George Mason (7-6, 0-0) vs. Dayton (1-11, 0-0)
WHEN: Sunday, 3 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.  
2021-22 RECORDS: Patriots (10-19, 3-12 A-10), Flyers (26-6, 14-1 A-10)  
SERIES RECORD: Dayton leads, 2-9  
LAST MEETING: Dayton won, 84-44
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+ 
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – For the first time since joining the Atlantic 10, the George Mason women's basketball team will open conference play against the Dayton Flyers on New Year's Day.
 
The Patriots are looking for their first conference-opening win since the 2019-20 season when they downed George Washington at home, 70-60.
 
Sunday's game is the 12th all-time meeting between the Flyers and the Patriots, with all meetings coming as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Mason's last win came back in 2019, when the Patriots took down the Flyers 54-51 in Fairfax.
 
Dayton picked up its' first win in their final non-conference game against Cedarville on Thursday, 94-58, to enter A-10 play at 1-10. The Flyers have played a tough schedule however, including two overtime losses and three games against SEC opponents.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• The Patriots finished their non-conference schedule at 7-6, the first time since 2018 that they will enter conference play with a winning record. Six of those wins came at home, as Mason takes the court on Sunday riding a six-game home win streak.
• Taylor Jameson led the Patriots offensively at the FIU Holiday Hoops Showdown where Mason went 1-1, racking up a career-high 26 points against FIU. She was named to the All-Classic team after averaging 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. 
• Graduate student Riley Childs had a breakout weekend, setting new season highs and averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in Miami.
• Freshman Amy O'Hara made her debut after joining the team in mid-December, leading the Patriots in rebounding against SFA with seven while contributing six points.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Two players are averaging double-figures this season with Destiny Bohanon leading the way with 12.6. She is also second on the team with 28 assists and 10 steals and is the teams' best three point shooter, shooting .486 (2nd, A-10) from beyond the arc.
 
Mariah Perez is averaging a team best 8.6 rebounds per game (5th, A-10) while contributing 11.2 points. She has also registered 11 blocks. Nayo Lear paces the offense with 27 assists and the defense with 13 steals and is third on the team in scoring with 8.7 points per game. Also notable is Arianna Smith, who made her debut for the Flyers on Thursday with 10 points and nine rebounds.

UP NEXT
Mason will travel to St. Bonaventure on Thursday, Jan. 5 for a 6 p.m. tip in their A-10 road debut.