Latest Fourth Estate Articles

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(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

Examining the freshly rotting corpse of corporate greed known as ‘Black Friday’

BY EVAN PARFITT, COPY EDITOR

With bellies and wallets stuffed for the upcoming holiday season, what better way to follow up the arguments at the table than with old-fashioned capitalism and a good amount of elbow-throwing?

In the nearly 28-day crawl between the feasting of Thanksgiving and the gift-giving of Christmas, the retail world overflows with the typical merriment and commotion of the holiday season. Shoppers flood stores to stock up on all of their gifting goods. The event that kicks this insanity off, and scourges bank accounts everywhere, is none other than Black Friday. 

The modern interpretation of the faux holiday was coined as a term to describe the mayhem that followed Thanksgiving. The Black Friday people have come to know and loathe (or love, depending on who you are) arose in the late 1980s as retailers began to use the hustle and bustle to their advantage. 

For myself, I remember the days of yore flipping through the toy catalogs from various department stores, pen in hand, vigorously circling nearly everything that caught my eye. I didn’t give much mind to the actual price of what my greed desired, as a key part of these magazines were the deals themselves designed to move as many units as possible. 

Now that I’ve joined the ranks of hundreds upon thousands of broke college students, trying to find a good deal on nearly anything is nigh impossible. Deals are especially hard to find when it comes to holding hobbies requiring any monetary investment — particularly video games or record collecting. 

Black Friday has always served as an excuse to splurge. Yet, as the years have passed, deals that may have once incited violence have dried up almost entirely. 

Whether Black Friday’s lack of good deals and clamoring for its occurrence are due to companies’ stinginess or consumer apathy, its historical novelty has left buyers wanting more. 

Many have attributed Black Friday’s fall from grace to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person events dwindled into near-nonexistence, giving way to Black Friday’s hip younger brother: Cyber Monday.

While Black Friday sales plummeted when the world was in quarantine, Cyber Monday prospered. Online shopping had a 32% sales increase in the second quarter of 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

To adapt to the new economic climate that has a heavier emphasis on limited human interaction, stores have modified their approach for marketing, targeting younger audiences on various social media apps in order to garner a broader appeal. 

Not only is there an ease of access to online retailers that has vastly expanded, but the timespan in which deals are available has shifted from a single day or two of bargains to more than a week. 

Though not inherently a bad thing in itself, part of the joy and whimsy which came with retail events at physical stores is lost.

As Black Friday’s magic upon me and the cultural eye fades into a distant memory, the thrill of that one-day-only mentality just to buy a $9.99 miniature American flag crockpot from JCPenney in the early morning felt like more than just a good bargain. It was a milestone in my materialistic journey.

(Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)

How the 43-day shutdown impacted Mason’s military-affiliated students

BY ETHAN NAVARRO, STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government entered what would become the longest shutdown in its history, lasting until Nov. 12.

Congress’s failure to pass appropriations for fiscal year 2026 triggered a 43-day lapse in funding, furloughing roughly 670,000 federal workers while also stalling essential services. 

As someone working in George Mason ’s Office of Military Services, I saw firsthand how deeply our students who utilize military benefits or are tied to government-affiliated jobs felt the effects of the shutdown.

This wasn’t a distant political fight. For Mason students depending on Veterans Affairs education benefits, the shutdown equaled uncertainty. Normally, certifying students’ educational benefits runs smoothly each term. 

Due to an unforeseen shift away from text-verification, however, the benefits system suddenly required recertification for students worldwide. This abrupt issue was due to a technical malfunction within VA systems that happened to occur concurrently with the shutdown.

With the VA helpline closed and federal employees unreachable, many students couldn’t confirm whether their stipend or Basic Allowance for Housing would be distributed.

The anxiety was palpable. At my office, dozens if not hundreds of students called or visited for help. 

They voiced concerns about rent, food, bills and other means of supporting themselves. Some said they might miss payments. Others feared late fees or were already pulling from savings without guarantee of reimbursement. 

This was only worsened by the onset of spring registration: students hesitated to sign up for classes if their accounts weren’t balanced, while others were outright denied the ability to do so due to financial holds.

There were also several students who had parents or guardians employed in federal roles furloughed, or worse, working without pay for weeks. 

Students shared stories of family stress, confusion and hard choices: would they stretch their own funds to help their families, or risk falling behind themselves? For some, the shutdown was a stark reminder that their way of life was vulnerable to political gridlock.

The Office of Military Services became a de facto lifeline. With the Veterans Affairs hotline down and more students scrambling for answers, we answered the call to action. We assessed benefit status, reviewed paperwork, offered financial planning advice and provided a calm voice in an uncaring storm. 

But it was emotionally draining, too. Only Veterans Affairs could authorize payments, so many times we were disheartened to see students walk away without the exact kind of support they had sought from us.

The worst part was watching the stress mount for veterans and their dependents. They would call, email or drop by — sometimes desperate, sometimes angry, most times exhausted. Like many educational workers dealing with the shutdown, we tried to support as many people as possible. 

The task was daunting, but being seen as a source of reliability and assistance encouraged us to stay resolute. We joked where we could (because when else do you laugh at bureaucracy?), even if it never fully masked the frustration lurking beneath the situation.

Amid this turmoil, something hopeful emerged: community. Students leaned on one another. Military services staff went the extra mile. Despite the uncertainty, the shared experience fostered connection. Many military-connected students pushed through, relied on their resourcefulness, and kept going.

What happened at George Mason University during this shutdown was not unique to us. It was a reflection of a systemic problem.

The shutdown laid bare how policy decisions in Washington can pervade individual lives, affecting tuition, housing, food security, mental health and family stability. For the broader Mason community, this kind of impact is not just an academic issue, but a human one.

When circumstances spiral beyond our control, we rely on one another to get through. Our students and staff, military-affiliated or otherwise, deserve to be heard. Their persistence during the shutdown reflects the quiet resolve that defines our Mason community.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Fourth Estate welcomes opinion articles by people of all beliefs. If you feel strongly about a subject and want your voice to be heard, please email Opinion Editor Emma G. Schaible at eschaib@gmu.edu.

(Louis Volker / Fourth Estate)

Mason faculty weigh in on the Democratic party’s future

BY LOUIS VOLKER, COPY EDITOR

In the weeks since the Nov. 4 general election’s stellar turnout for Democrats, including a democratic sweep in Virginia, social media has exploded with excitement, anxiety and an abundance of  political memes.

What began as Islamophobic assertions from critics of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani have transformed into enthusiastic memes from Mamdani supporters that jokingly idealize false claims made by his opponents. 

