BY NATALIE HEAVREN STAFF WRITER

Women’s basketball fell in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Championship to George Washington. The 62-56 loss was the team’s third of the season to the Colonials. 

Here are three takeaways from the game and the immediate aftermath:

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HAS WON JUST ONE A-10 TOURNAMENT GAME SINCE THE 2016-2017 SEASON

In the last five seasons, Mason has won just one A-10 Tournament game, defeating St. Bonaventure in the opening round of the 2018 Championship. 

The three losses since have come in double overtime to Massachusetts, Saint Louis and, this season, GW. The three losses have come at an average margin of 6.67 points per game. 

THE TEAM “EMPTIED THEIR TANK”

“The thing I asked them to do today was to empty their tank, and I felt like they did that. I felt like they gave everything that they had,” head coach Nyla Milleson said after the game. “We just came up short — it’s been a really long year, it’s been a really, really long year. But I was really proud of what they did today.” 

All eight players that entered the game made at least one basket, with four players scoring at least nine points. The team made a season-high 44.4 percent of its three-pointers and tied a season-high five blocks. 

The team was unable to close out the game, but did not appear to give up at any point. 

The Patriots entered the game coming off of a 10-day break, a break Marika Korpinen said the team spent, “Just working on our strengths, playing together, figuring out how to score the ball and I think we did a lot better job of sharing the ball, having the confidence to shoot the open shots. And just playing together. And I think that showed today.” 

MILLESON RESIGNED THURSDAY MORNING 

On March 11, Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Brad Edwards announced Milleson had resigned. 

“We have achieved many goals including the highest standard of academic excellence, serving our community and creating a positive student-athlete experience. We helped transition our athletic department to the Atlantic 10, experienced the winningest season in program history and witnessed Natalie Butler etch her name atop the NCAA record books,” Milleson stated. 

In Milleson’s eight seasons with Mason, she compiled an overall record of 98-140, including a 40-86 mark in the school’s first eight years in the A-10. 

Later on March 11, the Hollister R-V School District announced that Milleson would become the district’s next Athletic Director. 

The next step for Mason is to find a new head coach.