George Mason (24-5, 14-4 A-10) vs. Saint Louis (15-18, 8-11 A-10)
WHEN: Friday, March 7, at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Henrico Sports & Entertainment Center; Henrico, Va.  
2023-24 RECORDS: Patriots (23-8, 14-4 A-10), Billikens (22-18, 8-9 A-10)  
LIVE VIDEO: Peacock
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network

HENRICO, Va. – The Patriots will take on the Saint Louis Billikens in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Friday, March 7, at 5 p.m. at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Henrico, Va. The game will be broadcast on Peacock with Cindy Brunson, and Tykera Carter on the call, and Caroline Pineda on the sideline. In addition, radio coverage will be available on the GoMason Digital Network with Mitchell Brown, beginning at approximately 4:45 p.m. ET.

The Patriots and Saint Louis are 6-9 historically. Earlier this season, the Patriots beat the Billikens 80-53 in St. Louis. Redshirt sophomore Zahirah Walton led the way with a career-high 30 points. 
 
With a win, the Patriots would advance to the semi-finals of the A-10 Tournament for the first time in program history. They would play Saturday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• Sophomore Kennedy Harris and redshirt sophomore Zahirah Walton have led the Patriots is scoring so far this season, averaging 14.2 ppg and 15.0 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.
• George Mason is currently is listed in the "Next Four Out" group in the NCAA Tournament per ESPN's Bracketology.
•  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.
• 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 BILLIKENS
The Saint Louis women's basketball team finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 14-18 overall record and a 8-11 mark in Atlantic 10 play. They were stronger at home (9-6) but struggled on the road (4-10). Offensively, the team averaged 66.4 points per game while allowing 72.0, resulting in a -5.6 scoring margin. They shot 39.0% from the field and 25.8% from three-point range, making 5.0 threes per game. However, they excelled at the free-throw line, leading the A-10 and ranking 6th nationally at 78.6%, averaging 14.2 made free throws per game. On the boards, they posted 37.3 rebounds per game but had a -1.3 rebounding margin.
 
Defensively, Saint Louis forced 17.25 turnovers per game but committed 17.9 themselves, leading to a -0.3 turnover margin. They averaged 11.0 assists per game with a 0.63 assist-to-turnover ratio. Their defensive pressure resulted in 9.8 steals per game, ranking 56th nationally and 2nd in the A-10, while also recording 2.8 blocks per contest. Opponents shot 42.0% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc, ranking Saint Louis last in the conference in three-point defense.
 
Brooklyn Gray led the team with 12.3 points per game on 41.8% shooting, while Peyton Kennedy contributed 11.3 points per game with a 93.3% free-throw percentage. Kennedy Calhoun averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 assists, and led the team with 107 steals. Tierra Simon was the top rebounder with 9.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while Shun'teria Anumele added 8.8 points per contest. Despite ranking highly in free-throw shooting, steals, and bench scoring, Saint Louis struggled with three-point shooting, rebounding, and defensive efficiency, particularly in perimeter defense.
 
WITH A WIN...
The Patriots would advance to the semi-finals of the A-10 Tournament for the first time in program history. They would play Saturday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.