GEORGE MASON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO HIGH POINT, 66-55
High Point 66, George Mason 55 Box Score
HIGH POINT, N.C. ? The George Mason women’s basketball team showed flashes of brilliance in whittling away at a double-digit halftime deficit, but ultimately the rally was not enough as High Point defeated the Patriots, 66-55, in non-conference action on Monday evening at the Millis Center.
High Point improved to 2-4 with the win while Mason’s search for its first win was extended, as the Patriots dropped to 0-6 in their second-highest offensive output of the year.
Mason was as close as four points in the second half but the Panthers ultimately pulled away, as they held a 44.8-to-28.1 percent field goal shooting advantage in the game. The Patriots were led by 14 points from junior Rashauna Hobbs, while sophomore Eugenia Broadus and senior Brittney Wilkins each pulled down double-digit rebounds, recording 11 and 10 boards, respectively, leading the way for Mason which out-rebounded the Panthers by a 51-to-38 differential. The High Point offense was powered by 23 points from Jurica Hargraves.
The Panthers got the early lead on the first bucket of the game from Samuels, but Mason took its only lead less than two minutes as Hobbs drained an NBA-range 3-pointer. Sophomore Brittany Eley added to the lead to make it 5-2 in favor of Mason, but High Point came back with six points in a row to retake the advantage.
Mason pulled back within a point at 8-7 when Broadus buried a jumper, but the Panthers answered back with a 9-2 run. From there, HPU took control, expanding its lead as large as 14 before two Whitney Ward free throws cut the deficit to 37-25 headed into the halftime break.
Mason was limited to 25 percent shooting in the first half (7-of-28), while the Panthers connected on 16 of their 35 field goal attempts (45.7 percent). Mason held a slim 23-to-22 advantage off the glass in the opening period.
The Patriots burst out of the locker room with an 11-3 run though, unwilling to go away as they slashed the High Point lead down to single digits. Mason kept fighting throughout the period, and while they were unable to catch the Panthers down the stretch, the Patriots had a strong defensive performance throughout, limiting High Point to 30.6 percent shooting (11-of-36) from the field in the second half.
The Patriots continue their road trip on Thursday with a 7 p.m. tilt at in-state foe Longwood in Farmville, Va.