George Mason (0-0) vs. Johnson C. Smith (0-0)
WHEN: Monday, November 4, at 2 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.  
2023-24 RECORDS: Patriots (23-8, 14-4 A-10), Golden Bulls (14-13, 10-8 CIAA)  
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 is set to open the 2024-25 season on Monday afternoon when it hosts Johnson C. Smith in EagleBank Arena.
 
George Mason is facing Johnson C. Smith for the first time in program history, but the coaches are familiar with one another. The Golden Bull's head coach, Monterika Warren played for Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis for a season at Bethune-Cookman. Also on that coaching staff were associate head coaches Niki Washington and Andre Bolton.
 
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. Johnson C. Smith also advanced to its conference Quarterfinals as the three-seed, where it fell to Virginia State University.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• 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
Johnson C. Smith University finished the season 14-13 overall and earned the number three spot in the Southern Division for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association after going 10-8 in conference play. The Golden Bulls played Winston-Salem State in the Opening Round of the CIAA tournament and won 65-59. The Golden Bulls fell to Virginia State University in the Quarterfinals, 51-42.
 
Last season, Ashlei Kirven was the only player to average a double-double for the Golden Bulls. Averaging 11.7 rebounds and 11.4 points per game, she led the team in rebounds. She was ranked first in the CIAA conference and 28th in the nation for Division II in double-doubles (12). She was also ranked first in the conference for total rebounds and 72nd in the nation for Division II with 241 rebounds. Ciara Harris led the team in points per game (13.1), along with 1.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game (third on the team). Kelis Carmen is second on the team in points, averaging 11.5 per game, along with 5.4 rebounds (second on the team), and 0.6 assists per game.
 
Queen Ruffin was named to the All-CIAA Rookie Team in the 2023-24 season. She averaged 19.4 minutes a game, was second on the team in three-point field goal percentage (.340), averaged 2.5 rebounds, and 6.2 points a game.
 
As a team, Johnson C. Smith was ranked second in the CIAA conference and 22nd in the nation for Division II in free throws made per game (14.7) and in free throws attempted per game (21.37).
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will host Towson on Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. inside of EagleBank Arena.