Jan. 12, 2006

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Fairfax, Va.--For the only time this season, George Mason University's women's basketball team (4-8, 0-3 CAA) will host a pair of Colonial Athletic Association games on the weekend as the Patriots face UNC Wilmington on Friday at 7 p.m. and William & Mary on Jan. 15 (2 p.m.).

Mason has not played two-straight games at home since the beginning of December and currently own a record of 2-4 mark when playing at the Patriot Center this season. Three players average double figures for the Patriots and sophomore forward Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.) leads the team in points (11.9 ppg) and rebounds (7.7). With these averages, Akintunde is 16th among conference peers in points per game and stands ninth in the rebound category. Akintunde has also averaged a team-best 0.92 blocks per game, which is 11th best in the CAA. Junior forward Tracy Ann Holness (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior guard Jen Daniels (Brigantine, N.J.) average 10.5 and 10.0 ppg, respectively.

The Patriots own a 32-15 advantage in the overall series between the Seahawks (9-3, 3-0), including a 15-7 record when playing at the Patriot Center. When squaring-off in Wilmington, Mason has won 13 of the 21 meetings and the Patriots own a flawless record of 4-0 when facing the Seahawks on neutral ground. Last season the series was split as Mason claimed a 59-53 victory on the road (Jan. 20), while UNCW defeated Mason (51-47) in Fairfax on Feb. 20. The last time the Patriots won at home against the Seahawks was on March 2, 2002 by a score of 70-61.

UNCW comes into this match-up on a three-game winning streak, with its last victory on Jan. 8 at Georgia State (62-48). Sahsha Taylor leads the Seahawks in points (10.1 ppg) and rebounds (7.9 rpg), while Stephanie Fernald has dished out an average of 3.58 helpers per game to stand tied for seventh in the league. The only team that Mason and UCNW have in common thus far this season is Delaware and the Patriots lost to the Blue Hens by a score of 74-63 (Dec. 4), while the Seahawks claimed a 55-41 victory in Wilmington on Jan. 6.

The Patriots have won 11-straight against the Tribe (5-7, 1-2), and 20 of the last 22 match-ups. Mason defeated the Tribe 81-69 in Fairfax on Jan. 9, 2005 and went on to win by a score of 69-51 in Williamsburg (Feb. 11). Mason owns an overall record of 44-15 against W&M and have won 23 of the 27 games played at the Patriot Center.

Kyra Kaylor averages a double-double for the Tribe and leads the conference in both points (19.4) and rebounds (11.6) after starting all 12 games for W&M. In CAA contests, Kaylor is averaging 24.3 points per game and 12.7 caroms.

After this weekend, Mason will travel to Norfolk and face Old Dominion on Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.