HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Taleia Moton drained a career-high 23 points to lead George Mason as the Patriots dropped a 77-69 contest at Hofstra Thursday afternoon in the Mack Sports Complex. The Pride used strong rebounding to overcome a first-half deficit and take control of the game in the second half. The Patriots dipped to 12-15 overall and 6-10 in Colonial Athletic Association play, while the Pride improved to 16-11, 8-8.
Moton led the Patriots with a career-high 23 points, 20 coming in the second half. Hofstra was led in scoring by Shante Evans with 19 points. Evans also led on the glass, pulling down a career-high 23 rebounds, one shy of tying the school record. The Pride won the rebounding battle, 48-to-39, and used their effort to convert 22 offensive rebounds into 23 second chance points. Hofstra finished the contest 21-of-27 at the free throw line led by Evans' 9-of-11 effort. Moton was a perfect 7-for-7 at the charity stripe as Mason went 13-for-15 at the free throw line.
Hofstra converted Mason's 16 first half turnovers into 16 points and scored 13 second chance points to erase a 13-point deficit to take the lead with 1:41 to play in the opening frame. The Patriots broke open a double-digit lead 22-12 off a Moton old-fashioned three-point play followed by a Brittany Poindexter bucket at 12:30. Christine Weithman compounded Mason's lead, posting a personal 5-0 run to give the Patriots a 13-point lead with 9:57. Hofstra, however, kept Mason quiet for the next eight and a half minutes to claim the lead on a 15-1 run. The teams traded the lead over the final 1:41 with Mason owning a 32-31 halftime advantage.
Mason and Hofstra committed 13 fouls combined by the first media break in the second half as the Pride took a 40-36 lead with 15:22. Hofstra pushed its lead out to 52-42 at 13:31 off a Nicole Capurso jumper. Mason worked to slice its deficit, drawing the score to four points at 7:00 on a one-and-one from Moton as Hofstra led 65-61 at the final media timeout of the game. Mason kept the score within a five point ballgame, but the Pride were able to seal the 77-69 victory. Mason committed only three turnovers in the final 20 minutes of play.
Mason closes out regular season road play with a trip to UNC Wilmington on Sunday, February 27. Tip in Trask Coliseum is slated for 2 p.m.
