Women's Basketball | 11/28/2017 2:27:00 PM

WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (6-2, 0-0 Atlantic 10); Maryland Eastern Shore (1-4, 0-0 MEAC)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads 5-1
LAST MEETING: Maryland Eastern Shore defeated Mason 93-90 on Nov. 23, 2013 in Princess Anne, Md.
LIVE VIDEO: Click Here
LIVE STATS: Click Here
GAME OF THE WEEK PROMO: Free Mason earbuds for Mason students (with a valid student ID)

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball returns home to the friendly hardwood of EagleBank Arena to begin a four-game homestand.

The Patriots host Maryland Eastern Shore at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Game of the Week. All Mason students with a valid Mason student ID will receive free Mason earbuds.

The Patriots look to keep their home record at EagleBank Arena this year unblemished. Mason has won four straight at home to begin the season. The Patriots last won their first five home games in 2009-10.

Mason (6-2) enters the matchup on its best start since the 2011-12 season. The Patriots won six straight – also their best in six years – before falling to host Colorado 76-61 in the championship game of the Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic on Saturday in Boulder, Colo. Graduate student Natalie Butler and sophomore Jacy Bolton were named to the All-Tournament Team.

On Monday, Butler was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the second straight week after she averaged 17.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 assists while notching four double-doubles in four games last week. The 6-foot-5 center from Fairfax Station, Va., also scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in an 87-75 win over defending Missouri Valley Conference champ Drake on Friday in the first round of the Rocky Mountain Hoops Classic. She ranks first in the country in double-doubles (seven) and rebounds (107). Her 17.1 points a game are the fourth-most in the Atlantic 10.

Freshman Nicole Cardaño-Hillary was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for the first time in her career. The point guard from Madrid, Spain, averaged 16.3 points and 3.3 assists in four games last week. She also had a big game against Drake, scoring 21 points – marking her third game with more than 20 points this season – and a career-high six assists. Her 16.8 points a game are the fourth-most by a freshman in the country this season.

Bolton averaged 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 64.1 percent from the field last week. She also shot 58.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line. She also scored a career-high 21 points against Drake. The Drexel, Mo., native is averaging 14.1 points.

Maryland Eastern Shore (1-4) has lost four straight. The Hawks lost both games at the GCI Great Alaska Shootout last week in Anchorage, Alaska, falling to Alaska-Anchorage (69-59) and Binghamton (68-51). They are led by graduate transfer Jordyn Smith's 10 points a game.

Mason is 5-1 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore. The Hawks won the last matchup, a 93-90 decision in overtime on Nov. 23, 2013 in Princess Anne, Md.