FAIRFAX, Va. — George Mason (9-6, 4-0 Atlantic 10) toppled La Salle (10-5, 3-1 Atlantic 10) with a commanding 62-47 victory at EagleBank Arena. This win is a historic first for the Patriots, as they boast a perfect 4-0 start in A-10 conference play. The team showcased their prowess with 10 three-pointers and forced 20 turnovers in this conference triumph.
George Mason set the pace right from the jump.
Louis Volker tipped in the first points at 9:42 of the opening quarter, establishing an early rhythm. The Patriots kept up the pressure, capitalizing on La Salle's turnovers with a smooth jumper from
Kennedy Harris at 6:27 and a three-pointer by
Mary Amoateng at 3:31, courtesy of an assist from Harris. Despite the Explorers' attempts to stay in the game, the Green & Gold held onto the lead with a late jumper by
Page Greenburg, assisted by Harris, at 0:26, ending the quarter 14–12 in George Mason's favor.
Momentum swung heavily in George Mason's favor midway through the second quarter.
Mary Amoateng's three-pointer at 8:07, set up by
Hawa Komara, kicked off a scoring spree that included further threes from
Kennedy Harris and
MJ Johnson, fortifying their lead.
Louis Volker's defensive block followed by a layup further extended the advantage. Though the Explorers tried to narrow the margin, the Green & Gold maintained control, closing the half ahead, 29–23.
The third quarter saw George Mason strengthen their lead, spearheaded by
Kennedy Harris's 3-pointer at 9:36 with an assist from
Mary Amoateng, pushing the score to 32-23.
Zahirah Walton's 3-pointer at 6:44, again following a Harris assist, kept the Patriots' momentum alive. Despite some turnovers, the Patriots dictated the pace, outscoring La Salle 15-10 in the quarter, and heading into the final quarter with a 44-33 lead.
In the fourth quarter, George Mason solidified their dominance with decisive plays.
MJ Johnson's layup just 10 seconds in set the tone, and
Zahirah Walton's steal led to a fast-break layup by
Louis Volker, widening the gap.
Mary Amoateng's defensive rebound and subsequent assist to Volker for a three-pointer at 7:27 further tightened their grip on the game.
Kennedy Harris nailed a crucial three-pointer at 1:44, extending the lead further. Although the Explorers managed some free throws, they couldn't close the gap. George Mason finished strong, highlighted by
Page Greenburg's three-pointer and Amoateng's free throw, sealing the 62–47 victory.
PATRIOT POINTS
UP NEXT
The Patriots hit the road again to take on regional-rival George Washington on Sunday, January 11 at 12 p.m. in Washington, D.C. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