On Instagram, conservative users like apparel brand @boldandbraveoutfitters make harsh criticisms of certain demographics that predominantly voted for Mamdani. 

“NYC is a prime example of why women shouldn’t vote,” writes the account. “They preach ‘women’s rights’ but 84% of Gen Z voted in a man who refused to condemn Sharia law.” 

In retaliation, other social media users seem to embrace ideas to antagonize conservatives, renaming NYC everything from “New Yorkistan” to “The New Islamic Republic of Mamdanistan.” 

TikTok user @izzy.tube posted a video captioned “This is now a Halal state” poking fun at “What people think New York is gonna be like after Zohran Mamdani won.” The term ‘libbing out’ has become popularized online as people joke about living in “Zohran’s America.”

Media Theory instructor Joey Abdallah-Robbins said that humor can be a more effective rhetorical tool than direct arguments or insults. 

“There’s kind of this gap in the armor that humor can find that other methods can’t, which I think is really interesting,” Abdallah-Robbins said. “It’s something disarming about it. That seemed to upset them in ways more than calling them a Nazi did.”

For clarity, Mamdani has repeatedly refuted claims that he will be instating Sharia law in New York City, joking in an interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show: “I will deliver universal childcare. I won’t require everyone to eat halal food.”

Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Jennifer Victor said that the recent wins for Democrats are no surprise, especially after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. 

“There is broad and deep dissatisfaction with Republican party politics,” she said. “A lot of voters, even those who swung towards Republicans, perhaps, in the 2024 election … [a] decent chunk of those folks are either now, like, disaffected and pulling back from politics and not participating, or have swung over and are expressing their dissatisfaction with executive overreach.” 

The Nov. 4 wins can act as a short-term solution for Democrats to protect against gerrymandering that seeks to strengthen Republican control of the House and Senate. However, it won’t be a lasting victory if the party is unable to rally behind a clear direction for the 2026 midterm and 2028 presidential election. 

Some criticize the Democratic party for being seemingly disorganized, citing split endorsements between mayoral candidates Mamdani and former Democratic governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, along with differences in policy between winning candidates such as Mamdani and Virginia governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. 

Victor says that a diverse spectrum of opinions within the party is a strength, and that the Democrats are building a wide coalition.

“The infighting and all of the hooing and hawing about what we should be about has a lot of people pointing at it going, ‘Oh, Democrats are in disarray, a dysfunctional party,’ and I’m like, ‘This is fine,’” she said. “This is what you want parties to do. They don’t have to coalesce and come to a single point until they have to nominate a candidate, and they don’t have to do that until 2028.”

Abdallah-Robbins, who does not identify as a Democrat, blames the two-party system for party members’ dissatisfaction with their options for the future. 

“I have to kind of hold my nose in a way that I may not have wanted to before, and say, you know, I’m gonna pick the lesser of greater evils, even if I think this is deplorable,” they said. “What’s the alternative? People don’t feel like they have one.”

“We don’t vote for our favorite candidate so much in this country as we vote against the person we don’t want to lead … That’s very disempowering, right? That isn’t how democracy should function,” Abdallah-Robbins said. “I want every election to be like, out of amazing things, they have all these great ideas and I’m struggling to pick one.”

No matter what direction the Democratic party goes in the coming years, Abdallah-Robbins is optimistic for the future of the country. 

“I have a lot of hope for this country because I think that people recognize a really profound need for change, that we don’t like things the way they are, and that’s agreed upon regardless of your political position,” they said. 

No matter what each person thinks about the Democratic party, they agree on one thing: voters must rally together to see the changes they want to make. 

“We need to expect more out of these politicians… I don’t think that there’s anything inherently wrong with wanting a pretty radical restructuring of the way that things are,” Abdallah-Robbins said.

(Sonal Prakash / Fourth Estate)

A legacy of bad decisions by the government has left millions of borrowers struggling

BY SONAL PRAKASH, STAFF WRITER

It’s not you, it’s the government. Policymakers are in large part to blame for the crisis currently looming over the heads of more than 40 million Americans. 

This is according to Jillian Berman, an award-winning journalist who has been reporting on student loan debt for a decade. 

“The bulk of the blame is on policymakers, both those who designed the system and those who in the decades since have continued to tweak it — instead of scrapping it for something new — even amid evidence that it’s not working for borrowers or, arguably, the government,” she said. 

Nearly half of all undergraduate students in the United States take out loans, many of whom struggle to pay them back and face a range of punitive consequences. Even for borrowers who are financially capable of paying back their loans, bureaucracy and red tape cause a challenge. 

It has unfortunately become common for borrowers to be unable to obtain clear information from their loan servicers, like when payments are due, how much payments are and whether their applications for loan relief have been processed. 

Students aren’t to blame for their decisions and the consequences — the system is. 

“A lot of borrowers are struggling in part because they’ve been historically unlucky … with college costs, unlucky with the labor market and more,” Berman said. 

That’s not all. An influx of changes to the federal student loan program has made navigating payments even more difficult. 

The Biden administration created confusion with attempts to cancel some student debt during the pandemic, and legal challenges have delayed or blocked those plans. Now, the Big Beautiful Bill under the Trump administration is causing controversy around more policy changes. 

Parent Plus loan borrowing on behalf of a child has been capped, and there are fewer repayment options available. The time required for loan forgiveness has also been extended from approximately 20 years to 30 years, prolonging the time a student is responsible for their debt and adding to their mounting stress. 

The bill even limits federal loans given to universities based on their students’ average post-graduate earnings. 

As graduate degrees become more expensive and less reliable for securing employment, Berman advised students to seriously consider the costs and benefits before deciding to take out a loan. 

Labor market behavior is a significant factor for students to consider. Students going into comparatively low-paying fields like social work or education should prioritize an affordable education. For those studying fields like public health, it may not make as much sense to pursue a master’s degree as it did in the past.

While students may feel that they alone bear the burden of debt, words like Berman’s remind us that it is a crisis evolved through history and policies that have brought us to the state of the current system. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Fourth Estate welcomes opinion articles by people of all beliefs. If you feel strongly about a subject and want your voice to be heard, please email Opinion Editor Emma G. Schaible at eschaib@gmu.edu.

(Pranay Barua / Fourth Estate)

Bengali Patriots Association builds community on campus through dance, food

BY JUMMANA ALZAHRANI, STAFF WRITER

The Bengali Patriots Association at Mason lit up the campus with its “Disco Deewane” event on Nov. 6. 

The night was a vibrant mix of traditional Bengali culture and modern disco beats. Students from all backgrounds came together to dance, share food and celebrate community. 

