WILMINGTON, North
Carolina - Senior Joyous Tharrington poured in a career-high 18 points and
added nine rebounds to lead George Mason to a 62-52 victory over UNCW in
Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball action Thursday at Trask
Coliseum.
The Patriots improved to 8-14 overall and 3-8 in CAA play as
they won their second straight contest. The Seahawks, meanwhile, moved to 2-20
and 1-10 with the setback.
Tharrington was one of three Patriots players to reach
double figures as junior Janaa Pickard pitched 14 and senior Amber Easter
pitched in 12.
Senior Karneshia Garrett scored 15 points and added a
career-high 19 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season to lead UNCW.
Junior Jessica Freeman joined Garrett in double figures with 14 points and
added eight rebounds while sophomore Kelva Atkins pitched in nine points and
six boards.
Following a tight first half that saw a total of seven ties
and 10 lead changes and neither team lead by more than four points, GMU held a 42-37 advantage when a free throw by senior Melissa Collier sparked an 11-2 spurt
that gave Mason its first double-digit lead of the game, 53-39, with 6:32
remaining.
The Seahawks would battle back, scoring nine of the next 11
points to make it a 55-48 contest with 3:13 remaining.
The Patriots would keep the Seahawks from getting any
closer, however, tallying five of the next seven points to determine the
10-point margin of victory.
Both teams return to action Sunday. UNCW hosts Georgia State
at 1 p.m. while George Mason entertains Towson in a 5 p.m. tip.
GAME NOTES:
-
George Mason extended its lead in the all-time
series to 34-28 as it snapped a three-game losing skid to the Seahawks. The win
was just the third victory for the Patriots in the last 21 meetings between the
two sides.
-
UNCW held a 46-37 advantage on the glass as it
out-rebounded its opponent for just the fifth time this season. The Seahawks
finished with a season-high 24 offensive rebounds, surpassing the previous
season-high of 16 set on two previous occasions (Wake Forest and North Carolina
A&T).
-
The two teams combined for just 23 turnovers in
the contest (UNCW 15, George Mason 8). The Patriots became the second straight
opponent and just the seventh team this season to record fewer than
double-digit turnovers against the Seahawks.
-
George Mason posted an 18-9 edge in points off
turnovers, highlighted by a 14-7 advantage in the second half.
-
UNCW moved to 1-6 this season and 68-23 since
the start of the 2007-08 season when holding a halftime lead. Four of the
Seahawks six losses under such circumstances this season have come in games in
which they have held only a one-possession lead.
-
The Seahawks dished out double-figure assists
for the 14th time this season and the seventh time in eight games as it
finished with 10 assists.
-
UNCW shot below 40 percent from the floor for
the 16th time this season as it was just 21-of-64 (.328) from the field against
the Patriots.
-
George Mason shot 40.7 percent (24-of-59) from
the field against the Seahawks, becoming the just the ninth opponent this
season to shoot better than 40 percent from the floor against UNCW.
-
The Seahawks moved to 1-14 this season when an
opponent takes a lead of 10 points or more against them in a contest.
-
George Mason was 0-for-6 from three-point range,
becoming the first UNCW opponent in 27 games to not make a 3-point field goal
against the Seahawks (March 8, 2012 versus Georgia State).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
24 - Jessica Freeman
-
Reached double figures in points for the 11th
time this season and the 32nd time in her career.
-
Matched her career high with eight rebounds, equaling
her total against Georgia State on Feb. 17, 2011.
40 - Karneshia
Garrett
-
Reached double figures in points for the 12th
time this season and the 27th time in her career.
-
Pulled down double figure rebounds for the 12th
time this season the 20th time in her career.
-
Recorded her ninth double-double of the season
and the 16th of her career.
-
Led team in scoring for the eighth time this
season and the 14th time of her career.
-
Paced team in rebounding for the 16th time this season
and the 34th time in her career.
-
Established a new career-high in rebounds,
surpassing her previous career-high of 18 set on two occasions this season
(Wake Forest & North Carolina Central).