February 21, 2010

VCU HOLDS ON FOR 65-55 VICTORY AT GEORGE MASON
Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. – Sophomore forward Courtney Hurt scored 16 of game-high 23 points in the second half and Virginia Commonwealth University held on for a 65-55 victory against George Mason Sunday afternoon at the Patriot Center.

VCU picks up its second straight Colonial Athletic Association victory and improves to 18-9 overall and 11-4 in conference play, while George Mason drops its tenth straight game and falls to 8-18 overall, 1-14 in CAA action.

Senior guard Kita Waller contributed 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting for VCU, while classmate D’Andra Moss posted her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

George Mason freshman guard Amber Easter registered a team-high 16 points, while junior guard Brittany Poindexter contributed 15 points and seven rebounds for the Patriots.

Waller scored nine of the first 15 points, including a traditional four-point play, as the Rams jumped out to a 15-7 lead over the first five minutes of the contest.

VCU missed three of its next four shots and George Mason used a 7-1 spurt to pull within 16-14 on a jumper by Janaa Pickard with 12:20 showing. 

The Patriots kept the score close over the next three minutes as VCU held a 20-18 advantage at the 9:35 mark.  But the Rams used an 11-5 run over the next seven minutes to pull ahead 31-23 following a layup by Ebony Patterson with 2:32 remaining before the break.

The Patriots forced three VCU turnovers and Poindexter scored the final six points of the period to cut the Rams’ lead to 31-29 at the half.

A 3-pointer by Easter a minute into the second period gave George Mason its first lead of the game at 34-33.  However, VCU responded by scoring nine of the next 12 points and went ahead 45-37 on a pair of Waller free throws with 15:55 to go.

VCU capped off a 21-6 run with a 3-pointer by Moss with 12:16 remaining to pull ahead 52-40.

The Rams took their largest lead of the game at 56-42 following a jumper by Waller at the 8:43 mark before George Mason answered with a 9-2 run and pulled within 58-51 on 3-pointer by Ashleigh Braxton with 4:57 to go.

George Mason continued to pressure and pulled within 61-55 on layup by Rashauna Hobbs with 2:54 remaining but it was as close as the Patriots would get the rest of the way.

VCU Head Coach Beth Cunningham, who became the program’s all-time winningest coach last season, recorded her 125th career victory Sunday.

VCU returns to action Thursday with a 7 p.m. matchup at James Madison University.