According to the event’s organizers and dancers, the association is dedicated to creating a special space for everyone on campus.

For the association’s Vice President, Nusrat Amin, the main goal of the event is personal. 

“I would say it fills an important gap on campus for Bengali representation,” she said. She noted that Bengali culture can sometimes be overlooked in wider South Asian spaces, and the Bengali Patriots Association gives Bengali students a place to feel seen. 

Amin’s own journey with the club began at last year’s Disco Deewane event. 

“I went with a friend my first year, and then from there I got involved,” she said. 

The heart of the event’s unique style was in its dance performances. 

Mehek Azad, the dance lead, blends traditional moves with modern styles. She said the key is accessibility and expression. 

Azad uses easy-to-follow hip-hop steps and incorporates Bengali hand gestures called mudras. These mudras represent elements related to the body’s life force. She said the most important aspect, however, is the storytelling. 

“What’s really important in our dance style is that it’s very focused on the lyrical translation,” she said. “You’re reenacting the lyrics. So if it’s like ‘I see this girl,’ the actual move will be like the action of seeing somebody.” 

This approach honors the nuances of Bengali dance culture while also being welcoming to beginners. For the performers, this fusion is a powerful way to connect with their roots.

(Deenah Kamran / Fourth Estate)

Fareya Suzana, a dancer who is also part of a local South Asian dance group called DMV Taal, said the team often picks songs based on the nostalgia factor. 

“The newer [songs], I feel like they don’t really pay homage to our culture as much,” she said.

Choosing these well-loved songs helps the performances connect with people’s hearts and memories. 

“We also open our events to everyone else in the South Asian community, and other communities too,” Azad said.

The Bengali Patriots Association has also collaborated with other cultural clubs, including Latin student organizations. By bringing these different groups to the same stage, BPA ensured their events are a united campus-wide celebration.

After the music fades, the ultimate message BPA hopes students will take away from an event like Disco Dewanee boils down to a few core feelings. For Azad, it is about breaking down barriers.

“I always want people to believe anybody can dance,” she said. “Everybody can be involved, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.” 

For Amin, it is about sharing the comforts of home. 

“Our food is always banging at the events,” she said. “Especially for international students … You can have a slice of home right here.” 

The Bengali Patriots Association’s Disco Deewane is more than a single night of music and dance. It’s a dynamic and welcoming space where Bengali identity is not only preserved but joyfully shared, one dance step and one delicious plate of food at a time. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The caption for one of the photos in the article was corrected. (Tuesday, Nov. 25, 12:50 p.m.)

(Joel Aguilar / Fourth Estate)

Jazz4Justice and the GMU jazz ensembles perform to raise money for legal aid and music programs

BY JOEL AGUILAR, STAFF WRITER

Jazz4Justice, a local nonprofit that helps fund free legal aid and music programs across Virginia, held their 25th annual performance with Mason’s Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Vocal Ensemble at the Center for Arts on Nov. 14, wowing donors, law professionals and Mason students alike.

The nonprofit has hosted over 75 concerts, with the proceeds going towards providing pro bono legal representation to those in need and funding music scholarships and programs at participating universities. 

This year’s performance had a variety of songs and focused on the “Latin tinge:” the Afro-Cuban, Caribbean and South American influences found in jazz.

“Jelly Roll Morton once said, ‘if you don’t have the Latin tinge, you’re not playing real jazz,’” Jim Carroll, director of the Mason Jazz Ensemble, said during his opening statement.

This was promptly demonstrated with their first two songs of the night, “Love for Sale” by Cole Porter and “The Look of Love” by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Both were love songs featuring instruments reminiscent of the theme. 

Their third song of the night was a surprise: “Tank!” by Yoko Kanno from “Cowboy Bebop,” an anime with deep ties to jazz. The name alone had many of the younger audience members sitting up in their seats, but before long everyone was moved by the song’s fast-paced and energetic nature.

This was followed by “You’re Makin’ Me Crazy” by Gary and Rosana Eckert and “Chucho” by Paquito D’Rivera, both energetic songs steeped in Latin culture. Each song contained solos from different performers, showing off their individual skills.

The first half of the performance ended with “Manteca” by Dizzy Gillespie, which felt like street music found in the heart of Cuba. With a heavy focus on percussion, the interesting use of the metal drum and a call and response section, performers and audience members alike yelled “Manteca!” throughout the song. 

As the energized audience shuffled out of the venue for the intermission, many commented on how they wanted to “get up and dance.” Some of the students created an uproar of support for their friends on stage while they left for a break.

The jazz ensembles began the second half by playing “Snow Samba” by Paquito D’Rivera and Claudio Roditi, “The Chicken” by Alfred James Ellis and “Baroque Samba” Darmon Meader, which were in line with more traditional jazz pieces, using instruments popularized in American genres.

“The Chicken” had an interesting approach of mixing new and old. The song included a solo from both Art Martin, a military veteran who is graduating from the program, and Jonathan Velez, a newcomer to the program.

Ed Weiner, the founder of Jazz4Justice, talked about the start of the organization, which started as a collaboration between Weiner and Jim Carroll. He then thanked the many sponsors and volunteers, which have been with the organization for decades. 

Weiner invited President Gregory Washington on stage as the guest composer to conduct “Fanfare for the Common Man” composed by Aaron Copland.

The show ended with Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” with Jazz4Justice adding a Latin tinge. This also doubled as an evaluation of the performers as they each had their own short solos. 

At the end of the song, all of the performers lined up for a bow and were met with a long standing ovation. Audience members commented on how energized they felt leaving the venue. 

(Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)

Collectors and amateur enthusiasts alike enthralled by worldwide mineral specimens

BY NATHAN FERRARO, MANAGING EDITOR

While many Northern Virginia families will be heading to one of several holiday markets in the region as the festive season approaches, a unique holiday shopping opportunity has just made its way to Mason from Nov. 22 to Nov. 23. 

Several hundred attendees could be found yesterday exploring the Northern Virginia Mineral Club’s 33rd Annual Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show at Dewberry Hall.

The event’s first day brought nearly 20 mineral sellers and hundreds of community members, local children and Mason students to campus. Organizers expect just as many, if not more, attendees today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., where there will be a silent auction in addition to the event’s other attractions.

Available for purchase are raw and carved minerals, gems, fossils, figurines, jewelry and other accessories from all over the world priced anywhere between $1 and $1,000.

The show also has an expansive children’s section, complete with games, quizzes and hands-on learning exhibits. 

Alan Benson, 36, has been collecting minerals since he was 7 and running a mineral-selling business since he was 14.

