Feb. 14, 2010
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FAIRFAX, Va. -- Senior Jessica Canady posted her 18th career double-double and led the Lady Monarchs (13-10, 11-2 CAA) past the George Mason Patriots (8-16, 1-12 CAA), 66-52. Canady poured in a season-high tying 18 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds in the game.
Three other Lady Monarchs had eight points or more as Old Dominion held off a second-half charge from the last place Patriots. Junior Jasmine Parker had 10 to join Canady in double-figures while starters Shadasia Green and Tia Lewis each added eight.
ODU struggled from the field early, as George Mason hung around for the first 12 minutes. Mason was down by only one with just under eight minutes remaining, 18-17. ODU would find their shot, though, running off a 16-5 advantage the rest of the way. The late half run gave ODU a 12-point lead at halftime, 34-22.
Canady led the way for all scorers, with nine in the first half. She also hauled in four rebounds and helped ODU shoot 9-for-10 from the free-throw line by contributing a perfect 2-for-2 in the first half.
George Mason would pull back within nine points at 51-42 with 6:53 remaining in the game behind terrific shooting beyond the arc. Ashleigh Braxton led the way with three long trey's and Rashauna Hobbs got in on the action with a three of her own to get it within single digits.
The Patriots' leading scorer Brittany Poindexter also heated up in a big way in the second half. She had eight points in the run for the Patriots to get back within single digits. She finished with 10 in the half on 5-of-8 shooting.
A pair of free-throws from Canady would stop the run with 6:53 showing on the clock and after another bucket from Poindexter, Canady would knock down another to extend the lead back to double-digits at ten, 54-44. Mason would pull back within eight with 2:54 remaining, but on the next ODU possession, Parker would knock down a tough layup and got the foul.
The conventional three-point triggered a game-sealing 9-2 run that would put ODU up 15 with 19 seconds remaining.
Canady's 18 points came on 5-of-9 shooting and included a 7-for-9 performance from the free-throw line. ODU finished at nearly 85% from the charity stripe, knocking down 22-of-26 as a team.
Poindexter's 10-point performance in the second half gave her the team-high for the game, with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting. She added a team-high six rebounds, as did Braxton who finished with 11 points. Amber Easter added 12 points for the Patriots, giving George Mason three in double figures.
Today's win was the first of three the Lady Monarchs will play during the WBCA Pink Zone. ODU will travel to Georgia State this Thursday for a 6:00 p.m. start and will then host James Madison on Sunday, February 21 for a PINK-OUT at the Ted. Tip will be at 3:00 p.m. against the Dukes next Sunday and the game will be broadcast on Comcast SportsNet.