Preseason WNIT Bracket

FAIRFAX, Va. – The 2017-18 season will begin with a new opponent for the George Mason women's basketball team.

The Patriots will play at Michigan on Nov. 10 in Ann Arbor, Mich., in the season opener and opening game of the Preseason WNIT as the bracket was released on Wednesday. The Patriots and Wolverines have never met on the hardwood. This will mark Mason's third appearance in the Preseason WNIT tournament and first since the 2001-02 season.

One of 16 teams invited to participate in the prestigious tournament, the Patriots are guaranteed at least three games. If a team loses in the championship bracket before it has played three games, it will play in the consolation bracket. The winner of the Mason-Michigan matchup will play Old Dominion or Liberty on Nov. 12 or Nov. 14. The tournament runs through Nov. 19.

Michigan ended the 2016-17 season with six straight wins en route to capturing the postseason WNIT championship. The Wolverines won 28 games, finished third in the Big Ten Conference and ended the season with an RPI of 46.

Michigan is led by senior guard Katelynn Flaherty, who scored 27 points in the team's 89-79 triple overtime victory over Georgia Tech in the WNIT title game. Flaherty, who was named the WNIT All-Tournament MVP, averaged 20.2 points last season and has already topped 2,000 points for her career. She is complemented by post Hallie Thome, a 6-foot-5 center who averaged 16.2 points and 7.1 rebounds last year.

The Patriots return eight letterwinners and three starters for the 2017-18 campaign with head coach Nyla Milleson set to begin her fifth season at the helm. Rising sophomore Jacy Bolton paves the way as the team's top returning scorer (8.3 ppg) and rebounder (4.7 rpg). The shooting guard from Drexel, Mo., was tabbed to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie Team after starting all 30 games.

Mason also welcomes four freshmen and three transfers – Natalie Butler, Taylor Byrne and Camden Musgrave. Byrne (Seton Hall) and Musgrave (Central Connecticut State) were on campus last year but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules. Butler, a native of nearby Fairfax Station, Va., is eligible to play immediately after graduating from Connecticut this spring. The 6-foot-5 center spent the last two seasons at UConn, playing in 62 games and helping the Huskies reach two Final Fours and win the 2016 national championship.