Though he and his wife Elise live in New Jersey, they have been driving to Fairfax for the Northern Virginia Mineral Club’s annual show for nearly 20 years. 

“For us, it’s not too far,” he said, adding that they regularly travel to western U.S. states and overseas for mineral shows.

“It exposes you to a lot of different cultures,” Benson said about the mineral selling business. 

He and his wife recently returned from a trip to a mineral and fossil show in Germany.

He said that, for him, mineral collecting was a hobby that turned into a life-long business: Alan’s Quality Minerals LLC.

His bestsellers are fluorite and quartz, though his favorite mineral is rhodochrosite. He said despite the higher price point of his minerals compared to other vendors in Dewberry, there are some shows where his prices are the bargains. 

(Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)

Ken Rock, of Rock’s Rocks & Minerals, was another seller present Saturday. 

Rock, the editor of the Mineralogical Society of the District of Columbia’s newsletter, said going on geology field trips in college “ignited” his interest in geology and minerals.

He has been collecting minerals since college, though he has only begun selling them recently.

“A lot of these [specimens] I’ve had for so long I can’t remember what I’ve paid,” he said.

Across from Rock’s table was the Mineralogical Society of the District of Columbia’s table. Club President Dan Teich said all purchases made at their table will fund scholarships for students and donations to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Department of Mineral Sciences. 

Tom Taaffe, the Northern Virginia Mineral Club’s show chair, said he witnessed a lot of good energy from attendees and sellers both Saturday afternoon and the day before, during set-up. 

He described the show as a “traditional club show with mostly collectors.”

Those collectors include people from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Delaware, according to the show’s webpage. Highlights of the collectors’ selections include agates from Mexico, Germany and Indonesia, amethysts from Brazil and Uruguay and garnets from Afghanistan.

“Variety is what we’re after,” Taaffe said. 

The mineral club also exhibits not-for-sale minerals at the show, including fossil plants, garnets, Michigan copper samples, geologic bubble samples, meteorite mineral samples and mineral finds from the club’s field trips to quarries, nature sites and museums.

(Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)

Describing the effort it takes to plan such a large annual event, Taaffe said he was grateful for the support of Mason staff and the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, who sponsored the event. 

Jules Goldspiel, an instructional assistant professor who teaches geology and hydrology, served as the liaison for coordinating this year’s mineral show.

GMU Geology Club President Parker Hagerty said he and his club have worked closely with Goldspiel, the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences and the Northern Virginia Mineral Club to execute this year’s show.

The club helped collectors set up their displays all day on Friday, Hagerty said. 

The senior Geology major said he had to set a spending limit for himself, knowing that he would be working at the show all weekend.

He also spoke about the exciting aspects of the event, including the increase in educational activities for children.

“A lot more passion is being put into these sorts of extracurricular activities,” Hagerty said, highlighting the importance of holding more on-campus events at Mason. 

The Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show is free for Mason students and staff and all children under 12. Regular admission for adults is $6, seniors is $4 and teenagers is $3. 

The Northern Virginia Mineral Club will be auctioning off several items today, including a mineral LEGO set.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An error was corrected in which Northern Virginia Mineral Club show chair Tom Taaffe was mistakenly referred to as “Tom Taafe.” (Sunday, Nov. 23, 1:12 p.m.)

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

More than a game, “Red Dead Redemption II” breathes life into forgotten pasts

BY JUMMANA ALZAHRANI, STAFF WRITER

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, I’ve been thinking a lot about this country’s history. Specifically, who gets to tell it and what parts are allowed to be remembered. 

We have seen a disturbing trend where elected officials are seeking to erase the past, banning books and sanitizing curricula that discuss the uncomfortable reality of racism and colonialism. In this climate, where history is being strategically whitewashed, I find myself turning to an unexpected source of truth-telling: the video game “Red Dead Redemption II.”

While politicians attempt to bury the past, consumer media and video games like “Red Dead Redemption 2” force players to confront the very injustices that others are trying so hard to forget. 

By placing you in the worn boots of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw, the game forces you to experience the dying American frontier.  Players ride with Rains Fall, a Native elder from the Wapiti tribe, as he mourns the theft of his people’s land and evades the government agents who come to take what little remains. 

You witness the brutal consequences of policies like the Dawes Act of 1887, designed to break up tribal lands and force assimilation. 

These are all ideas that our leaders today would rather we never learn about. The game makes direct references to real systematic policies of cultural genocide. Rockstar Games, the company behind “Red Dead Redemption II,” goes as far as to have a character say, “all the young have been taken from our Reservation, shipped off to reform schools. Many women too.” 

When playing the game, you might stumble upon a Ku Klux Klan rally in the woods — their clumsy bigotry a stark reminder that hate groups are a real and present terror. You can clash with the Lemoyne Raiders, ex-Confederates who cling to a lost, violent cause. 

By making you a witness to the racism in the 19th century, the game does something crucial; it normalizes the reality of resistance. It gives you, the player, the agency to intervene, to disrupt a cross-burning or to stand up to a gang of racial purists. 

In a world that often tells us to look the other way, the game reminds us that confronting injustice is the only moral choice.

This is why we need media like “Red Dead Redemption II” now more than ever. When official channels of education are censored, our stories must become our textbooks. 

Games, movies and literature have the power to foster empathy in a way that a politician’s words and a broken curriculum never can. Stories don’t just tell us what happened, they make us feel the weight of it. 

“Red Dead Redemption II” understands that we cannot solve present problems by ignoring past truths. The racial tensions, political corruption and cultural conflicts of 1899 are not relics of the past. They are the same struggles that keep resurfacing in our current society. 

When we interact with characters like Charles, a biracial man constantly navigating prejudice, or when we witness the systematic destruction of the Wapiti tribe’s way of life, we are not only observing history but also the ongoing struggles for identity, land and justice. 

For students at George Mason, a school that prides itself on diversity and proximity to the US capital, this history is essential. In a time when truth is often contested, we need more stories that encourage us to question what has been buried. 

(Sam Douglas / Fourth Estate)

Antony leaves less than two years after joining Mason

BY SAM DOUGLAS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The University of San Diego announced on Nov. 17 that current Mason Provost and Executive Vice President James “Jim” Antony would become their newest Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective March 1, 2026.

The announcement comes a little over 18 months after Antony joined Mason in April 2024. 

Antony had previously worked at the University of California San Diego as a dean for five years before coming to Mason. He received three degrees, including his doctorate, from the University of California, Los Angeles.

“Jim has been a thoughtful partner in all of the university’s work and the impact of his work will be long lasting,” President Gregory Washington said in Mason’s announcement of the move on Nov. 18.

