Women's Basketball | 9/11/2018 11:21:00 PM
Tickets
By
Jerome Boettcher | George Mason Athletics
FAIRFAX, Va. – On Wednesday night, EagleBank Arena will be center stage for a professional sports championship series.
George Mason plays host to Game 3 of the WNBA Finals between the Washington Mystics and Seattle Storm at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at EagleBank Arena in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN2. The university gladly agreed to serve as the Mystics' home away from home for the finals as their regular home arena, Capitol One Arena, is being renovated.
The Mystics will try to stave off elimination as the Seattle Storm, led by 2018 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart and veteran guard Sue Bird, hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series after winning both games in Seattle this past weekend. The 10,000-seat EagleBank Arena is expected to be near full capacity when the teams tip off Wednesday. Tickets can be bought at mystics.wnba.com. If the Mystics win, Game 4 will be played at EagleBank Arena at 8 p.m. on Friday.
"I hope the fans come out and support," Mystics star forward Elena Delle Donne said after practice on Tuesday. "Our fans will follow us out here. It is a great arena, could be electric in here if we fill it up."
EagleBank Arena is a familiar venue for Delle Donne. She made four trips to the arena while playing for Delaware from 2009-13. Mason and Delaware met twice year a when the Patriots were still in the Colonial Athletic Association until moving to the Atlantic 10 in 2013-14.
Delle Donne, a member of the 2016 Olympic champion women's basketball team and the 2015 WNBA MVP, had her share of big games at EagleBank Arena (then the Patriot Center). She averaged 27.5 points and 10 rebounds in four visits to Fairfax, including a 40-point, 15-rebound night as junior during the 2011-12 season.
But the gaudy numbers aren't what Delle Donne remembers. She recalls stepping into a lively atmosphere every time the Blue Hens were on the road against the Patriots.
"One of the best bands in the CAA," Delle Donne said. "It was always fun playing here. I just remember Doc Nix. That is the main thing I always remember – them having the best band. That was my greatest memory from playing here."
Delle Donne's teammate Natasha Cloud also is no stranger to EagleBank Arena. The point guard played her last three years at Saint Joseph's from 2012-15 after transferring from Maryland. She played three games against the Patriots, including one in Fairfax during the 2013-14 season in which she set the EagleBank Arena record for assists by an opponent with 12, in addition to scoring 16 points.
Seattle Storm head coach Dan Hughes also is making a return trip to George Mason – some 30 years in the making.
Shortly after finishing up a graduate assistant coaching position at Miami (Ohio) in 1978, Hughes sent out his resume to more than 200 schools to inquire about assistant coach openings. Most, if they responded at all, sent back form letters informing him they didn't have a position.
George Mason also didn't have any coaching vacancies at the time. But Hughes remembers the Patriots added a personal touch to the letter, addressing him directly, wishing him well in his endeavors and promising to keep his resume on file for future openings. That left quite the impression on Hughes.
"So we got in the car and drove all the way over here just to try to impress the coach – from Ohio," Hughes said on Tuesday, laughing as he remembered his youthful persistence. "I was pretty driven to move up the ladder in those days. That was the last time I was here. They were nice enough to meet with me. I didn't obviously get the job but they were nice enough to take the time and not send a form letter but actually write me back and encourage me."
Now Hughes, a two-time WNBA Coach of the Year, is back in Fairfax looking to close out his first WNBA championship as a head coach. The Mystics, however, hope to squash those dreams and force a Game 4 back at EagleBank Arena.
Though it's not their home arena, the Mystics anticipate many of those same fans who regularly and passionately attend their games in D.C., will make the trip out to Northern Virginia. The Mystics are confident will replicate that familiar homecourt advantage they became accustomed to at Capitol One Arena.
"George Mason is nice enough to host us, so we're here in front of our home crowd and we're fighting," Cloud said. "We're home in our environment. I think things will be a lot different."
Added Delle Donne: "Seattle took care of home court so we need to do the same here. We need our fans to back us. I think it will be a really great crowd and we're ready to go."
