VCU Women’s Basketball lost to George Mason University in their last home game of the season, 59-52. The Patriots improved to 12-11 (9-7 in the CAA) and the Rams dropped to 10-16 (7-10 in the CAA). The loss marks the Rams fifth straight.
Junior forward Cyndy Wilks, who went 8-14 on the evening, including four from three-point range, led the Rams in points. Wilks went 4-4 from the free-throw line. In addition to her 24 points.
The only other VCU player to score in the double-digits was senior center Candice Phelps who had 12 points after going 6-6.
Sophomore guard Maria Giovannetti was the third highest scorer with seven points and six rebounds.
Sophomore forward Lauren Hogan led the Rams with seven rebounds and turned in six points for VCU.
Forward Khalilah Smith led GMU with 13 points, going 3-8 and shooting 70 percent from the free-throw line with seven. Smith also had eight rebounds in 25 minutes of play.
The second highest scorer for the Patriots was guard Jen Derevjanik who only went 1-11 but shot a perfect 8-8 from the free-throw line.
Guard Vanessa Neamo was GMU’s leading rebounder. Neamo came up with 11 boards during the game and went 4-11, including one basket from three-point range to end up with nine points, just one shy of a double-double.
VCU went into the game controlling the play. However, the Patriots stayed close to the Rams during the half. VCU’s largest lead was four points, which they earned after Giovannetti hit a three-pointer with 5:22 left in the half. At the break VCU was up by only one point (19-18). The Rams outshot the Patriots 40 percent to 18 percent in the first half, after GMU went 6-34 as a team.
GMU traded places with VCU in the second half and controlled the play. GMU hit their largest lead of 14 points with 11 minutes left in the game. VCU spent the final minutes battling to regain a lead. The Rams came within two points with one minute left on the clock but GMU netted eight consecutive free-throws in the final minutes of the game to secure their win.
VCU shot 47 percent to GMU’s 29 but the Patriots out rebounded the Rams 39-34. VCU also turned the ball over 25 times to GMU’s 17.
The last home game of the season was also the last home game for several VCU seniors. Phelps and forward Kristine Austgulen were honored before the start of the game.