WHEN: Sunday, 2 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (1-0, 0-0 A-10), Virginia Tech (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
SERIES RECORD: Mason trails, 7-3
LAST MEETING: VT defeated Mason, 78-69, in the WNIT Second Round on March 18, 2018
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team welcomes Virginia Tech to EagleBank Arena on Sunday for its home opener.
 
Tip-off between the Hokies and Patriots is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+, featuring commentary from Steve Kolbe. In addition, Shawn Ouellete will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 1:45 p.m.
 
PATRIOT POINTS
* Virginia Tech leads the all-time series, 7-3. The Patriots have won just one of the previous five meetings, coming on Nov. 14, 2014 in Fairfax, Va. That marked the last time Mason defeated a Power Five conference school.
 
* In the last matchup between the two teams, Virginia Tech defeated Mason 78-69 in the WNIT Second Round on March 18, 2018 in Blacksburg, Va.
 
* Mason opened the 2019-20 season with a 72-61 win over College of Charleston on Wednesday night at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C. The Patriots won their season opener for the second straight year.
 
* Junior Nicole Cardaño-Hillary scored a team-high 24 points and added five steals in Mason's season opener.
 
* Junior Camarie Gatling posted her fourth career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds vs. Charleston. She finished 5-of-7 from the field (.714) and added two blocks.
 
* Freshman Tamia Lawhorne tabbed 16 points and eight rebounds in her collegiate debut against College of Charleston. The 6-foot forward finished 4-of-8 from the field (.500) and 7-of-9 from the free throw line (.778).
 
* The Patriots were selected to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10 women's basketball preseason poll - their highest preseason projection since joining the league prior to the 2013-14 season.
 
* The Green & Gold fielded the A-10 Player of the Year for the second-straight campaign in Cardaño-Hillary. She led the A-10 and was 21st in the country in scoring (20.4). She ranks fourth in Division I women's basketball returning leading scorers.
 
* Cardaño-Hillary was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list on Oct. 21, given to the nation's top point guard. She will face another Nancy Lieberman Award watch list candidate, graduate transfer Taja Cole, in Mason's matchup against VT. Cole averaged 11 points, 5.3 rebounds and an SEC-best 7 assists a season ago in 2018-19 at the University of Georgia.
 
* Senior Jacy Bolton was named Preseason All-Conference Second Team and notched a spot on the Preseason All-Defensive Team. She finished second in the league in rebounds per game (9.1) and first in defensive rebounds per game (7.4) in 2018-19.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series, 7-3. The Patriots have won just one of the previous five meetings, coming on Nov. 14, 2014 in Fairfax, Va. That marked the last time Mason defeated a Power Five conference school.
 
In the most recent meeting between the two teams, Virginia Tech defeated Mason 78-69 in the WNIT Second Round on March 18, 2018 in Blacksburg, Va. The loss ended the Patriots' historic 24-10 season.
 
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies opened the 2019-20 campaign with a 105-41 victory over Saint Francis on Nov. 5 at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg. Freshman center Elizabeth Kitley scored 27 points on 13-of-15 shooting from the field, in just 21 minutes. Kitley's 27 points are the second most in a Virginia Tech debut, just one shy of Uju Ugoka's 28-point effort in her first game back in 2012 against Wake Forest. Graduate transfer Taja Cole She led all players with nine assists to just two turnovers, while adding seven points on four shots and added two steals and a block.
 
Tech was chosen to finish 10th in the ACC in both polls completed by the league's 15 head coaches and selected media members who comprise the Blue Ribbon Panel.
 
2018-19 REWIND
The Patriots continued their steady rise within the Atlantic 10 during a successful 2018-19 campaign. Mason captured 16 regular season wins, including eight Atlantic 10 victories. Mason earned the No. 7 seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament and hosted a game for the second-consecutive season. The Patriots posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 15 years. The 40 wins over the last two years are also the most in a two-year stretch in program history.
 
Cardaño-Hillary was named the 2019 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, after averaging 20.4 points and 2.2 steals per game – both first in the A-10 last year. Bolton posted a career-best 10 double doubles and finished second in the A-10 in rebounds per game (9.1) and first in defensive rebounds (7.4).
 
UP NEXT
Mason continues its three-game homestand Saturday, Nov. 16 against Detriot-Mercy. Tip-off between the Titans and Patriots is scheduled for noon at EagleBank Arena.