In his role as provost, Antony “[oversaw] George Mason University’s academic mission, including supporting scholarly excellence among faculty and fostering academic success for over 40,000 students on all four campuses,” according to his profile on the Office of the Provost’s website.

It is uncertain if Antony’s departure has to do with the ongoing investigations into Mason by the Department of Education and Department of Justice for perceived discriminatory hiring processes. 

The Office of the Provost is partially responsible for faculty appointments and promotions. 

In an April Board of Visitors committee meeting, Antony said that Mason did not require diversity statements during their hiring process but did not restrict the use of them.

“George Mason University is an inspiring students-first institution that prioritizes inclusive access and opportunity. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, this resonates deeply with me,” Antony said when he was hired in April 2024.

Mason stated that they would announce an interim provost soon before embarking on a national search for Antony’s replacement.

The Office of the Provost did not respond to a request for comment.

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

Assessing stakeholder perspectives on sports betting

BY LATRELL PRYOR, STAFF WRITER

Gambling is not new to the American public. 

Federal regulations and state policies on gambling have evolved over the last century because of an increase in revenue. In the last seven years, monthly earnings reported by online sportsbooks have ballooned from tens of millions to billions. 

Research has been done on the risks of addiction that come with gambling, as well as the vast amount of dollars in revenue generated yearly from the U.S gambling industry. Now that sports betting has been deregulated, an exploding industry could evolve in unexpected ways. 

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which made sports betting of any kind illegal outside the state of Nevada. Since this decision, the landscape of sports betting across the country has been filled with opinions on how or if the practice should be regulated.

Today, 39 states have legislation allowing the use of sportsbooks and online sports betting. The average annual revenue reported by the American Gaming Association consistently rises to record numbers according to state regulatory data featured in their Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. 

This has led to debates about what ethical responsibilities policymakers at all levels hold.  Civilians and athletes alike are at risk in a time where those as young as 18 in some states can pick up the phone and, in seconds, wager hundreds of dollars at a time.

Commonsense Guardrails

New federal and state legislation has arisen in response to concerns, looking to curtail the negative impacts of sports betting while still leaving room for economic growth among states. 

The SAFE Bet Act, introduced in congress by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representative Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) offers broad reforms to the way sports betting companies can operate in the United States.

The proposal would introduce 24-hour deposit limits, “affordability checks” on big money wagers and bans on credit card deposits,  exploitative promotional tactics and phrases such as “bonus bet” or “no sweat” being used in advertisements.

Rep. Tonko highlighted a need to protect citizens from gambling addictions during a March 2025 press conference announcing the bill. He said the goal of the bill was “not to prevent Americans from wagering on sports should they choose to, but to place commonsense guardrails on the sports betting industry in order to protect our communities from the most devastating impacts of gambling-related harm.”     

“We are determined to do this right”

Some local-level policymakers view the introduction of legalized sports betting to their constituents as an inevitable step in a growing gaming industry. 

In Minnesota, state representatives Cedrick Frazier and Liish Kolzlowski worked with industry stakeholders, introducing legislation to legalize sports betting that focused on the prevention of problem gambling. 

“We have seen the consequences of inadequate regulations in other states, and we are determined to do this right,” Frazier, the bill’s leading author, said.

Other stakeholders within the gaming industry have pushed back against the idea of federal intervention. 

American Gaming Association Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Chris Cylke described the bill as “heavy-handed federal prohibitions” and called the proposal “a slap in the face to state legislatures and gaming regulators.”

“I’m a Prop”

There is no shortage of athletes’ perspectives on the influence of sports betting. NBA All Star and Pacers starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton spoke during a post practice press conference in 2024 on the potentially dehumanizing effects betting can have on fans’ perception of athletes. 

“Not everybody cares how we feel … To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever. I’m a prop,” Haliburton said. 

There has also been an unsettling number of league scandals and federal investigations involving professional athletes and sports betting. The NBA banned former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for life due to his role in rigging prop bets in 2024.

Other ongoing federal investigations with major implications on the future of sports betting involve the potential influence of criminal organizations on players and coaches alike. 

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazer’s Head Coach Chauncey Billups now also find themselves close to the center of gambling scandal that shows this issue is far from its conclusion, and close to a boiling point.

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

Hamilton, Colter and Thompson each earn A-10 honors after a historic season for Mason

BY PETER MAHLER, STAFF WRITER

Seven years after their last A-10 Championship appearance, Mason women’s volleyball is finally back —  and they’re doing it as one of the best teams in the conference. The fifth-seeded Patriots will travel to Richmond to face fourth-seeded VCU in the first round of the conference tournament on Friday, Nov. 21. 

Mason’s 17-12 record is the best they’ve had under fourth-year Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann, but it’s also the program’s best record in 15 years. 

From the start of the season, Shifflett Bachmann could sense there was something different about this group of girls. “There was just a lightness about them,” she said. “And they just had fun at practice.” 

The Patriots owe their sudden success to the new faces on the team, boasting freshmen talent with the likes of outside hitters Kiera Hamilton and Nia Thompson, setter Ava Cheney, middle blocker Mia Hazelett and libero Alexa Stutzman.

Hamilton delivered a sensational first season for the Patriots, winning A-10 Rookie of the Year and receiving a First Team All-Conference selection. 

Her 326 kills led the team, standing as the eighth most in the entire conference. Impressively so, she did this while missing the team’s final five games due to injury, indicating her production could have been even greater had she stayed healthy.

She attributes her success to the support of her teammates and coaches, showering nothing but praise on those around her. 

“Getting to play with such a good group of girls has meant the world to me,” Hamilton said. “The result of our season … shows just how much love we have for each other.”

In addition to her Rookie of the Year and First Team All-Conference awards, Hamilton was awarded an All-Rookie team selection. Her teammate, Nia Thompson, made the team as well after having an excellent debut season of her own.

Thompson was part of a youth movement in scoring for the up-and-coming Patriots. Her 235 kills put her in second on the team leaderboard, trailing only Hamilton.

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

On the other end, scoring on the Patriots was challenging. Their 1,263 kills allowed rank as the fewest in the conference, with middle blockers junior Chelsea Colter and sophomore Meredith Brown combining for 39 of the team’s 63 solo blocks. 

Libero Autumn Martinez-Robinson’s 468 digs led all A-10 players, making her a top defensive specialist for the Patriots.

Coach Shifflett Bachmann, who played for Penn State from 2008-2010, credits her own experience as a defensive specialist. She attributed her skill set as a player to be an influence on her coaching, helping foster a “gritty mindset” to her team’s defense.

