George Mason (16-3, 7-1) vs. VCU (7-13, 2-7)
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.
2022-23 RECORDS: Patriots (16-15, 8-8 A-10), Rams (19-13, 10-6 A-10)  
SERIES RECORD: Fordham leads 11-4
LAST MEETING: Mason defeated Fordham, 74-63, in the Bronx on Feb. 19, 2023
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team is back in action on Wednesday night in EagleBank Arena to host the Fordham Rams.
 
George Mason and Fordham will meet for the 16th time in program history on Wednesday night as Mason looks to win a second-straight game over the Rams for the first time since 2008. Last season, the Patriots snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Rams, winning in Rose Hill Gym for the first win over Fordham as members of the Atlantic 10. All time, Fordham leads the series 11-4.
 
Both teams picked up Atlantic 10 home wins this past weekend, as Mason downed VCU in a defensive battle on Homecoming, 60-57. Fordham won a thriller over George Washington in the Bronx, 60-55.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• The Patriots earned their highest-ever NET ranking on Jan. 25, breaking into the top-50 for the first time, coming in at No. 48 after a win at GW, 57-41.
• On Wednesday, head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named to the Mid-Major Coach of the Year Watchlist by Her Hoop Stats
• Zahirah Walton was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on Monday, marking the sixth-straight week and seventh overall that a Patriot has won the award
• Walton continued her dominant play in another 2-0 week, averaging 18.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks
• Sonia Smith leads the team with 14.7 points per game (6th, A-10) and is fifth in the Atlantic 10 with 16.0 points per game against conference opponents. She also leads the team with 3.2 assists per game (9th, A-10) 
• The Patriots lead the A-10 with 75.1 points per game, a 17.7-point scoring margin (22nd nationally), 42.7 boards per game (21st nationally), a 5.16 turnover margin (23rd nationally), are forcing a league best 18.9 turnovers per game and are second in 3-point defense, allowing just 25.6% (13th nationally)
• Mason boasts one of the top benches in the country, currently sitting at 3rd nationally with 36.2 bench points per game. Walton leads the way with a team-second-best 12.3 points per game

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Fordham enters Wednesday's matchup at 2-7 in Atlantic 10 play and 7-13 overall. The Rams went a solid 5-6 in non-conference contests and have wins over St. Bonaventure and George Washington in the month of January.
 
As a team, Fordham leads the Atlantic 10 with 10.05 steals per game, as four Rams rank in the top-20 in the conference for steals per game. The Rams are also fourth in the conference with 3.55 blocks per game.
 
The Rams boast the top offensive player in the conference in Taylor Donaldson, who leads the Atlantic 10 with 17.7 points per game, good for 60th nationally. She is third in the conference in three-point makes per game with 2.7 and is top-20 in both three-point and free throw percentage. On the other end of the court, she leads Fordham with 2.3 steals (2nd, A-10).
 
Emy Hayford also averages double-figure scoring for the Rams with 12.2 points per game and is second on the team with 1.8 steals. Pacing the offense is Taya Davis with 3.4 assists per game (8th, A-10). Defensively, Rose Nelson leads the team with 1.1 blocks per game (6th, A-10) and Matilda Flood paces the team with 5.3 rebounds per game. 
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will head to the Windy City on Saturday, Feb. 3 for a matchup with Loyola Chicago. Tip-off with the Ramblers is set for 2 p.m CT/3 p.m. ET.