ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team could not fend off a fourth-quarter George Mason rally, falling to the Patriots, 57-53, Wednesday night at the Reilly Center.
Isabellah Middleton paced the Bonnies with 13 points and eight rebounds while Dani Haskell and Payton Fields each chipped in 12 points for the Brown and White.
The Bonnies led for over 30 minutes of game time Wednesday, but George Mason outscored the Bonnies, 17-8, in the final period.
Bona started 4-for-7 from long range to build a lead in the first half, but then went cold, going 1-for-12 in the final three quarters beyond the perimeter.
The Patriots (21-5, 12-3 A-10) began the fourth down by five, 45-40.
Ta'Viyanna Habib pulled the visitors within three just a minute in.
Both defenses clamped down as both teams went scoreless for the next four minutes before the Bonnies ad Fields broke the drought with 4:36 showing on the clock, making it a two-possession game.
Habib gave the Patriots their first lead since the first quarter with a basket with 2:35 remaining as part of a 12-3 run that saw the visitors take a 54-50 advantage.
Kirah Dandridge's three with 47 seconds left in the game brought the Bonnies within one, but George Mason forced a turnover on the next two Bonnies possessions.
The Bonnies (4-22, 1-14 A-10) were forced to foul, sending the Patriots to the free throw line to ice the game.
Bona's got off to a hot start Wednesday, shooting 4-for-7 from three and 6-for-14 overall in the first quarter, building their lead to as many as eight.
It was more of the same in the second when the Bonnies outscored the Patriots, 12-6, over the final 7:20 of the half, taking a double-digit, 34-24, lead into halftime.
Habib finished with a game-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting for George Mason.
The Bonnies are back in action Sunday, Feb. 25 when they travel to take on Saint Louis. Tip is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT.
GAME NOTES
- The Bonnies finished the contest shooting 37.7 percent (20-for-53) from the field while they held George Mason to 32.8 percent (22-for-67) shooting from the floor.
- Bona's outrebounded the Patriots, 39-34. The Bonnies 39 rebounds is the second-highest mark of the season.
- Payton Fields has now scored in double figures in three straight games.
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