FAIRFAX, Va. – Colgate hung around and hung around and hung around here Sunday – and the Raiders fell just shy on their first victory of the season.
 
George Mason outlasted Colgate 64-61.
 
The turning point came with Colgate leading 61-60 and the clock ticking inside the 1-minute mark. Rachel Thompson appeared to gain the perfect defensive position on Mason's Camarie Gatling, who caught a pass mid-air and crashed into Thompson.
 
But the Raiders were whistled for the blocking foul as Gatling, after contact, spun and sank a 5-footer off the glass. Colgate's Mylah Chandler was even credited with the foul, even though she was nowhere near the play.
 
Gatling missed the ensuing free throw but then Colgate could not connect on its final three field goal attempts. The Raiders had one final possession in the front court trailing by three but could not get a shot away in the 1.2 seconds remaining.
 
The host Patriots led for all of the second and third quarters, although their largest lead during that span was no greater than seven on three occasions before halftime. George Mason led 35-30 at intermission.
 
Thompson, who led Colgate with 13 points, swished a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to pull Colgate within 47-45 and set up one final charge.
 
Nia Ahart's 3-pointer with 2:29 showing pulled Colgate within 58-57, and then Tegan Graham nailed a jumper and the Raiders led 59-58 with 1:55 to play. It was their first lead since 8-6.
 
After a Mason basket, Chandler drove for a layup that handed Colgate its final advantage at 61-60 with 1:14 remaining, setting the stage for the game's most important play.
 
Bottom Line
George Mason 64, Colgate 61
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is 0-3.
• George Mason improved to 3-1.
 
Stats of the Game
• Graham scored 11 for her second straight game in double-figures. Ahart reached 10 points for the second time in three games, as did Thompson.
• Thompson filled up the stat sheet, grabbing eight rebounds to go with five assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
• Ahart is off to a 5-of-5 start from 3-point distance. She was 3-of-3 Sunday.
• Abby Schubiger grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
• George Mason built a 31-14 rebounding edge by halftime. The game finished 53-40, GMU.
• Colgate attempted 75 field goals to George Mason's 54, but the Patriots made up for it with a 21-of-32 performance at the line. Colgate was 5-of-11.
 
From the Source
• Head Coach Bill Cleary (On the game) "The unfortunate part of this is it's just part of the process. They did everything we asked them to do. They are busting their tails for this team, and we reiterated after the game that we are close. We are playing selfless basketball but we need to shoot the ball better."
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at EagleBank Arena was 688.
 
Up Next
• Colgate's home opener is Wednesday against Canisius.
• The Golden Griffins are 0-3 after Saturday's 57-53 home loss to UT Rio Grande Valley. Canisius before that lost a triple-overtime thriller Tuesday at St. Bonaventure, 100-94.
• Start time from Cotterell Court is 7 p.m.