WHEN: Friday, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Rose Hill Gym, New York
RECORDS: Mason (3-4, 0-0 A-10), Fordham (3-2, 0-1 A-10)
SERIES RECORD: Fordham leads, 8-3
LAST MEETING: Fordham defeated Mason 66-54 on Jan. 19, 2020 in Fairfax
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's basketball team will open Atlantic 10 play this Friday against Fordham at 1 p.m. inside Rose Hill Gym.
 
Friday's game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+. In addition, Brian McSweeney will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 12:50 p.m.
 
PATRIOT POINTS
* Mason is 5-2 all-time in A-10 openers. The Patriots are 40-72 against Atlantic 10 opponents since joining the league in 2013-14.
 
* The 2020-21 conference schedule will see each team play 18 games for the first time in league history, and will feature a travel partner format that reduces travel by providing two opponents per regionalized road trip. The 2021 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship will be hosted by VCU, March 3-7, 2021 at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va.
 
* Mason (3-4) wrapped up non-conference play with a commanding 69-46 win over Delaware State on Dec. 21 inside EagleBank Arena.
 
* Nine players scored, with three finishing in double figures, in a total team effort. The Patriots shot 38.2 percent from the floor (21-55) and made six three-pointers (.316).
 
* Redshirt freshman Rachel Balzer was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week after scoring a career-high 16 points against Delaware State, draining a personal-best four three-pointers (.666). It was Mason's first A-10 Rookie of the Week nod since Feb. 26, 2018.
 
* In her 100th career game in the Green & Gold, senior Marika Korpinen posted her second career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds and added a team-high five assists. She is averaging 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists this season.
 
* Mason dominated the paint, outscoring its opponent 26-16 thanks to big performances by junior Devyn Wilson (11), sophomore Jazmyn Doster (7) and freshman Vanessa Laumbach (7). Mason was also +20 on the glass (51-31) with graduate student Daijah Jefferson grabbing 11 boards.
 
* Six different Patriots have led the team in scoring this season - Korpinen (2), Jefferson (2), Wilson, Wakefield, Doster and Balzer.
 
* Mason is outscoring its opponents 156-108 in the fourth quarter (+48) while shooting 40.7 percent from the floor (44-108). Mason has outscored all seven of its opponents in the fourth quarter this season.
 
* In wins, the Patriots are shooting 36.9 percent from the floor (69-187) and 31.8 percent from behind-the-arc (21-66). Conversely, in losses, Mason is shooting 26.9 percent from the floor (64-238) and just 21.7 from 3-point range (20-92).  
 
* After ranking 12th in the A-10 in free throw percentage a year ago (.665), Mason currently boasts a free throw percentage of .728. Nationally, they rank 25th in free throws made (115) and 30th in free throw attempts (158).
 
* Freshman Taylor Jameson is an impressive 14-of-16 from the charity stripe (.875) - good for sixth in the A-10. Wilson ranks 15th in the league in FT percentage, converting 19-of-24 free throw attempts (.792) while Jefferson leads the A-10 in FT made (26) and FT attempts (35).
 
* The Patriots continue to be efficient on the boards, ranking second in the A-10 and 26th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (16.6). Mason also ranks second in the A-10 in rebounds per game (44.0). The Patriots are averaging 51.0 rebounds in their three wins and just 38.8 boards in their four losses.
 
* The Patriots have two players in the top-15 in the A-10 in rebounding: Jefferson (3rd, 9.1) and Doster (11th, 7.4). Jefferson has tallied the most rebounds in the A-10 with 64 boards.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots are looking for their first win over Fordham since 2008, and their first win over the Rams since joining the A-10 in 2013-14. The Rams have won seven straight in the series for an 8-3 all-time lead. Mason is 1-4 in Rose Hill Gym with the lone victory coming in 2007.

The two teams faced off one time in 2019-20 with Fordham claiming a 66-54 win on Jan. 19 in Fairfax. Senior Camarie Gatling added 12 of her 13 points in the second half, shooting 6-of-9 from the field in the stanza.
 
SCOUTING FORDHAM (3-2, 0-1 A-10)
Fordham is 3-2 to begin the year and lost its A-10 opener against Davidson (79-64) on Dec. 21. The Rams have picked up a pair of A-10 Player of the Week honors from Kaitlyn Downey and Anna DeWolfe. DeWolfe ranks second in the A-10 and 16th nationally in scoring (23.0) while Downey is grabbing 11.0 rebounds per game – good for second in the league.

Fordham, along with Davidson and Duquesne, tied for fourth in the A-10 Preseason Poll with 140 points. The Rams were 21-11 last year and 11-5 in the A-10. DeWolfe and Kendell Heremaia each received preseason honors for Fordham.
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots finish up their road trip against Davidson on Sunday (Jan. 3). Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside Belk Arena.