Feb. 10, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. - The George Mason women's basketball team held the University of Delaware to 19.6 percent field goal shooting (11-56) as the Patriots defeated the Fightin' Blue Hens, 52-42, in Colonial Athletic Association action on Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center. Mason snapped a four-game losing skid with the victory and improved to 9-13, 3-8 in the CAA, while Delaware (6-17, 5-6) was unable to complete the season sweep with a win on their home court.

With the victory, Mason surpasses its win total from a season ago, both overall and in conference play, as the Patriots put together one of their superlative defensive efforts of the season. Senior Lateisha Wade led the Mason offense with 15 points, her 16th time this season reaching double figures, while junior Jessica Smith chipped in nine points. Senior Moni Akintunde pulled down eight boards to lead the Patriots off the glass, as they out-rebounded the Blue Hens by a 43 to 31 margin.

Three Blue Hens reached double figures, led by Vanessa Kabongo's 11 points. Kyle DeHaven and Ariene Jenkins each added 10, shooting a combined 5-for-23 from the field and 10-of-11 from the charity stripe.

Both teams' offenses struggled in the early moments of the game, as neither team completed a field goal until the 16:41 mark, when Broadus broke a 2-2 deadlock with a basket. Delaware tied the game 17 seconds later, but a 7-2 run by the Patriots put them ahead 11-4. UD pulled as close as 15-13 on the strength of seven straight free throws over a 4:15 span, and again pulled within two after two more free throws by Jenkins left the score 19-17. However, Mason embarked on a 8-0 run to extend its lead to ten, and held the Blue Hens at bay for the remainder of the half, taking a 32-23 lead into the break.

In the first half, Mason out-shot the Blue Hens by a 50.0-to-15.4 margin and held a 22-to-13 rebounding advantage, as the Blue Hens completed just four of their 26 field goal attempts while scoring 15 of their 23 points from the free throw line.

The offensive struggles continued for the Blue Hens in the second half, as they could amass just six points through over nine minutes of the second period. In that time, Mason built its lead even larger, leading by as many as 12 before the Blue Hens crept back into the game, eventually cutting the deficit into single-digits after a quartet of Kabongo free throws left the score 45-37 with 7:25 to go.

Delaware mounted a charge late in the period, but the Patriots were able to stifle the Blue Hens late and hold on for the victory, ending a run of eight straight Blue Hen victories in the series.

Mason will try for its tenth win of the year when it continues its road trip on Thursday evening, traveling to Atlanta to face Georgia State. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. from GSU Sports Arena.