GEORGE MASON (11-15, 6-7 A-10) vs. RICHMOND (11-15, 4-9 A-10)
WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday
WHERE: EagleBank Arena
SERIES RECORD: Richmond leads 33-22
LAST MEETING: Jan. 18, 2015, Richmond won 77-49 in Richmond, Va.
LIVE VIDEO: A-10 Network
RADIO: GoMason Digital Network
FAIRFAX, Va. – A week later, the George Mason women's basketball team hopes momentum gained from a crucial road victory carries back to its home court.
The Patriots return to action at 2 p.m. on Saturday, hosting Richmond at EagleBank Arena. Mason hasn't played since last Saturday, when it pulled out a 68-65 victory at Rhode Island, rallying from a 14-point first-half deficit for just its second road win of the season.
The win could provide a big boost for the Patriots (11-15, 6-7 Atlantic 10) as the regular season winds down. With just three regular-season games left, Mason sits in a tie with Dayton for seventh in the A-10 standings. But after defeating the Patriots last week, the Flyers own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The top 10 teams receive a first-round bye to the 14-team A-10 Tournament, which runs March 2-6 in Richmond, Va. In its current situation, Mason would be the eighth seed and wouldn't have to play until Thursday, March 3.
Richmond (11-15, 4-9) enters with a bit of momentum itself, having won its last two games after losing six straight. The Spiders knocked off VCU and Fordham, two teams currently a game ahead of Mason in the standings with 7-6 records in league play. Richmond is led by shooting guard Janelle Hubbard, who leads the team and ranks fifth in the conference with 15.2 points a game.
The Spiders hold a 33-22 advantage in the all-time series, having won eight in a row. Mason has played just four teams more than it has Richmond. The frequency of the rivalry has picked back up with three meetings in the last two years since the Patriots joined the A-10 before the 2013-14 season. The Patriots last defeated Richmond on Feb. 13, 2000.
