WILMINGTON, Del. – For the first time since joining the Atlantic 10 in 2013, George Mason managed back-to-back victories in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, a note secured by a 64-58 second-round victory over No. 8 La Salle early Thursday afternoon at CHASE Fieldhouse.

The ninth-seeded Patriots were paced by Sonia Smith’s 18 points while Tamia Lawhorne contributed 11 of her own. A-10 All-Rookie selection Nalani Kaysia brought down a team-best 10 boards, good for 11th double-digit performance in that statistic on the year. Paula Suarez also matched a personal best with six assists.

Notably, the Patriots capitalized off La Salle’s 17 turnovers as well, posting 22 points off the Explorer mistakes. Mason also won the rebounding battle by a 45-35 count.

“A great win, our hats off to our team,” George Mason head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. “We knew this was what it was going to have to be playing La Salle. Our ladies knew that everyone had to show up, be in every single moment and be engaged. Sonia stepped into the limelight when we needed. Defensively the entire team showed up, to hold them into the 50’s was our goal.”

For La Salle, Kayla Spruill compiled a double-double consisting of 15 points and 10 rebounds, good for her second such effort this year. Claire Jacobs added 10 points of her own.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” La Salle head coach Mountain MacGillivray said. “The other team did a great job of executing what they needed to do. They dominated the boards and 20 offensive rebounds is tough to overcome. I was really pleased with the fight."

Suarez provided an early spark for George Mason after a slow start for both squads, generating four points and a helper as the Patriots opened on a 10-4 run.

La Salle made three of its last four field goals in the period to rally on the offensive end, separating the foes by a single possession in the closing seconds.

There, Smith received a Suarez feed, burying an open mid-range jumper to restore the Patriots' advantage back to five points at quarter’s end.

As both Taylor Jameson and J-Naya Ephraim each picked up their second fouls, the Explorers gathered momentum en route to a 10-3 run. During that stretch, George Mason was held without a field goal for 3:47 of game action.

The Patriots recovered off the efforts of Nekhu Mitchell, grabbing an offensive board for a putback following a Smith misfire on a three-point attempt. Though La Salle countered, Mason scored during its next two opportunties down the court, setting up a one-point edge heading into the second-quarter media stoppage.

La Salle found itself back in the lead when a Jameson attempted steal allowed Jaye Haynes to connect from beyond the arc for three.

George Mason led at the break thanks to a 6-0 run to close the half, ending off Mitchell finish inside the paint for an unguarded layup.

The Patriots struck first in the third quarter, but an offensive drought for 3:57 saw some consistent defensive stops as well, as La Salle only managed to notch three points during that stretch.

The Explorers struggled to convert from the field in the third quarter, as evidenced by a 5:26 skid without a field goal, allowing Mason to extend its lead to as large as nine.

La Salle opened the final quarter with urgency, pressing for a 8-2 run which was aided by Mia Jacobs’s and-one play, knotting the contest.

George Mason responded as Suarez converted an open three-point look, which was followed by two made free throws.

The Patriots lead entered the final sequence up four points, adding to that advantage behind a Lawhorne and-one.

“I realized I was open, had a free lane and decided to take it,” Lawhorne noted. “I just tried to have the focus for my team to put another couple of points on the board.”

The Explorers continued to fight till the final buzzer, but Mason calmly sank free throws when need to put the game away.
 
"Knowing the pressure we have in March, you can't just lay down," Smith concluded. "We knew what was coming and we knew they were a team that can hit threes, but it was how it was...how are we going to bounce back? We had to stay determined."

George Mason advances to Atlantic 10 Championship quarterfinal play where it will face No. 1 overall Massachusetts in the first of four such contests, tipping off at 11 a.m. on Friday with a national stream via ESPN+.