Aug. 31, 2004

Fairfax, Va...Aug. 31, 2004...George Mason University announced its 2004-05 women's basketball schedule on Tuesday, which includes nine non-conference games and two meetings with each of the nine other Colonial Athletic Association member schools. The Patriots have a challenging non-conference schedule as Mason will face three teams that participated in the 2004 NCAA Tournament, including three-time defending national champions, UConn. The Patriots will travel to Storrs, Conn. and face the Huskies on Dec. 27 before Mason starts CAA play. The women's season opens with a home contest against Tulane (Nov. 21), which Mason defeated by one point last season in New Orleans, La. and then face Monmouth on the road and 2004 NCAA Tournament participant Miami (Fla.) in Fairfax on Nov. 30. For the next three games, the Patriots are away and will compete against Penn State, which advanced to the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA Tournament last season, and will then face Georgetown, as well as Mount St. Mary's. Mason returns to its home court for a match-up against Longwood (Dec. 21) and wrap-up its non-conference schedule with Columbia at home (Jan. 11). The Patriots open up conference competition on Jan. 2 at Towson and host four CAA opponents at home during the month of January, including Hofstra (Jan. 6), William & Mary (Jan. 9), James Madison (Jan. 14) and Virginia Commonwealth (Jan. 23). Mason will then face Old Dominion on Jan. 27 in Norfolk, Va. for a rematch of the 2004 CAA Tournament championship game, which the Monarchs edged the Patriots, 85-81. In February, the Patriots will host three-straight contests as Mason will compete against ODU (Feb. 13), Towson (Feb. 17) and UNC Wilmington (Feb. 20) and will conclude their regular season at home against Drexel on Mar. 3. For the first time in school history, Mason will host the CAA Tournament which will be held from Mar. 9-12 at the Patriot Center. For the past five years, the tournament has been held in Norfolk, Va. and the closest it has been to Fairfax is when American hosted in 1987.

2004-05 Schedule
November
21	TULANE	2 p.m.
27	at Monmouth	TBA
30	MIAMI (Fla.)	7 p.m.
December
2	at Penn State	7 p.m.
8	at Georgetown	2 p.m.
11	at Mount St. Mary's	3 p.m.
21	LONGWOOD	7 p.m.
27	at Connecticut	TBA
January
2	at Towson*	2 p.m.
6	HOFSTRA*	7 p.m.
9	WILLIAM & MARY*	2 p.m.
11	COLUMBIA	7 p.m.
14	JAMES MADISON*	7 p.m.
16	at Delaware*	1 p.m.
20	at UNC Wilmington*	TBA
23	VA COMMONWEALTH*	7 p.m.
27	at Old Dominion*	7 p.m.
30	at Drexel*	1 p.m.
February
3	DELAWARE*	7 p.m.
6	at James Madison*	2 p.m.
11	at William & Mary*	7 p.m.
13	OLD DOMINION*	2 p.m.
17	TOWSON*	7 p.m.
20	UNC WILMINGTON*	2 p.m.
24	at Hofstra*	7 p.m.
27	at Va. Commonwealth*	2 p.m.
March
3	DREXEL*	7 p.m.
9-	Colonial Athletic Association Tournament
12		at Patriot Center (Fairfax, Va.)

HOME GAMES IN ALL CAPS
All home games at Patriot Center
* - Colonial Athletic Association Game