Jan. 9, 2010

The George Mason women's basketball team hits the road once again, traveling to James Madison in search of the Patriots' first road and conference win this season. Tip time from the Convocation Center in Harrisonburg is set for 2 p.m.

Mason is 7-6 and 0-2 in CAA play, after a 53-44 loss to Delaware on Thursday night at home. Three Patriots are averaging double-digit scoring, led by Brittany Poindexter's 12.5 points per game. Amber Easter is the lone Patriot to average double figures in CAA play, chipping in 23 total points in Mason's two conference contests.

James Madison is 11-2 on the season and has split its CAA games, falling by one point at Drexel in a rematch of the 2009 CAA Championship game, before beating Georgia State 68-60 on Thursday at home. The Dukes, who spent time in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll earlier this season and are receiving votes, are led by Dawn Evans' 27.8 points per game, which ranks first in the nation. JMU is outscoring its opponents by better than 11 points per game on average, and is the CAA's highest scoring offense.

Last time the two teams met, Mason stayed with James Madison until the closing seconds, but the Dukes were able to hold off the Patriots, 70-65, on Jan. 22, 2009 in Harrisonburg. Mason (2-15, 0-6), which out-shot the Dukes (12-5, 5-1) by a 43.1-to-40.8 percent margin, was led by 19 points from Brittany Poindexter, while Becky Cox tied a career high with 12 points. Three Dukes reached double figures, led by 18 points and a career-high 11 assists for Dawn Evans.

JMU leads the all-time series, 45-20, and has won the last nine matchups. The Patriots' last victory was a 50-48 overtime win on Jan. 14, 2005.