Patriot Ladies Fall to VCU

By Connect Mason Sports Director Damien Sordelett
Photos by Broadside Photographer Randy Urick

The George Mason Lady Patriots made the Virginia Commonwealth Rams work hard for about 34 minutes. However, the last six minutes were a different story.

See images from the game.

VCU used a 9-0 run to make a slim one-point lead increase to 10 and the Rams managed to hit their free throws down the stretch as they defeated the George Mason Lady Patriots (8-12, 2-7 CAA) 63-51 before 2,524 at the Patriot Center on Sun., Feb. 3.

The Patriots hung tough in the first half, holding the Rams to 31 percent shooting from the field. However, George Mason was not able to fully capitalize on their defense, as the score was tied at 21 at halftime.

Not building a much larger lead would come back to bite the Patriots. VCU (17-3, 7-2 CAA) out rebounded Mason 44-to-23, including an 18-to-6 advantage on the offensive glass. What hurt the most was the Rams grabbing four offensive rebounds off missed free throws and converting those to field goals.

“It was very important because, for a minute, we kept tying it up," VCU forward Krystal Vaughn said. "Overall, it was important for me to get offensive rebounds or my team members to crash the broads so we could get to the free throw line.”

Vaughn scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Teammate Quanitra Hollingsworth scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Patriots were kept close by the senior leadership of guard Lateisha Wade and forward Moni Akintunde. Wade scored a team-high 14 points and Akintunde scored 10 points and pulled down four rebounds.

“We came into the game nobody expecting us to win. They are in the top three in the conference," Akintunde said. "So, I think we came out, we played hard, we played with heart; it is our home floor, so we just weren’t going to give it up without a fight. We came out and we did what we do, we played hard."

The Patriots fell to 6-4 at the Patriot Center, despite the fourth largest crowd in Mason women's basketball history. Though they loss, the women gave VCU a run for their money.

“I think we gave a great effort. If we can weather this stretch of playing third place [VCU], second place [JMU] and first place [ODU] in the conference, I think we can put ourselves in a real good position for the rest of February," George Mason coach Debbie Taneyhill said.