George Mason (2-0) vs. Monmouth (0-2)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 12, at 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.
2023-24 RECORDS: Patriots (23-8, 14-4 A-10), Tigers (22-10, 14-4 CAA)
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK
DIGITAL PROGRAM: LINK
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's basketball team welcomes the Monmouth Hawks on Tuesday, November 12, at 7 p.m. at EagleBank Arena.
George Mason is 2-2 historically with Monmouth. Each team has hosted two games, and they have each won two games on their home floor. The two teams have not played since 2004, in which Monmouth rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to win by two.
A season ago, Mason went 23-8, 14-4 in A-10 play and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals where it ultimately fell to #5 Duquesne, but still received a postseason bid to the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament. The Hawks also made it to the quarterfinals of their conference tournament, falling to eventual champions, Drexel.
PATRIOT POINTS
- Graduate student Ta'Viyanna Habib and sophomore Kennedy Harris have led the Patriots is scoring so far this season, averaging 13.0 ppg and 12.0 ppg, respectively.
- Mason returns ten letter winners and three starters from last season's squad, including captains Paula Suárez and Nalani Kaysia, last year's A-10 Rookie of the Year Zahirah Walton, and preseason third team selections Ta'Viyanna Habib and Kennedy Harris.
- The Patriots welcome four newcomers, including two transfers, to the roster: Khamya McNeal (Stetson/Syracuse) and Louis Volker (Missouri State).
- The freshman class includes Sarah Oduro and LeAire Nicks.
- Mason returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago: Zahirah Walton (11.3), Ta'Viyanna Habib (10.0), and Kennedy Harris (9.4).
- Kaysia also returns after sitting out last year due to medical reasons.
- Last season, the Patriots posted their first 20+ win season since 2017-18 when the team went 24-10.
- Despite a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament, the Patriots received a bid to the inaugural WBIT tournament.
- Prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, Mason was chosen to finish third out of 15 teams in the conference, their highest preseason pick since joining the Atlantic 10.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Monmouth finished the last year at 22-10 and earned the No. 2 spot in the Coastal Athletic Association tournament. The Hawks fell in the Quarterfinals against No. 7 Drexel, but they still received a bit to the WNIT. Monmouth beat Buffalo in the tournament's first round, 68-58, but ultimately fell in the second round to Duquesne in overtime, 65-69.
Monmouth lost two players average double figures in scoring for the Hawks in the off season: Kaci Donovan, who averages a team-high 11.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and Ariana Vanderhoop, who was second on the team in scoring and rebounding. Taisha Exanor returned for the Hawks after leading the team in rebounds last season (5.9) while also putting up 7.3 points per game. She also averaged 1.38 blocks per game, which ranked her fourth in the conference for blocks per game.
Another notable player is Belle Kranbuhl, who led the team in blocks with 78 total blocks last season, ranking first in the CAA conference and 15th in the country for total blocks. She also led the conference in blocks per game (2.44).
As a team lasts season, Monmouth was ranked first in the Coastal Athletic Association in blocks per game (5.8), ranking them fourth in the country. They were also ranked first in the conference in bench points per game (24.2).
UP NEXT
George Mason will hit the road for the first time this season. They'll play Marshall on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., and Wake Forest on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. Sunday's game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and Wednesday game will be on ACCN.
