George Mason (4-1) vs. #9 Maryland (6-0)
WHEN: Sunday, November 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: XFINITY Center; College Park, Md.
2024-25 RECORDS: Patriots (27-6, 14-4 A-10), Maryland (25-8, 13-5)
LIVE VIDEO: Big Ten Network
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The George Mason women's basketball team travels to College Park, Md. to take on the #9 Maryland Terps on Sunday, November 23. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with tip-off set for 2:30 p.m ET with Ed Cohen and Christy Winters-Scott on the call. Tommy Buckles will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 2:15 p.m.

The Patriots are looking for their first win against the Terps in the 10th matchup. Most recently, the Green & Gold was winning through three quarters last year before ultimately falling, 55-65.

SCOUTING THE TERPS
Maryland enters at 6-0 with strong overall production, averaging 86.5 points per game on .507 shooting from the field and .372 from three-point range. The Terrapins average 17.8 assists, 12.7 steals, and 3.5 blocks per game, while posting 43.0 rebounds per contest and an 18.5 rebound margin. They make 16.3 free throws per game at a .778 clip. Maryland allows 55.5 points per game on .363 opponent field goal shooting and .325 from three.

Oluchi Okananwa leads Maryland in scoring at 14.5 points per game while shooting .548 from the field and adding 5.0 rebounds. Kaylene Smikle averages 13.0 points through three games, and Addi Mack adds 12.2 points on .558 shooting. Saylor Poffenbarger contributes 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and a .517 three-point percentage. Yarden Garzon averages 9.2 points and 3.7 assists, and Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu adds 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and seven total blocks.

As a team, Maryland holds national rankings of No. 1 in winning percentage, No. 7 in rebound margin, No. 14 in field goal percentage, No. 22 in scoring offense, No. 37 in free throw percentage, No. 42 in assists per game, No. 45 in steals per game, and No. 67 in scoring defense. Additional rankings include No. 91 in three-pointers made per game, No. 123 in turnover margin, No. 133 in blocks per game, and No. 196 in three-point attempts per game. Individually, Saylor Poffenbarger ranks No. 29 nationally in three-point percentage (.517) and No. 95 in threes per game, while Okananwa is No. 83 in total points.

PATRIOT POINTS

• Zahirah Walton was named A-10 co-Player of the Week for her performance in the first week of action
• The Patriots won the Atlantic 10 championship for the first time in program history in 2024-25, giving them their first NCAA Tournament berth
• Three Patriots were named to the 2025-26 A-10 Preseason teams: Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris were named to the Preseason First Team and Hawa Komara was named to the Preseason Second Team. Walton and Komara were also named to the Preseason All-Defensive Team.
• The Patriots were picked to finish second in the A-10 Preseason Poll
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Watch List for the third year in a row
• Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris were named to the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Watch List for the 2025-26 season
• Redshirt juniors Page Greenburg and Zahirah Walton and junior Kennedy Harris were named team captains for the 2025-26 season
• Two transfer graduate students joined the Patriots this season: MJ Johnson (Texas A&M/Ball St.) and Hawa Komara (Rhode Island) 
• There are six freshman making their collegiate debuts with the Green & Gold this season: Sanyiah Littlejohn (Philadephia, Pa./Lansdale Catholic), Kayla Johnson (Upper Marlboro, Md./Elizabeth Seton), Mary Amoateng (Baltimore, Md./Bishop McNamara), Matilde Motta (Saronno, Italy/S.M. Legnani), Leah Keyes (Stafford, Va./Virginia Academy), and Sara Blair (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas). 
• The George Mason coaching staff added a few new pieces and promoted two key staff members this off season. Demetria Frank was promoted to Associate Head Coach and Nigel Bowden was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations. Lauren Stack and Kate McCarney joined as graduate assistants, and Brandon Stewart was appointed Director of Player Personnel. 

UP NEXT
The Patriots return home to host the Rider Broncs on Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m. at EagleBank Arena. A live stream will also be available on ESPN+.