Women's Basketball | 2/20/2018 9:12:00 PM
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
RECORDS: Mason (21-7, 10-4 Atlantic 10); Dayton (21-4, 14-0 Atlantic 10)
SERIES RECORD: Dayton leads 5-1
LAST MEETING: Dayton defeated Mason 60-48 on Jan. 17, 2017 in Fairfax, Va
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball closes out its road slate against the best team in the conference.
The Patriots play Atlantic 10 frontrunner Dayton at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio, in the final road game of the season. The Flyers (21-4, 14-0 A-10) have won 15 in a row and clinched at least a share of the A-10 regular-season championship on Sunday against Fordham.
Mason (21-7, 10-4) has won three straight and tied the school record for single-season wins with their 21st victory on Sunday against St. Bonaventure. The Patriots are currently in fourth place in the A-10 with two regular-season games remaining. They will host the first round of the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship against an opponent to be determined at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at EagleBank Arena.
The Flyers (21-4, 14-0) have won 15 straight and clinched at least a share of the Atlantic 10 regular-season title on Sunday. Dayton is receiving 29 votes in the Associated Press poll for the second-most of teams just outside of the top 25. Last year, the Flyers won a share of the A-10 regular-season title and captured the conference tournament crown to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Senior guard Jenna Burdette leads Dayton with 16.5 points and 97 assists. Jayla Scaife (14.8) and Lauren Cannatelli (13.1) also average double figures in scoring and JaVonna Layfield averages 11.8 points and 12.9 rebounds, the latter of which ranks fourth in the nation.
Mason is 1-5 all-time against the Flyers, with the lone win coming two years ago in the A-10 Tournament in Richmond. Dayton defeated the Patriots 60-48 in Fairfax last January. Mason is 0-2 in Dayton.
Mason is led by graduate student Natalie Butler, who leads the nation in rebounding (16.0 rpg) and double-doubles (27). The Fairfax Station, Va., native, also leads the A-10 in scoring (18.5 ppg). Her 27 straight double-doubles is the fourth-longest streak in Division I women's basketball history.
Freshman Nicole Cardano-Hillary ranks third in the A-10 in scoring (17.7 rpg) and first in steals (75). She is second among Division I freshmen in scoring and third in steals. Her 75 steals also are tied for 20th most in the nation.
She was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's National Freshman of the Week and the A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week after she averaged 19 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals in a pair of wins last week.
