George Mason (27-5, 14-4 A-10) vs. Florida State (23-8, 13-5 ACC)
WHEN: Saturday, March 22, at 6:45 p.m. CT/7:45 p.m. ET
WHERE: Pete Maravich Assembly Center; Baton Rouge, La.  
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN 2
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Patriots will take on the Flordia State Seminoles in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 22, at 6:45 p.m. CT/7:45 p.m. ET at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2 with Jimmy Dykes and Roy Philpott on the call. In addition, radio coverage will be available on the GoMason Digital Network with Mitchell Brown, beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET. 

The Patriots and Florida State are facing off for the first time. Against common opponents this year, both teams beat Wake Forest. The Seminoles beat them 97-68 and the Patriots beat them 50-41.  

PATRIOT POINTS

• This is the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history
• The Patriots secured their first conference championship on March 9 in a 73-58 win over Saint Joseph's
• Sophomore Kennedy Harris and redshirt sophomore Zahirah Walton have led the Patriots is scoring so far this season, averaging 13.9 ppg and 15.1 ppg, respectively.
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis was named a finalist for the Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award  by Her Hoop Stats on March 6
• Three Patriots received 2024-25 All-Conference honors: Zahirah Walton was named to the All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team. Paula Suárez was named the A-10's Most Improved Player, as well as the to All-Conference Second Team, where Kennedy Harris was also named
• The Patriots finish the regular season with the most regular season wins in program history, and tied with last year's team for the most conference wins
• The Jan. 2 game vs. Saint Joseph's set a George Mason women's basketball attendance record at 3,354.
•  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 back at #45.
• Last season, the Patriots posted their first 20+ win season since 2017-18 when the team went 24-10.

SCOUTING THE SEMINOLES
Florida State enters the matchup as one of the most prolific offensive teams in the nation, averaging 87.2 points per game, ranking second nationally. Led by Ta'Niya Latson, the country's leading scorer at 24.9 PPG, and Makayla Timpson, who adds 17.6 PPG while shooting 54.2% from the field, the Seminoles boast a highly efficient scoring attack. They rank fifth nationally in blocks per game (5.8) and excel at getting to the free-throw line, leading the ACC in free throws made (15.2 per game) and percentage (79.1%). Their ability to push the pace and capitalize on transition opportunities makes them a dangerous opponent. 

Defensively, Florida State has some vulnerabilities, particularly in limiting opponent scoring, allowing 71.2 PPG, ranking 308th nationally. They also struggle on the boards, posting a near-even rebounding margin (-0.0), which could be exploited by stronger rebounding teams. However, they create extra possessions through turnovers, ranking fourth in the country with just 11.0 giveaways per game while forcing 16.7 per contest. O'Mariah Gordon (2.17 SPG) and Latson (2.19 SPG) are key disruptors in their defensive scheme, which relies on quick hands and aggressive pressure. 

The Seminoles' three-point shooting (34.7%) is respectable, with Carla Viegas (44.0%) and Sydney Bowles (33.7%) as primary perimeter threats. However, their three-point defense (31.4%) ranks ninth in the ACC, which could be an area of concern against strong outside shooting teams. Florida State thrives in high-scoring games but may be vulnerable against teams that can slow the tempo and capitalize on defensive lapses. To secure a win, they must assert themselves on the 

WITH A WIN...
The Patriots would advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and would face the winner of LSU/San Diego State on Monday, March 24.