George Mason (1-1) vs. Florida A&M (0-2)
WHEN: Monday, November 10, at 7 p.m. ET
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.
2024-25 RECORDS: Patriots (27-6, 14-4 A-10), Florida A&M (9-20, 6-12)
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK
FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's basketball team hosts their home opener on Monday, November 10 at 7 p.m. vs. the Florida A&M Rattlers. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with
Steve Kolbe and Jen Surlas on the call. Tommy Buckles will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 6:45 p.m.
This is the first match up between the Patriots and the Rattlers. Florida A&M has lost their two games so far to Florida St. (39-112) and Howard (53-89).
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
Florida A&M has opened the 2025–26 season with an 0–2 record following road losses to Florida State and Howard. The Rattlers are averaging 46.0 points per game while allowing 100.5, shooting 24.1% from the field and 25.0% from three-point range. They've struggled to find consistent scoring, recording a -54.5 scoring margin and averaging just 7.0 assists per game compared to 25.0 turnovers. Florida A&M has also been challenged on the boards, holding a -16.5 rebounding margin (40.5–57.0 per game) through two contests.
Junior guard Cornelia Ellington leads the team offensively with 12.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, while Niah Rhodes has added 8.5 points and connected on four of the team's 10 made three-pointers. Aina Subirats has provided efficient perimeter shooting off the bench, going 4-for-6 from deep (6.0 ppg). Forward Miya Giles-Jones anchors the interior with 5.5 points and a team-best 5.0 rebounds per game, while Zikeyah Ransom-Carter and Brooklyn Swann have contributed on the glass with 4.0 rebounds apiece.
Defensively, the Rattlers are allowing opponents to shoot 46.2% from the floor and 36.7% from beyond the arc. They're averaging 5.5 steals and 3.0 blocks per game but have been outscored in every period so far this season.
PATRIOT POINTS
- 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 a 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 stay home to host the Georgetown Hoyas on Friday, November 14 at 7 p.m. The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ and tickets are available at GoMason.com/tickets.
