Women's Basketball | 9/14/2017 2:01:00 PM

2017-18 Schedule

FAIRFAX, Va. – Two nationally televised contests, opening up on New Year's Eve and eight home games highlight the 2017-18 Atlantic 10 schedule for the George Mason women's basketball team.

The A-10 announced the Patriots' 16-game conference schedule on Thursday. Mason will open A-10 play on Dec. 31 at home against Davidson and play two games on CBS Sports Network – at George Washington on Jan. 7 and at Saint Joseph's on Feb. 4.

Mason will play every team in the league at least once and play George Washington, La Salle and St. Bonaventure twice. Six A-10 teams reached the postseason last year, with Dayton making the NCAA Tournament and Duquesne, Fordham, George Washington, Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis playing in the WNIT.

For the second straight year, the Patriots will play at home on New Year's Eve. Last year, they hosted St. Bonaventure in a 52-49 victory. This year, they'll welcome in Davidson. Since the Wildcats joined the A-10 three years ago, the Patriots have had close battles in all four games. The teams have split the series, with all four games being decided by five or fewer points.

Mason then hits the road to play La Salle (Jan. 3) in Philadelphia and defending co-A-10 regular-season champ George Washington (Jan. 7) down the road in D.C. The Revolutionary Rivalry matchup against GW will be a primetime affair with a 6 p.m. tip-off that will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.

After a midweek bye, the Patriots stay on the road to play Rhode Island (Jan. 14). They return home to host Richmond (Jan. 17) before heading up to Duquesne (Jan. 21). The following week, the Patriots welcome Saint Louis (Jan. 24) and Fordham (Jan. 28) to EagleBank Arena.

The Patriots will then hit the road to play St. Bonaventure (Jan. 31) and Saint Joseph's (Feb. 4). The matchup against the Hawks on Super Bowl Sunday will be broadcast nationally at 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. The Patriots return to Fairfax for back-to-back home games against George Washington (Feb. 7) and Massachusetts (Feb. 11).

Mason then travels to in-state rival VCU (Feb. 15) before squaring off again versus St. Bonaventure (Feb. 21). The Patriots' final road game of the regular season takes them to Dayton (Feb. 21), which shared the A-10 regular-season title, won the league tournament championship and reached the NCAA Tournament. Mason wraps up the regular season at home against La Salle on Feb. 24.

For the second straight year, the A-10 Women's Basketball Championship will feature first-round games between the No. 3 through No. 14 seeds at on-campus sites on Feb. 27. The top two teams in the league during the regular season will receive first-round byes. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game will be played on March 2-4 at Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia.

The Patriots finished 13-17 last season and 6-10 in A-10 play. Mason earned the 10th seed in the 14-team conference tournament and lost in the first round at Duquesne, which reached the conference title game.

Mason returns eight letterwinners and three starters. 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.

The Patriots welcome 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.

Mason begins the 2017-18 season against Michigan on Nov. 10 in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the first round of the Preseason WNIT.

                2017 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Schedule
Date                      Opponent                                           Time                      TV
Dec. 31                 DAVIDSON                                         TBD
Jan. 3                    at La Salle                                           TBD
Jan. 7                    at George Washington                        6 p.m.                   CBSSN
Jan. 14                  at Rhode Island                                   TBD       
Jan. 17                  RICHMOND                                        TBD
Jan. 21                  at Duquesne                                       TBD
Jan. 24                  SAINT LOUIS                                     TBD
Jan. 28                  FORDHAM                                         TBD
Jan. 31                  at St. Bonaventure                             TBD
Feb. 4                    at Saint Joseph's                               4 p.m.                   CBSSN
Feb. 7                   GEORGE WASHINGTON                  TBD
Feb. 11                 MASSACHUSETTS                            TBD
Feb. 15                 at VCU                                                TBD
Feb. 18                 ST. BONAVENTURE                          TBD
Feb. 21                 at Dayton                                            TBD
Feb. 24                 LA SALLE                                           TBD
Feb. 27                 A-10 Tourney (First Round)                TBD
March 2                A-10 Tourney (Qtrs.)                           TBD
March 3                A-10 Tourney (Semis)                        TBD
March 4                A-10 Tourney (Final)                          TBD

Home games in all caps and played at EagleBank Arena
Atlantic 10 Tournament first round will be held at on-campus sites and quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game to be played at Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Va.