FAIRFAX, Va. (Interstat) — Zahirah Walton scored 25 points as George Mason held off Loyola Chicago 59-54 in a women’s basketball game Wednesday night at EagleBank Arena.

The Patriots, who improved to 11-6, never trailed after the first quarter but could not pull away from the Ramblers. Loyola Chicago’s Alexa Kinas answered with 17 points. George Mason led 29-23 at halftime and maintained a narrow edge through a low-possession game defined by defense and turnovers. The Ramblers committed 19 turnovers, leading to 14 George Mason points.

Loyola Chicago fell to 6-11 despite shooting 40% from 3-point range. Both teams struggled from the field, with George Mason shooting 36.4% and Loyola Chicago shooting 39%. A key disparity came at the free-throw line, where the Patriots made 14 of 15 attempts.