Boxscore

FAIRFAX, VA. - Zykia Brown scored 20 of her game-high 23 points in the second half and Howard overcame a 17-point first half deficit by outscoring George Mason 40-32 after intermission, but the Patriots defeated the Bison 62-55 Saturday afternoon at the Patriot Center.

Mason (6-3) led 30-15 at the break, but Howard shot 51.7 percent from the floor (15-29) and forced the Patriots into 11 turnovers in the second half.

The Bison held a 24-13 advantage in points off turnovers and led 24-20 in points in the paint, but Howard could not overcome a poor-shooting first half in which led to five field goals in 26 attempts.

The tune changed in the second half as HU jumped out to an 8-0 run and cut the deficit down to seven with 17:32 remaining. The Patriots pushed the lead back to double digits over the next few minutes and Ashleigh Braxton's basket gave the Patriots a 17-point lead at 11:32.

Howard again chipped away at the lead, however, and four consecutive points by Saadia Doyle cut the Mason advantage to single digits with 4:12 remaining. The Bison pulled within six points at 58-52 with just under a minute left, but the Patriots knocked down four shots from the charity stripe to seal the win.

"Howard wasn't going away, they're a team that fights with you for 40 minutes," George Mason Head Coach Jeri Porter said. "We knew they were a good basketball team walking in."

Doyle added 12 points and nine rebounds while Portia Deterville pulled down seven rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.

Jalisa Pullins chipped in six points, two assists and two steals.

Howard (3-5) is off for a week before traveling to Central Michigan on Saturday, Dec. 19. Game time is slated for 2 p.m. at Rose Arena.