Women's Basketball | 11/5/2018 8:08:00 AM

WHO: George Mason vs. Loyola (Md.)
WHEN: Tuesday, 4 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic 10); Loyola (0-0, 0-0 Patriot League)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads 7-3
LAST MEETING: Mason defeated Loyola 80-72 on Nov. 14, 2017 in Baltimore
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LIVE STATS: Click Here
GAME NOTES: Click Here

TIP-OFF TUESDAY
The George Mason women's basketball team begins the 2018-19 season with an Election Day matinee at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at EagleBank Arena. The Patriots welcome in Loyola (Md.) for their earliest start to a season in program history. The game is the first of a doubleheader with the Mason men's team, which hosts Penn at 7 p.m. at EagleBank Arena.

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.
 
SCOUTING LOYOLA
The Greyhounds return their entire starting lineup and 93.3 percent of their scoring from a year ago. Loyola was picked to finish third in the Patriot League preseason poll and received four first-place votes. Junior Stephanie Karcz leads the Greyhounds and was tabbed to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. The 5-foot-11 guard averaged a double-double (14.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg) in 2017-18 and was named to the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in addition to the All-Patriot League First Team. The Greyhounds look to bounce back from a rough 2017-18 campaign in which they went 9-21.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mason holds a 7-3 lead in the all-time series. The teams met last year on Nov. 14, 2017 in the second game of the season, with the Patriots winning 80-72 in Baltimore for their first win of the year. Four players scored in double figures, led by freshman Nicole Cardano-Hillary, who had a then-career-high 23 points. Natalie Butler recorded what would be the first of 33 straight double-doubles with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Camarie Gatling also had 13 points off the bench for her first game in double figures.