GLEN ALLEN, Va. — In a landmark achievement, second-seeded George Mason University clinched its inaugural berth in the NCAA Tournament by defeating fourth-seeded Saint Joseph’s 73-58 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament final on Sunday. Paula Saurez played a pivotal role by scoring 23 points, while Zahirah Walton contributed 19 points to their victorious campaign.
Nalani Kaysia was instrumental during a crucial 14-0 third-quarter run, where she completed a three-point play, drained a 3-pointer, and sunk two free throws, stretching George Mason’s advantage to 53-39 as they entered the last quarter. Though the Patriots initially posted 27 points at a 37% shooting rate in the first half, they ramped up their attack in the third quarter, scoring 26 points and successfully converting 10 out of 11 shots.
George Mason extended their lead to a 19-point gap early in the final period. However, the Hawks’ Mackenzie Smith fired back with two 3-pointers and a layup, reducing the deficit to 60-49. In a last push, Saint Joseph’s managed an eight-point streak to close the gap to 64-58, but George Mason held their nerve with nine successful free throws in the final 1:17 to secure the victory.
Kaysia also contributed significantly with 11 points and eight rebounds, complemented by Kennedy Harris who matched this with an 11-point effort for George Mason (27-5). Walton supported with eight rebounds. On the opposing side, Smith stood out for Saint Joseph’s (23-9) with 19 points. Laura Ziegler provided a robust performance with 18 points and seven assists, alongside Talya Brugler who added 10 points.
In the wider tournament context, Saint Joseph’s secured an impressive victory over top-seeded Richmond in the semifinals, narrowly winning 50-49. With George Mason’s surprise triumph, the Atlantic 10 Conference is now on the brink of potentially earning two slots in the NCAA Tournament, which might result in a reduced allocation for a major conference team.
