Women's Basketball | 11/13/2018 3:20:00 PM

WHO: George Mason at American
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.
RECORDS: Mason (2-0, 0-0 Atlantic 10); American (1-0, 0-0 Patriot League)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads 30-20
LAST MEETING: Mason defeated American 71-53 on Nov. 20, 2017 in Fairfax, Va.
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SCOUTING AMERICAN
The Eagles are coming off a season-opening 68-52 victory over Tulsa last Friday in Washington, D.C. American had four players score in double figures, led by 16 from senior forward Cecily Carl. The Eagles shot 50 percent from the field and jumped out to a 15-point lead after the opening quarter. American won the Patriot League tournament championship last year and reached the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles return seven letterwinners, including two starters, from the 2017-18 team that won 26 games. Carl was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. American has won 21 straight games at home at Bender Arena, dating back to the 2016-17 season.

SERIES HISTORY
The former Colonial Athletic Association foes have met 50 times since Mason's second season as a program in 1974-75 for one of the Patriots' longest running rivalries. This is just the second time they've played in the last seven years, however. This will be Mason's first trip to American since 2010. The Patriots defeated the Eagles 71-53 in their most recent meeting last year on Nov. 20, 2017 in Fairfax. Then-sophomore Jacy Bolton led the way with 18 points and freshman guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary added 17 points while Natalie Butler chipped in 15 points and 12 rebounds.  

CARDAÑO-HILLARY HONORED
Sophomore guard Nicole Cardaño-Hillary was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week on Monday. The native of Madrid, Spain, earned the honor for the first time in her career after she averaged 25.5 points in two wins last week. She was also named the College Sports Madness National High-Major Player of the Week. Cardaño-Hillary scored 26 points in the season opener against Loyola and then had 25 points at Air Force on Friday.  The 2018 A-10 Rookie of the Year also dished out six assists and three steals and made 10 of 14 free throws against Air Force.

LAST TIME OUT
The Patriots won their road opener for their first time in seven years as they defeated Air Force 78-71 on Friday in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sophomore Nicole Cardaño-Hillary scored a game-high 25 points and shot 10 of 14 from the free-throw line. Four players scored in double figures, with 11 points apiece from post players Casey Davis and Camarie Gatling and 10 points from guard Jacy Bolton. Davis added eight rebounds and Bolton grabbed nine as the Patriots won the rebounding edge 41-32.

PRESEASON PROSPECTUS
The Patriots return nine letterwinners and three starters from a team that a year ago won a school-record 24 games, posted their best finish (fourth) since joining the Atlantic 10, reached the WNIT and won a postseason game for the first time in program history. Mason was picked to finish eighth in the A-10 this season in the preseason coaches poll after losing A-10 Player of the Year Natalie Butler (33 double-doubles) and their top distributor Tayler Dodson (110 assists).
 
Back is 2018 A-10 Rookie of the Year Nicole Cardano-Hillary. The guard ranked third in the league last year with 17.8 points a game. She also led the A-10 in steals (84) and is Mason's top returning distributor (102 assists). The sophomore from Madrid, Spain, was tabbed to the preseason A-10 All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team. Returning is junior captain Jacy Bolton (9.5 ppg) and junior Sarah Kaminski (6.5 ppg), who combined have made 89 collegiate starts.
 
The Patriots also welcome two freshmen - Livija Kaktaite (Sveksna, Lithuania) and forward Devyn Wilson(Norcross, Ga.). Graduate student Ariana Freeman (Manassas, Va.) is also new to the team after finishing her bachelor's degree at the University of Colorado. But the guard is out for the year after suffering a season-ending injury over the summer. Mason is led by head coach Nyla Milleson, who enters her sixth season at the helm.