Hawks Fall 66 – 59 to the Patriots Behind 22 Points from Kennedy Harris
PHILADELPHIA, PA 1/18/2026 –
Saint Joseph’s matched up with George Mason for a chance to see where they stand against the upper echelon of the standings of the Atlantic 10. The Hawks may not be there yet, but are showing signs of growing. George Mason won the game 66 – 59, a lead they held throughout. Mason went ahead early, but St. Joe’s stayed in contention in the second half. There is something to build upon at 54th and City Avenue.
“They are the champions and are the champions until somebody beats them,” said Saint Joseph’s Coach Cindy Griffin. “That’s the way we have to take it. Just understanding what we need to do. There were some breakdowns defensively, but that’s fixable.
Mason guard Kennedy Harris scored a game-high 22 points making half of her 18 shots and was 4 of 9 from behind the arc.
Rhian Stokes led the Hawks with 15 points and 4 assists while Aleah Snead added 13 points and 3 assists.
Beginning of the Game Favored George Mason
The Patriots got out to a 21 – 9 lead in the first quarter. The Hawks cut that lead to 8 points at the end of the opening 10 minutes. George Mason made 10 of their 15 shots, 3 of 5 from distance.
The lead stretched to 38 – 26 at halftime, but the Patriots were cooling off from the floor while the Hawks were warming up.
Third Quarter Improvements
St. Joe’s won the third quarter 13 – 8, They did not shoot great, but held Mason to 2 of 14 shooting. The visitor missed their first 9 shots and turned the ball over 3 times five-plus minutes. But the Hawks could only get to within 6 points in that stretch. It was a 7-point gap going into the fourth quarter. There was a chance that the door was opening, and an opportunity that got away.
“I think so,” Griffin said. “We had some open looks, we missed some layups. I thought we started to play too fast. It’s like a push and pull. You look at these opportunities when you’re in a fast break situation. You’ve got to take them because they are opportunities, but we didn’t convert on them.”
The teams tied at 20 points scored each in the fourth quarter. George Mason put the game away behind a 9 – 0 later in the stanza.
For the Hawks, they did not get close enough, but did not let the game get away either.
“I was pleased with the way we came out in the second half,” said Griffin. “We continued to fight. A couple of plays here and there, the outcome would have been different.”
What the Numbers Say
Saint Joseph’s dominated in the paint 36 – 16. Forward Faith Stinson scored 12 points. Gabby Casey took down a game-high tying 9 rebounds while adding 9 points, just one shy each way from a double-double.
Zahirah Wilson scored 15 points while Mary Amoateng added 12 points and a game-best 5 assists. Hawa Komara pulled down 9 rebounds. George Mason is extending their program record seven-game streak in starting the league season.
Some stats indicated some evenness. Not only did each team grab 33 rebounds, they also turned the ball over 15 times, 7 by steals.
Up Next
Saint Joseph’s goes to the bluffs in Pittsburgh to take on Duquesne next Sunday.
The team still awaits the return of an injured Jill Jekot, but look for future dividends rather than immediate help..
“It’s really about not about the next game, it’s about the longevity of the season,” Griffin said about the timing of Jekot’s return.
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
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