FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's basketball team closed out the regular season in style defeating Northeastern 77-55 on Senior Night in the Patriot Center Wednesday evening. The Patriots erupted from three-point range, hitting 10 triples for a season-high. Christine Weithman led all scorers with a career-high 21 points.
Weithman was 6-for-9 from the floor, 4-for-6 from three-point range and 5-for-5 from the free throw line to accumulate a game-high 21 points. Senior Ashleigh Braxton added 12 for Mason going 4-for-7 from long range.
The Patriots (13-16, 7-11 CAA) combined for a 13-for-14 performance from the free throw line, while Northeastern (8-21, 3-15 CAA) was held to a 6-of-10 showing. For the game, Mason shot 49.1 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from three-point range and 92.9 percent from the charity stripe. The Green and Gold distributed 18 assists in the game led by Brittany Poindexter with five and outscored the Huskies 40-to-14 off the bench.
Three Huskies reached double figures led by Jamie Conroy with 12 points. Committing 23 turnovers, Mason was able to take advantage of the Huskies' mistakes, converting for 36 points.
Mason got off to a slow start in the first half as Northeastern came out of the gate taking an 11-2 lead by the 16:05 mark. The Patriots slowly chipped away at their deficit as Weithman hit a jumper followed by a three-pointer at 10:34 bringing Mason to within one at 13-12. After hitting a triple at the 7:43 mark, Braxton knotted the score at 18-18 before Mason closed the half on a 20-4 run highlighted by three-point baskets from Braxton and Taleia Moton and an old-fashioned three-point plays from Amber Easter and Rahneeka Saunders for a 38-22 halftime lead. Weithman led all scorers at the break with 10 points going 5-for-5 at the free throw line.
Braxton hit a three-pointer to open the second half which foreshadowed what Mason would bring in the final 20 minutes. The Patriots hit six triples, led by Weithman with three, to close the game 10-of-18 from beyond the arc (55.6 percent). The last time Mason hit 10 three-pointers in a contest occurred on February 24, 2006 when the Patriots visited Georgia State.
The Patriots broke open their largest lead at the 9:04 marker claiming a 35-point advantage, 69-34. Northeastern closed the game on a 14-4 run for the final 77-55 score.
Competing in their last home contest as Patriots, Mason's four seniors, Ashleigh Braxton , Brittany Eley , Angelee LaTouche and Brittany Poindexter , combined for 32 points and 13 of Mason's 27 rebounds.
With the win, Mason earned the No. 8 seed in the upcoming 2011 Virginia 529 College Savings Plan CAA Women's Basketball Championship to be held March 10-13 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The Patriots will meet No. 9 Georgia State in first round action on Thursday, March 10 at noon.
