George Mason (4-0) at Wake Forest (3-1)
WHEN: Wednesday, November 20, at 7 p.m.
WHERE: LJVM Coliseum; Winston-Salem, N.C.  
2023-24 RECORDS: Patriots (23-8, 14-4 A-10), Demon Deacon (7-25, 2-16 ACC)  
LIVE VIDEO: ACC Network
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The George Mason women's basketball team will head to North Carolina to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacon in a midweek matchup tomorrow night. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be available to watch nationally on the ACC Network with Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod on the call.

George Mason is 0-1 historically with the Demon Deacons. The first matchup between the two teams came before any of the current players were born, in 1988. The Patriots hosted that matchup and Wake Forest won that game 90-56.

PATRIOT POINTS

• Sophomore Kennedy Harris and junior Zahirah Walton have led the Patriots is scoring so far this season, averaging 15.5 ppg and 12.0 ppg, respectively
• The Patriots as a team are 28th in the country in field goal percentage at 48.6%.
• Two of the Patriots first four wins came against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in the last two years: Monmouth and Marshall.
• 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.
• Prior to the start of the 2024-25 season, Mason was chosen to finish third out of 15 teams in the conference, their highest preseason pick since joining the Atlantic 10.
• 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).
• Last season, the Patriots posted their first 20+ win season since 2017-18 when the team went 24-10.

 
SCOUTING THE DEACONS
Wake Forest finished the regular season last year 7-25 and earned the No. 14 spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament after going 2-16 in conference play. The Deacons beat No. 11 Virginia in the first round 58-55, but ultimately fell to No. 6 Florida State 53-70. So far in the 2024-25 season, Wake Forest is 3-1 overall, beating two teams at home and being 1-1 on the road.
 
Two players are currently averaging double figures in scoring for the Deacons, led by Southern Methodist transfer Tamia Jones, who averages 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in assists (15) and steals (10). Elise Williams is second on the team in scoring, with 11.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. She is second on the team in assists (13) and steals (9).
 
Another notable player is Malaya Cowles, who was one of only two Deacons to start in all 32 games last year. She is currently averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She is third on the team in steals (7) and leads the team in blocks (4). Alyssa Andrews leads the team in rebounds per game (6.9) while also averaging 5.8 points per game.
 
As a team, Wake Forest boasts the second-best scoring defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference, limiting opponents to 48.8 points per game,
which ranks them 22nd in the country. They are also ranked third in the conference for three-point percentage (41.0) and steals per game
(12.3).
 
UP NEXT
George Mason returns home to face the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers on Tuesday, November 26, at 7 p.m. Broadcast will be available on ESPN+ and on radio through GoMason Digital Network.