FAIRFAX, Va. -- Ashley Jackson scored a career-high 18 points, but the Old Dominion women's basketball team fell at George Mason, 66-53, in a Preseason WNIT consolation game on Friday afternoon at EagleBank Arena.
"They had too many extra possessions," said head coach Nikki McCray-Penson. "They scored 21 of their 66 points on second-chance points. You're not going to win basketball games that way. The turnovers are also something that are constantly plaguing us."
Entering the fourth quarter, Old Dominion (0-2) faced a three-point deficit at 50-47. However, George Mason (2-1) opened the fourth with a quick 5-0 run and the Monarchs were unable to cut the lead to single digits for the remainder of the game.
Aside from Jackson's team-high 18 points, Victoria Morris scored 12 points and MaKayla Timmons added 10 points, which tied her career high, and two assists. Overall, ODU shot 10-of-25 from beyond the arc, as Jackson and Morris combined for eight triples.
"Our offense wasn't as stagnant today," said McCray. "We're starting to get some consistency and the more we can do that, the better we can make it flow."
Behind a combined 13 first-quarter points from Jackson and Morris, the Monarchs led 17-13 at the end of one. George Mason answered in the second quarter, as the Patriots mounted a 14-0 run midway through the quarter and led 31-26 at the half.
The Monarchs shot 6-of-12 from beyond the arc in the opening half, but committed 10 turnovers.
In the second half, ODU outscored the Patriots, 21-19, in a fast-paced third quarter, before George Mason pulled away from ODU in the fourth.
The Patriots' Natalie Butler, a UConn transfer, led all scorers with 21 points and 16 rebounds.
Up next, the Monarchs take on St. Francis (PA) tomorrow at 12 p.m. in the Preseason WNIT finale. The game will be played at George Mason.
"This is good, because this is what tournament play is like," said McCray about the quick turnaround. "We just have to move on and turn the page."
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