Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate
Back-to-back defensive masterclasses makes it 9 straight for the Patriots
BY MICAHI OPPONG, STAFF WRITER
Now ranked as the fastest team in program history to reach 20 wins, Mason women’s basketball extended its winning streak to eight with a 66-48 victory against the VCU Rams, the current #1 defense in the A-10, on Wednesday, Feb. 5. at the homecoming game.
Senior guard Paula Suarez led the Patriots with 17 points on 6-of-10 (60%) from the field and 3-of-5 (60%) from beyond the arc, adding seven assists. Redshirt sophomore forward Zahirah Walton followed with 15 points, six rebounds and two steals.
Sophomore guard Kennedy Harris returned to action after missing a game due to injury, opening the scoring with a three, That shot sparked a run of three consecutive 3-pointers between Harris, Walton, and Suarez.
Mason continued to move the ball and create shots, with Suarez scoring seven points without missing a shot in the second quarter. Mason’s defense held the Rams to 2-of-9 shooting (22%) in the 2nd quarter and 7-of-26 (27%) for the entire first half. Mason entered halftime leading 33-18.
The second half brought more of the same defensive intensity. The Rams did their best to fight back, scoring 17 points in the third quarter compared to Mason’s 20, and tied Mason with 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Mason forced 19 turnovers, converting them into 19 points on offense, creating 10 fastbreak points compared to the Rams’ two. This ultimately propelled Mason to another decisive win with the final score 66-48, with their largest lead being 21 points.
The story of the game was on the defensive end of the floor, with a great overall defensive effort from everyone on the floor. Graduate forward Nalani Kaysia anchored the defense with 14 rebounds, two blocks and three steals.
“That’s what she does first, is defend,” Mason head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said of Kaysia’s defensive performance.“She’s quick off her feet, coming from volleyball, being able to jump, and get back on. She’s an amazing rebounder as you can see.”
The Patriots bench had a significant impact, contributing 25 points. Junior forward Nekhu Mitchell led the reserves with nine points and two steals, while sophomore forward Louis Volker scored six points and five rebounds. Graduate student Khamya McNeal hit two 3-pointers off the bench.
Following this win, Mason further extended the win streak to nine after defeating the Fordham Rams 70-43 on Saturday, Feb. 8. with Walton leading the way with 18 points and six rebounds, followed by junior guard Jada Brown with 12 points. Volker led the reserves with 9 points and five rebounds, with Mitchell contributing with five steals.
Mason had delivered another stellar defensive performance on the road, holding Fordham to under 30% shooting from the field and forcing 22 turnovers, converting into 28 points on offense.
The Patriots will play University of Rhode Island at EagleBank Arena on Feb. 12. Student tickets are available on Mason360, tip off is at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcasting on ESPN+.