(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)
Mason takes first A-10 loss of the season against the Spiders
BY PETER MAHLER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
In a battle of conference heavyweights, the Richmond Spiders suffocated Zahirah Walton and the Patriots, forcing them to shoot 32.8% en route to a 71-57 Richmond win on Feb. 7. The loss is Mason women’s basketball’s first conference loss of the season and interrupts a nine-game win streak dating back to December.
The Patriots (a program-best 10-0 in-conference) and the Spiders (9-1) came into the game boasting two of the top records in the A-10. Mason’s dominant defense carried them to their win streak, holding opponents to under 59 points per game. The Spiders rode their top-scoring offense, averaging 69 points per game, to an eight-game winning streak of their own. Richmond’s only A-10 loss came against top-seeded Rhode Island.
Freshman Mary Amoateng posted the best scoring night of her collegiate career with a career-high 17 points and 5 assists off the bench. She was named A-10 Rookie of the Week on Feb. 9.
Mason struggled from the field after outscoring Richmond 18-14 in the first quarter. In the second, the scoring dried up for Mason, with the team shooting 16% and failing to get much going offensively.
The Patriots held a 22-16 lead midway through the second after two Walton free throws, but a 12-6 run by Richmond tied the game up at 28.
Mason made the most of their opportunities at the free throw line, shooting 7-for-7 from the stripe in the first half.
Following a 20-5 run by Richmond to start the second half, Mason was forced to play from behind for the rest of the game. The Patriots cut the lead to 50-46 early in the fourth, but would come no closer to overcoming the deficit.
Mason’s bench had a productive outing, outscoring Richmond 22-7. However, Richmond’s top scorers, senior forward Maggie Doogan, senior guard Rachel Ullstrom and junior guard Ally Sweeney made up for the Spiders’ lack of depth.
Those three Spiders each scored at least 16 points, but only Amoateng and junior guard Kennedy Harris scored double digits for the Patriots.
Doogan, the leading scorer in the A-10, posted a game-high 20 points and gave Mason plenty of trouble in the paint. Ullstrom and Sweeney added 18 and 16 points, respectively.
Mason’s areas of strength for most of the season have been three-point offense and defense. Against Richmond, it left a lot to be desired.
The Patriots shot just 22% on 23 attempts, well below their 33% average for the season. Richmond’s conference-best three-point shooting won the battle against Mason’s top-ranked three-point defense, making 41% of their attempts.
The Patriots will look to rebound after a difficult second half against Richmond. They will travel to Ohio to face Dayton (6-7 in A-10) in another crucial in-conference matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Fans can watch on ESPN+ at 11 a.m.
