FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team put on an impressive performance at EagleBank Arena, defeating Duquesne 86-63 on Saturday afternoon. The Patriots (24-5, 14-4 A-10) came out firing, building an early lead and never looking back as they cruised to another dominant conference win and locking up the 2-seed in the A-10 Tournament, which begins next week. 

The Patriots celebrated Senior Day before the game, honoring four student-athletes and one manager: graduate students Nalani Kaysia, Khamya McNeal, and Ta'Viyanna Habib, and seniors Paula Suárez and Connor Whitworth.

The Green & Gold wasted no time setting the tone, racing out to a 28-15 lead behind strong perimeter shooting and aggressive defense. Zahirah Walton sparked the offense early, knocking down multiple shots from beyond the arc.

George Mason continued to control the game in the second quarter, outscoring Duquesne 24-13. The Green & Gold shot an efficient 58.3% from the field, led by Ta'Viyanna Habib's sharpshooting. By halftime, the Patriots held a commanding 52-28 advantage.

Duquesne fought back with its best stretch of the game in the third quarter, scoring 23 points while shooting 57.1% from the field. However, George Mason weathered the storm and maintained a 13-point lead heading into the final period.

The Patriots locked in defensively in the final 10 minutes of play, holding Duquesne to just 12 points in the final frame while closing out the game with efficient free-throw shooting and second-chance points. George Mason finished strong to seal the 86-63 victory.

PATRIOT POINTS

• Zahirah Walton: 16 points, 3 three-pointers, 4 assists
• Kennedy Harris: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists
• Ta'Viyanna Habib: 12 points, 2 three-pointers
• Nalani Kaysia: 10 points, 21 rebounds
• Paula Suarez: 10 points, 3 assists
• Bench Production: 35 points off the bench fueled the Patriots' depth
• George Mason outrebounded Duquesne 47-29
• The Patriots shot 46.6% from the field and 37.5% from three

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