PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – George Mason women's basketball opened its 2025–26 season with a thrilling overtime battle at Temple on Monday night, falling 94–85 in a back-and-forth contest at the Liacouras Center.

Redshirt junior forward Zahirah Walton powered the Patriots with a dominant double-double, pouring in 31 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 10-of-24 from the field and 11-of-12 at the line. Kennedy Harris added 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three, while Page Greenburg contributed 11 points off the bench, all from beyond the arc. Jada Brown chipped in 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists, and MJ Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, seven boards, and four assists.

George Mason jumped out to a 21–14 lead after one quarter and held a 39–38 advantage at the half behind Harris' early sharpshooting and Walton's inside presence. The game remained tight throughout, featuring six ties and three lead changes. Temple used a third-quarter push to gake the lead but the Patriots tied it up off a layup from Walton with 5.5 seconds remaining to force overtime at 74–74. The Owls then outscored the Patriots 20–11 in the extra frame.

Despite the loss, the Patriots showcased strong resilience on the glass, outrebounding Temple 19-14 on the offensive boards and scoring 24 second-chance points. George Mason finished 10-of-32 (31%) from three-point range and 19-of-22 (86%) at the free-throw line while forcing 20 Owl turnovers.

UP NEXT
The Patriots travel to Harrisonburg to take on the James Madison Dukes on Thursday, November 6 at 7 p.m.