in action in the new year on January 2, 2025 against Saint Joseph's. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. and TV broadcast will be available on ESPN+.
