FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team delivered a strong performance in front of 2,679 fans at EagleBank Arena, defeating UMass 76-66 in their annual Pink Game, sponsored by Sentara. The Patriots (23-3, 13-2 A-10) used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away and secure their 11th consecutive victory of the season.

The Green & Gold had a well-rounded offensive effort, with four players scoring in double figures. Nekhu Mitchell led the way with a career-high 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 three-pointers, while Paula Suarez added 14 points and 7 assists. Louis Volker contributed a career-high 15 points off the bench, giving the Patriots a key spark. Defensively, George Mason controlled the glass, outrebounding UMass 51-38 and limiting the Minutewomen to just 32.9% shooting from the field.

The game began as a back-and-forth battle, with both teams fighting to put the ball in the basket. UMass's Yahmani McKayle scored 11-points in the first ten minutes. However, George Mason responded with key buckets from Nekhu Mitchell and Paula Suárez to stay within striking distance. UMass led 18-17 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, George Mason tightened up defensively, limiting UMass to just 9 points in the period, while scoring 19 of their own. Volker provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring six points, while Mitchell continued to find the bucket, adding eight points of her own. The Green & Gold took a 36-27 lead into halftime.

UMass came out firing in the second half, putting together their best offensive stretch of the game. The Minutewomen poured in 24 points in the quarter. Despite the surge, George Mason kept pace behind Mitchell and Suárez, entering the final 10 minutes up, 53-51.

The Patriots took just 10 shots from the floor in the fourth quarter, but converted on the free throw line. Going 14-18 from the charity stripe, the Green & Gold outscored the Minutewomen 24-17 in the final quarter, securing a 10-point victory, and their 11th consecutive win of the season.

Patriot Points

• Nekhu Mitchell finished with a career-high 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 three-pointers
• Paula Suárez added 14 points, 7 assists
• Louis Volker tallied a career-high 15 points off the bench
• George Mason outrebounded UMass 51-38
• The Patriots held UMass to 32.9% shooting from the field
• George Mason shot 14-of-18 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter
• With this win, the Green & Gold clinch a double-bye in the A-10 Tournament

Up Next

The Patriots will look to build on their momentum as they hit the road for a key conference matchup against Davidson. With just a few games remaining in the regular season, George Mason remains in contention for a top seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.