She added that defensive success is all about effort. She said serving, blocking and defending are all “intertwined” and dependent on how hard her players are working.

Having been on the team the last three years, Colter takes pride in her efforts in redefining the Mason women’s volleyball program. 

“Being able to put in the work alongside 18 other talented women — to build this program to where it is now — has honestly been such a blessing,” she said.

Colter provided tremendous support on offense, leading the Patriots with a .303 hitting percentage. She was awarded an A-10 Second Team All-Conference selection, recognizing her all-around play.

Defense wasn’t the only strength for these Patriots. No other team in the conference served the ball better than Mason, as they led the A-10 with 203 aces. 

Two Patriots cracked the top ten in the A-10 for service aces. Martinez-Robinson led all players with 65 while her teammate, Hazelett, notched 40 of her own, placing her in seventh.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Mason. After a sizzling 14-5 start, the team slumped during their conference schedule, losing seven out of their last ten matches.

They also allowed the second most service aces with 204, and their 667 errors led all teams in the A10, presenting the team with major issues during their slump. Still, the team endured this without several key players in their lineup.

The short-handed Patriots were without Hamilton for five games, and lost Colter after sustaining a season-ending knee injury during the team’s 3-1 Fordham victory on Nov. 8.

Colter understands she can no longer support her team on the court, but remains a valuable leader to her teammates, even from the sidelines. 

“I think the most important thing is always being in their ear, supporting them and continuing to be someone they can lean on,” she said. 

Colter prides herself in her ability to resonate with her teammates through her voice, even while limited.

“If I have learned one thing, my voice is the strongest powerhouse whether I’m on or off the court,” she said. “Just know [that] you will never catch me being quiet.” 

As they prepare for VCU, Mason’s players remain unified. 

“We’ve had to get through some tough weeks, but it’s been together,” Hamilton said. 

Shifflett Bachmann has promoted a “next man up” attitude, challenging players to step up when needed.

Heading into their matchup against VCU, their margin for error is razor thin.

Sitting at 14-12 and 12-6 vs. A-10 opponents, VCU split their two matches against Mason, with each team winning 3-1 in those contests. 

For Shifflett Bachmann, whatever happened in those previous matchups is irrelevant; what really matters is making new adjustments and adapting to whatever lineup is presented to her team at that given moment. 

Both teams are two of only four in the conference to hold their opponents under a .200 hitting percentage, reflecting just how stout both defenses have been.

Addressing the challenge the Rams defense poses, Shifflett Bachmann noted the importance of “interconnectivity” between all phases of the game — whether that involves good serves putting pressure on the other team, or aggressive blocks exposing weaknesses and areas to exploit.

“Our mindset is to be scrappy and to work hard,” Hamilton said, discussing what it will take to beat the Rams.

“A question that’s been asked throughout our team is ‘what is this all for if we don’t go all out [in] these last couple of weeks?’” Colter said. 

Regardless of what happens this Friday at the Siegel Center, the Patriots take pride in their unity during a thrilling and historic season for Mason volleyball. Students can watch the team on ESPN+ at 1 p.m.

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]

(Andrew T. Yarbrough / Fourth Estate)

Annual craft show highly recommended amongst vendors returns for its 39th year

BY ANDREW T. YARBROUGH, STAFF WRITER

The City of Fairfax held its Annual Holiday Craft Show last weekend, showcasing more than 260 craft and food vendors. 

This premium arts and craft show has been held at Fairfax High School for the past 39 years and has become a holiday tradition in the local community. 

Over the past few decades, people have come to know its name and reputation simply due to its growth and success. 

This year, the event brought crowded halls full of local and regional sellers showcasing items ranging from sculptures to handmade fabrics and linens. 

The show also had a concession stand for vendors and guests to have a bite to eat while browsing the merchants tables.

Kay Kaelin, administrative services coordinator for City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation, and Mitzi Taylor, event and athletic manager for City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation, both described the craft fair as “one of their favorite events.”

Taylor explained that the art show had a jury, with over 500 people submitting applications in the spring. She said five judges chose the top contestants based on “quality, originality, uniqueness and popularity of the current time.” 

Members of the Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild, a local group for vendors, have recommended this particular event amongst themselves. 

Two of the first-year vendors, Margaret Molinari with MargArts and Cynthia Gossage with Paige’s Pieces, were recommended to the event by experienced sellers. Both Gossage and Molinari travelled to the craft show from Maryland, showing the large reach this event has.

One vendor, Diane Cairns with Virginia Stained Glass, talked about the history of the Handcrafters Guild, which has been around for 52 years. Cairns said she has been coming to this particular event for around 25 years, simply because it’s “busy and well organized.” 

Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild is also having its own Arts and Craft Show on Thanksgiving weekend.

Jennifer Van Pernis with Distinctive Fabrications, also a 25-year seller, mentioned how the show is one of the “biggest events outside of [the] Dulles Expo [Center]” and has always had a “decent booth price” when compared to other events in the area. 

She said she’s seen a lot of growth in the event over the years.

A coat check table at the entrance to the event held a donation box to raise money for families in need during the holidays.

Not all of the tables at the Holiday Craft Show were vendors. 

Two tables were run by Fairfax High School Chorus and Historic Fairfax City, Inc, both selling the 2025 White House Christmas Ornament to raise money for their respective organizations.

The joy and excitement shown at this event helped get people into the holiday spirit through shopping and supporting local and regional artists.

Upcoming holiday events in the City of Fairfax include the Holiday Market, the Festival of Lights & Carols and Claus & Cookies.

(Lamia Gamil / Fourth Estate)

How the month-long federal shutdown will affect holiday travel

BY LAMIA GAMIL, STAFF WRITER

Now that the 44-day government shutdown is over, many students expect life to return to normal. 

However, the negative impacts of the shutdown continue to linger. Airports and airlines are still a long way from returning to normal operations. With Thanksgiving and winter break around the corner, many Mason students are getting ready to travel back home to their families. 

The government shutdown has resulted in massive layoffs, impacting major federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration. Both are vital to the smooth takeoff of thousands of planes across the country.  

Due to a shortage in government funding, certification processes for aviation control were paused. Maintenance delays and staffing shortages began to impact the aviation system negatively. 

Without a full staff at the FAA, the number of airlines cleared for service was significantly reduced. Even though the government shutdown has ended, many of the mechanics and inspectors returned to a backlog of safety checks, according to CNN.

Many of the aviation employees have quit or found other jobs to make ends meet; these losses are still felt even after the end of the government shutdown. As airports are trying to recover, many are experiencing delays, flight cancellations, and disruption in the quality of the travel experiences, including poor customer service and baggage being misplaced or delayed according to the Washington Post.   

