Women's hoops falls to Hofstra, 82-70

Taleia Moton and her Patriots fought hard Sunday afternoon but weren't able to hang with the Hofstra Pride in the Patriot Center.

As the women’s team walked off the floor Sunday afternoon, their heads spoke of disappointment but their actions on the court spoke of effort.

After being down by as many as 13 points mid-way through the first half the George Mason women’s basketball team used strong offensive rebounding and scoring runs to bring the game to within two points.  A valiant effort, but Mason couldn’t shake Hofstra as the fell on their home court 82-70.

“It’s a bail out when you lose games and say it was effort.  We worked, we worked our tails off,” Mason head coach Jeri Porter said.

Mason (12-12, 6-7) was paced by three double digit scorers, led by junior forward Amber Easter who cashed in with 19 points.  It was her sixth double-double of the season.  Redshirt sophomore Janaa Pickard matcher her career high with 17 points and four blocks.

But it was the Patriots’ efforts on the boards that was most surprising.  Hofstra (17-7, 9-4) has averaged 43 rebounds per game, and have one of the best offensive rebounders in the CAA in the form of Shante Evans.  But it was the Pride who seemed outmatched, as the Patriots won the rebounding margin by a staggering 53-38.  Mason’s 28 offensive rebounds were converted into 28 points.

When asked just by looking at the rebounding margin, if she thought Mason would be on the winning side, Porter responded, “You bet I would.”
The Pride were led by standout junior Shante Evans who grinded the Mason defense for 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

The first three minutes of the game were decisive as Hofstra scored with ease, jumping out to an early 13-3 lead.  Steal after steal, the Patriots watched the lead elope into a 14-point deficit by the seven minute mark.  Coach Porter would be forced to burn multiple timeouts in hopes to get her team back on track.

“As a group they have so many different weapons, you have to respect each player,” Easter said.

Taleia Moton would spark a 12-0 Mason run over the next minute and half.  Back to back three-pointers by Easter and Pickard brought the score to within a bucket at 32-30.  But a Candace Bond steal on a penetration kick out would start the Hofstra scoring.

“We have to contain their penetration,” Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey said.

The Pride did just that limiting Mason to just 26 points in the paint, and forcing bad passes when the lane was closed off.  Even holding the Patriots’ best penetration scorer, Moton, to just 3-of-8 from the field in the first half.

The second half started just the like the first, as the Patriots were held scoreless for the first five minutes of play.  Hofstra would use this time to rebuild a comfortable lead of 13.  Mason would respond with a run of their own, capped off by a floating jumper from Easter.  But a ten-foot dagger by Anma Onyeuku with just 12 minutes to play would put the game away for good.

“This is the highest scoring team in the CAA, we picked the wrong night not to show up defensively,” Porter said.

Mason would never get closer, as they watched the Pride open a 16-point lead.  Mason’s final points of the game would come on a pair of free throws by Pickard, and rightfully so as Mason could only depend on the whistles of the referees to slow down Hofstra. 

“This is a team that’s always on the move, the hardest part is staying in front of them,” Easter said.

The Patriots return to action Thursday, Feb. 16 at Towson in a 7 p.m. tip-off.