TOWSON, Md. – Trailing by three at the half, the Towson University women's basketball team battled for a 79-75 win over George Mason University on Sunday afternoon in SECU Arena. The Tigers had four players score in double figures as a balanced attack led to the win.

Towson improved to 5-0 on the year and is off to the program's best start since the 2008-09 team opened the year with five straight victories.

THE BASICS
Towson 79, George Mason 75
SECU Arena, Towson, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game was a back-and-forth battle as there were five ties before the five-minute mark of the first quarter.
• A three-pointer from sophomore guard Sianni Martin gave Towson a 13-10 edge with 3:55 to go in the first. George Mason (3-4) scored 12 of the final 17 points in the stanza and took a 22-18 lead after 10 minutes of play.
• Towson scored the first six points of the second quarter and took a 24-22 edge with 8:47 to go in the stanza. The Patriots scored the next 10 points in the period and took a 32-24 lead with 3:27 showing on the clock. Sarah Kaminski had a three-pointer during that stretch.
• The Tigers scored 13 of the next 17 points and took a 37-36 advantage with 1:16 to go in the quarter. Senior guard Raven Bankston had six points and senior forward Brianna Bush contributed seven during that run. George Mason scored the final four points of the quarter and took a 40-37 lead at the break.
• Both team shot better than 40 percent from the field in the first half. George Mason shot 49 percent from the field while Towson shot 41.5 percent. Bankston led all scorers with 12 points and four steals in the first half.
• The two teams traded baskets early in the third quarter as Jacy Bolton's three pointers with 6:46 to go gave the visitors a 49-45 lead. Towson used a 17-6 run to take a 62-55 lead with 1:03 showing on the clock. Redshirt junior forward Jordyn Smith had eight points during that key stretch. George Mason scored the final three points of the quarter but Towson led 62-58 after three periods of play.
• Towson opened the fourth quarter on a 6-2 run and took its largest lead of the game, 68-60 with 7:44 to play. Bankston and Smith each had two points during that stretch. George Mason scored seven of the next nine points cut the Tiger lead to three, 70-67 with 4:35 to go. Kaminski scored five of the next during that run.
• A three-pointer from Bankston pushed the Towson advantage back to six, 73-67 with 3:43 to go in the stanza. A 6-1 run by the Patriots made it a one-point game, 74-73 with 2:35 showing on the clock.
• Four straight points from Smith pushed the Towson lead back to five, 78-73 with 27 seconds to play. The two teams traded foul shots over the final 20 seconds as the Tigers claimed the 79-75 victory.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The 5-0 start is the best start to a season by a Tiger squad since the 2008-09 team also started 5-0. The best start to a season in program history belongs to the 1979-80 squad that started the year with nine straight victories.
• Towson placed four players in double figures for the second straight game. Martin led all scorers with 20 points while Bankston had 19 points. Smith had a career-high 18 points while Bush had a season-high 10 points.
• Towson won the rebounding battle 38-32 as Smith pulled down a game and season-high nine boards.
• Redshirt junior guard Raine Bankston posted her second straight game with nine assists and just missed scoring in double figures as she had eight points.
• The Tigers recorded double-digit steals for the fifth straight game as they finished with 14. Raven Bankston led all players with six swipes.
• Towson scored 20 points off 20 George Mason turnovers, it was the fifth straight game that the Tigers scored at least 20 points off opponents' turnovers.
• Kaminski led George Mason with 17 points.

The Tigers remain home to host Georgetown on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at noon. It will be the Tigers' annual STEM game as they will be joined by local elementary and middle school children at the game.