Fourth Estate has compiled a list of advice for students and anyone planning to travel this holiday season. 

 

• Monitor your flight frequently. Set up text alerts and remain updated on gate changes, cancellations or delays. This information has been changing frequently. 

 

• Allot time for delays. Arrive two to three hours before your flight, as a shortage in staff results in longer security lines. 

 

• Pack essentials in your carry-on. Have easy access to things like medications, personal gadgets, school materials, and chargers. Take all valuable belongings with you in the case of a flight delay. 

 

• Plan for academic impacts. If you are delayed in returning to campus, make sure to notify professors immediately to work out any missed classwork. 

 

• Have a backup plan. If airport delays arise, perhaps plan some on-ground transportation if feasible. 

 

• For some Mason students, the journey back home can be stressful; however, with careful preparation and patience, students can still travel home safely and efficiently.  

With the end of the semester winding down, it’s almost time to reconnect with family and loved ones and enjoy a well-deserved break.

(Addison Cox / Fourth Estate)

With A-10 Tournament on the horizon, Mason unable to keep up with the Ramblers

BY BEN KEANE, STAFF WRITER

Following two home wins against Fordham, Mason women’s volleyball hosted reigning Atlantic 10 champions Loyola Chicago at the RAC for a pair of games on Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15.

Coming into Friday, the program’s alumni night, the Patriots had the opportunity to climb as high as second in the A-10 standings to conclude the regular season. Unfortunately, a different story unfolded in both contests, with Mason taking just one set in the 0-3 and 1-3 losses. 

The Patriots showed signs of fatigue, feeling the continued absences of their star players, freshman outside hitter Kiera Hamilton and junior middle blocker Chelsea Colter. The Patriots were unable to claim a single set in the first match, committing 26 errors in the loss.

The Ramblers played with composure, committing just six errors in the first two sets. Despite an evenly matched 25-23 third set, the Patriots couldn’t keep up with Loyola’s .237 hitting percentage.  

Sophomore outside hitter Avery Booker led the Patriots with eight kills, while sophomore middle blocker Meredith Brown added another seven. Senior middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes led the Ramblers with 10 kills and a staggering .714 hit percentage. 

Senior Day provided early optimism for Saturday’s match, with Mason taking the first frame 25-18. Freshman outside hitter Nia Thompson, last week’s A-10 rookie of the week, led the charge with five kills from the middle. Mason jumped out to a 7-4 lead before the Ramblers took five of the next six points and a 9-8 lead.

Mason enjoyed a run of their own, capitalizing on a handful of Loyola errors and making a five-point run to lead 17-12 before going on to capture the set. 

Loyola Chicago took control in the second set, getting out to a quick 5-1 lead. Both teams exchanged blows throughout the set, before Loyola captured five of the last six points to win 25-20. Loyola sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke dominated the set with five kills. For Mason, Brown had a trio of kills and two blocks, with Thompson adding four kills.

Attrition appeared to set in for the Patriots in the third set. Loyola rattled off an early eight-point run to take a 10-3 lead. 

The Ramblers enjoyed the ability to rotate their squad significantly more than the injury-stricken Patriots, who were hindered by nine errors and a hit rate of -0.054% in the set. Despite continued resilience, the Patriots were unable to fight back and lost 25-14 in an undramatic set. 

Mason fought off a pair of early three-point runs from Loyola to keep a manageable 15-11 score in a must-win fourth set. Senior outside hitter Haley Graetz had a pair of kills as Thompson continued to excel with four of her own, finishing the day with 15. 

With Loyola leading 20-16, the teams exchanged seven straight service points that saw Loyola’s lead rise to 24-18. The Ramblers hit six aces in the final set, capitalizing on the Patriots’ late-game fatigue. Remmes’ kill would end the match at 25-18 as both teams finished out regular season play. 

Despite the pair of losses to end the season, the Patriots are looking forward to their first A-10 tournament appearance since 2018. They’ll face tournament hosts, four-seeded VCU on Friday, Nov. 21 in Richmond.

It will be Mason’s second time playing the Rams in their home territory this season, having previously gone 1-1 in a pair of October matches. If the Patriots defeat VCU, they’ll match up against top-seed Dayton, who went undefeated in conference play.

The A-10 tournament takes place between Friday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 23. Matches can be streamed on ESPN+.

(Emma G. Schaible / Fourth Estate)

Chartwells struggles to meet students’ demands

BY ETHAN NAVARRO, STAFF WRITER

The Globe used to feel like a passport on a plate. Today, it feels more like a layover. 

Since Chartwells Higher Ed took over, the once-beloved international dining hall is now known for bland flavors, short hours and empty promises of global cuisine.

When you live in the Angel Cabrera Global Center, The Globe isn’t just an option — it’s your lifeline. It’s convenient, located in the heart of a bustling international community and until recently was known among students for offering higher quality food than other dining halls. 

Under Mason’s previous dining provider Sodexo, The Globe embraced its international theme with a variety of foods and noticeably better flavor than its fellow dining halls. Unfortunately, that reputation has faded.

The decline is difficult to miss. The food tastes more bland, with less appetizing presentation and more limited selection. Options are scarce and the serving trays run out quickly, often taking a long time to be refilled. 

More than once, I’ve finished eating before dishes were even replaced.

There is also a disjunction among the staff. Cleaning staff keep the dining area impressively tidy and rarely let a dirty table sit for long. However, the kitchen staff’s coordination seems to lag behind the cleaning staff’s dutiful performance. 

The result is a space that looks clean but feels neglected.

The Globe offers a few regular stations, including a salad bar, main meal area and desserts. On paper, that might sound like a good variety. In practice, the food seems uninspired. 

The salad bar’s chicken is dry, the desserts are unlabeled and bland, the oats taste like paste and the sandwich options look unappealing. The drink options — soda, juice, milk, coffee and water  — aren’t enough to help The Globe stand out. Other dining halls on campus feature hot stations with pizza, pasta, burgers or fish. 

By comparison, The Globe feels bare.

Perhaps most disappointing is that The Globe no longer lives up to its name. Yes, dishes are often labeled as Italian, Asian or Latin, but the execution is inconsistent and superficial. They seem inauthentic to their inspiration, and I can confidently say that “international” has become more of a slogan plastered on the walls than an experience at The Globe.

The general mood among students seems to be one of shared disappointment. Many paid for premium dining plans expecting convenience and quality, only to find ourselves walking 20 minutes to other halls on weekends —  because The Globe is not open on Saturdays or Sundays. 

