Women's Basketball | 3/15/2018 8:41:00 PM

WHAT: WNIT First Round
WHO: George Mason vs. Stephen F. Austin
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (23-9, 11-5 Atlantic 10); Stephen F. Austin (25-6, 16-2 Southland)
SERIES RECORD: Stephen F. Austin leads 2-0
LAST MEETING: Stephen F. Austin defeated Mason 77-76 on Nov. 23, 2016 in Fairfax, Va.
LIVE VIDEO: Click Here
LIVE STATS: Click Here
GAME NOTES: Click Here
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Click Here
GAME OF THE WEEK: Free meal deal – chicken fingers, chips, drink – for all Mason students with a valid Mason student ID. Mason students also can bring a friend for free.

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team looks to extend its record-breaking season

The Patriots host Stephen F. Austin at 7 p.m. on Friday at EagleBank Arena in the first round of the WNIT. Mason (23-9) will be playing in just its third postseason game and first in 14 years. The winner advances to play the winner of Virginia Tech/Navy in the second round on a date and at a location to be determined.

Having already set the school record for wins, the Patriots will now look to notch their postseason victory in school history. Mason will be hosting a postseason game for just the second time, with the last time coming in the 2001 WNIT. The Patriots have won a school-record 16 games at home this year, tying for the most home wins in the country this season.

Mason has won 10 straight home games against non-conference opponents with their last loss coming in a 77-76 setback to Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 23, 2016. SFA rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit at EagleBank Arena. The Patriots are 0-2 against the Ladyjacks all-time.

Mason is led by Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Natalie Butler, who leads the nation in rebounding (16.3 ppg) and double-doubles (31). The graduate student from Fairfax Station, Va., also is the conference's top scorer with 19 points a game. Her string of 31 consecutive double-doubles is the third-longest streak in the country.

Freshman Nicole Cardaño-Hillary was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year after ranking third in the conference in scoring (17.6 ppg) and first in steals (81). The point guard from Madrid, Spain, ranks second among Division I freshmen in the nation in scoring and third in steals.

The Patriots last played two weeks ago, falling 64-59 to eventual tournament champ George Washington in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship on March 2 in Richmond. Butler scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds but was the only Patriot to score in double figures as Mason committed 17 turnovers.

The Ladyjacks (25-6) have won eight of 10 and received the last at-large berth to the WNIT after Rutgers withdrew following the unveiling of the field. SFA finished second in the Southland Conference and reached the conference tournament championship game before falling to Nicholls State 69-65 on Sunday in Katy, Texas.

The Ladyjacks are led by redshirt senior Stevi Parker, who averages 13 points and 9.5 rebounds. Junior Chanell Hayes (11.9 ppg) and senior Taylor Jackson (10.1 ppg) also average double figures in scoring and Jackson leads the team with 81 assists. SFA ranks second in the Southland Conference in both scoring offense (72.6 rpg) and scoring defense (57.2 ppg). They rank first in the Southland with 16.2 assists per game.