George Mason (10-6, 5-0 A-10) vs. Loyola Chicago (6-10, 2-3 A-10)
WHEN: Wednesday, January 14, at 7 p.m. ET
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's basketball team hosts the Loyola Chicago Ramblers on Wednesday, January 14. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN+ with tip-off set for 7 p.m ET with Steve Kolbe and Jen Surlas on the call. Mackenzie Banks will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 6:45 p.m.

This is the 4th matchup between the Patriots and Ramblers. George Mason has won all three matchups between the two teams.

SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS

Loyola Chicago enters Wednesday's matchup with an overall record of 6–10 and a 2–3 mark in conference play. The Ramblers average 54.9 points per game while allowing 63.3 points per contest. As a team, they shoot 37.0 percent from the field and 25.4 percent from three-point range, making 4.4 three-pointers per game. Loyola averages 12.1 assists per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.73 and commits 16.4 turnovers per contest. Defensively, the Ramblers record 8.5 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.

On the glass, Loyola Chicago averages 31.2 rebounds per game, including 11.3 offensive rebounds and 19.9 defensive rebounds, resulting in a rebound margin of -6.3. Brooklyn Vaughn leads the team with 6.9 rebounds per game while also averaging 10.6 points. Alexa Kinas contributes 10.2 points per game, along with 4.4 rebounds and 2.25 steals per contest. Alex-Anne Bessette adds 11.8 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field across 16 games.

Defensively, Loyola Chicago allows opponents to shoot 42.3 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three-point range. Opponents average 37.4 rebounds and 15.6 assists per game. The Ramblers force 17.5 turnovers per contest and hold a turnover margin of +1.1. From the free throw line, Loyola shoots 65.9 percent and averages 9.1 made free throws per game, while bench players contribute 11.9 points per outing.

• The Patriots are 5-0 in A-10 play for the first time since joining the conference in 2013-14
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis won her 400th career game on January 4, 2026 vs. VCU, 68-58
• Walton won A-10 Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 29, 2025 after a 25-point performance vs. Dayton. This is her third player of the week honor this season
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis is the longest tenured Black female head coach in D1 (27 years)
• Kailani Merrell from Daytona, Fla. joined the team during winter break after graduating from high school early
• 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 seven 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), Kailani Merrell (Daytona, Fla./Sprunce Creek), 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 hit the road for a two-game road swing. First, George Mason heads to Philly to take on the Saint Joesph's Hawks on Sunday, January 18 at 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Then, they head to St. Bonaventure to face the Bonnies on Wednesday, January 21 at 6 p.m.