Dinner service ends at 7 p.m. most of the week and 2 p.m. on Fridays. For a residence building full of students and athletes, those hours exemplify a mediocre commitment to excellence from Mason Dining.

As a Resident Assistant living in the building, I’ve brought these concerns to Housing and Dining representatives. The response was disheartening: Chartwells cited a “lack of perceived demand.” 

That reasoning doesn’t hold up when the hall routinely fills during its limited hours and when residents repeatedly express their frustration. Students aren’t asking for luxuries — just edible, satisfying meals and reasonable hours that match asking prices in excess of $1,000, depending on the meal plan.

The Globe still has potential. The facility itself is appealing, with strong lighting, comfortable seating and tasteful decor that hints at what it once represented. Even the occasional themed event, like a recent Boba Tea day, shows promise for what the dining experience could become if given proper attention.

But potential means nothing without effort. Chartwells has an opportunity to rebuild The Globe’s reputation and restore it as a true centerpiece of campus dining. That starts with expanding the hours, improving menu variety and actually embracing the “global” namesake.

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

MJ Johnson’s double-double and Zahirah Walton’s 17 second-half points helped power the Patriots to a 3-1 record

BY PETER MAHLER AND LATRELL PRYOR, STAFF WRITERS

With their team down 38-24 and less than 10 minutes left in the game, fans in EagleBank Arena shuffled around anxiously as a Patriot loss to Georgetown appeared inevitable. 

The game seemed well in hand, but the momentum flipped in the fourth quarter, sparking a Mason comeback for their third straight win.

Mason women’s basketball overcame a poor offensive performance that continued late into the third to beat Georgetown 61-54 in an overtime thriller. Bearing their defensive teeth, the Patriots showcased grit and resilience.

“We took another step towards greatness,” Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said after taking a moment to collect her thoughts in her post-game interview. 

After an opening night overtime loss to Temple, Blair-Lewis expressed pride after her team came out on top this time.

“Tonight, we came out on the other side,” Blair-Lewis said. “That’s growth. We probably had one of the roughest starts we probably ever had, but these girls stayed resilient.”

Four of five Mason starters played at least 35 minutes, with junior guard Kennedy Harris and junior forward Louis Volker playing 44 of 45 minutes. 

Blair-Lewis couldn’t help but appreciate her front-row seat to the dramatic finish.

“I’m pretty sure it was an amazing game to watch from the stands, but it couldn’t have been more amazing than to sit on the sideline and watch our ladies just continue to fight,” she said.

Poor shooting and foul trouble plagued the Patriots early on, as junior forward Zahirah Walton and graduate forward MJ Johnson each took two fouls in the first quarter.

Head Coach Darrell Haney’s Hoyas opened the first period with a suffocating full-court press, stifling Mason from starting as fast as they did in their 88-40 victory over Florida A&M.

The Hoyas pressured Mason early on, forcing the Patriots to shoot just 16% in the first quarter — their worst start to a game all season.

Georgetown’s sophomore guard Alexia Araujo-Dagba quickly capitalized on an early Mason turnover in the second, adding to Mason’s sluggish start. 

Taking what the Patriots gave them, the Hoyas found many opportunities in the paint, outscoring the Patriots by double digits. Mason’s offense couldn’t find a rhythm, settling for many contested jump shots. 

Mason came into the game holding their opponents to 38% from the field. Their defensive effort carried over into the first half, limiting Georgetown to 31% shooting and 0-9 from three.

Even with their offensive struggles, the Patriots only found themselves down eight at the end of the first half. 

Johnson had the best performance of her young Mason career, earning her second double-double of her collegiate career with 11 points and a team-leading 12 rebounds. Despite battling early foul trouble, Johnson’s impact was felt on both sides of the floor all game, helping spur the comeback.

(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

“MJ was big, especially when we got dry offensively,” Blair-Lewis said. “Her confidence in how she communicated with her team tonight was exceptional.”

“She kept telling them they were gonna win,” she said.

Occasional moments of offensive success gave way to continued struggles in the third quarter for the Patriots. Midway through the quarter, Harris knocked down a tough three that cut the lead to four points, but turnovers and second-chance points grew the Hoyas’ lead to 12.

The fourth quarter was a completely different game, as turnovers started to swing momentum in the Patriots’ favor. The Hoyas would turn it over 23 times compared to Mason’s 8. Tight defense would lead to offensive success, especially in the fourth quarter. 

Harris, freshman guard Mary Amoateng and senior guard Jada Brown combined for 10 steals, converting the turnovers into 17 points.

After shooting 20% from the field through the first three quarters, turnovers catapulted that percentage to a whopping 67% in the fourth quarter and overtime.

It was a quiet first three quarters for Walton. The junior struggled from the field early, as Hoya defenders crowded her space at every turn, making a point to force her far away from the basket to deny easy opportunities in the paint. 

Walton, like the rest of her teammates, did not waver. Despite a rough first half that saw her shoot 0-6 from the field, the redshirt junior stepped up to contribute on both ends of the court. 

She showed grit, securing several timely rebounds. During her 4-minute scoring drought in the third, she had five boards, showcasing consistent effort during that stretch. 

Her first points came midway in the third from a tip-in off of her own rebound. Walton credited her coaches for encouraging her to remain patient. She never let the Georgetown lead diminish her drive to win. 

“The game’s not over. We still got time,” she said in her post-game presser, recapping her mindset while the team was down.

She finished with 17 points in the final 20 minutes, a complete reversal from her first half performance. The star forward stepped up when the team needed her most, with nine of those points coming in the clutch.

After trailing for 34 minutes in regulation, a Harris floater gave the Patriots a chance for overtime, tying the game with 12 seconds left. 

By the end of regulation, the body language of both benches said it all, with Mason looking ready to play another five minutes. 

With 24 seconds left in overtime, graduate guard Laila Jewett dropped a routine pass that landed out of bounds, giving the Patriots a crucial possession. The shocking turnover was one of nine by the Hoyas in the fourth quarter and overtime. 

Junior guard Page Greenburg’s free throws would ice the game, completing a memorable comeback for the Patriots. 

“Every game on our schedule is going to teach us about ourselves … this is good for them to see what fight is, and what not giving up will do for them … It doesn’t get any easier,” Blair-Lewis said.

The Patriots will look to use what they’ve learned from the win when they face Florida Gulf Coast University on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Fans can attend the game at EagleBank or watch on ESPN+.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An error was corrected in which Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was mistakenly referred to as “Lewis” in one instance. (Monday, Nov. 17, 8:46 p.m.)

[See image gallery at gmufourthestate.com]