George Mason (23-4, 13-3 A-10) at Saint Joseph's (20-6, 11-4 A-10)
WHEN: Sunday, February, at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Michael J. Hagan Arena; Philadelphia, Pa.  
2023-24 RECORDS: Patriots (23-8, 14-4 A-10), Hawks (28-6, 15-3 A-10)  
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN U
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Patriots will head to Philadelphia to face the Saint Jospeh's Hawks on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Michael J. Hagan Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and a radio broadcast will be available on the GoMason Digital Network.

George Mason is 6-12 historically with Saint Joseph's. The two teams have been battling for the top of the table for a couple of years now. Earlier this season, the Hawks came to Fairfax and beat the Patriots 61-55, despite four players scoring in double digits. The last time the Green & Gold beat the Hawks was in the 2022-23 season in a five-point victory at home.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• Sophomore Kennedy Harris and redshirt sophomore Zahirah Walton have led the Patriots is scoring so far this season, averaging 14.8 ppg and 14.4 ppg, respectively.
• Harris was named A-10 Player of the Week for the second time this season for the week of Jan. 20, 2025 after averaging 25.5 ppg on 55% shooting, 6.0 apg, and 1.0 spg
• The Patriots have recoded their fasted season to 20 wins after their win against VCU.
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named to the Mid-Major Coach of the Year Midseason Watch List by Her Hoop Stats
• The Jan. 2 game vs. Saint Joseph's set a George Mason women's basketball attendance record at 3,354.
• George Mason is currently in the "Next Four Out" group per ESPN's Bracketology.
•  Zahirah Walton scored a career-high 30 points on 64.7% shooting, including 7-7 from the free throw line, and 6 assists and 5 rebounds against Saint Louis on Jan 29.
•  The Patriots checked in at #45 in the first NET ranking of the 2024-25 season. They then moved to #40 after their win over GW and stayed there after their wins over Georgetown and UMES. #40 is the highest NET ranking for the women's basketball program since the NET rankings debuted in 2018. They currently stand at #44.
• 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.
• 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.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS
The Saint Joseph's Hawks women's basketball team holds a 20-6 overall record and an 11-4 mark in conference play. They have been strong at home with an 11-2 record and have gone 8-4 on the road. The team averages 70.9 points per game while allowing 55.0 points per contest, resulting in a scoring margin of +16.0. Offensively, they shoot 45.7% from the field, 36.0% from three-point range, and 76.7% from the free-throw line. They average 17.7 assists per game compared to 13.8 turnovers, giving them a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Defensively, Saint Joseph's holds opponents to 37.5% shooting from the field and 28.8% from beyond the arc. The team averages 6.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game. They maintain a rebounding margin of +7.6, averaging 37.5 rebounds per game compared to their opponents' 30.0.

Key contributors for the Hawks include forward Laura Ziegler, who leads the team with 18.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.7% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. Guard Mackenzie Smith averages 15.1 points per game and shoots 45.1% from beyond the arc. Forward Talya Brugler contributes 13.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 53.4% from the field.

Saint Joseph's has won seven of its last ten games but has lost two of its last three, with defeats against Richmond (51-59) and Rhode Island (65-70). The team has posted notable wins against La Salle (85-49), Loyola Chicago (83-45), and St. Bonaventure (83-56). In conference play, they have an average scoring margin of +12.3, with 67.5 points per game compared to opponents' 55.3. They shoot 44.6% from the field in conference games and have a +5.7 rebounding margin.

Saint Joseph's has been one of the nation's top defensive teams, ranking 14th in scoring defense and first in the A-10. They also rank 18th nationally in assists per game (17.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.28). Their shooting efficiency is ranked 35th in field goal percentage (45.7%) and 25th in three-point percentage (36.0%). On the boards, they hold a +7.6 rebounding margin (23rd nationally). Individually, Laura Ziegler is ranked fifth in rebounds per game (11.2) and leads the conference in total rebounds (291) and defensive rebounds per game (9.7). Mackenzie Smith ranks 11th nationally in three-point shooting (45.1%), while Emma Boslet leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.77).
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots will return home for their final home game of the regular season on Saturday, March 1 to take on the Duquesne Dukes. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at EagleBank Arena with broadcast available on ESPN+ and radio on GoMason Digital.