George Mason (7-6, 2-0 A-10) vs. VCU (4-10, 0-2 A-10)
WHEN: Sunday, January 4, at 12 p.m. ET
WHERE: Siegel Center; Richmond, Va.
LIVE VIDEO: CBS Sports Network
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK

RICHMOND, Va. - The George Mason women's basketball team hosts the VCU Rams on Sunday, January 4 for their first game of 2026. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network with tip-off set for 12 p.m ET with Jack Gordon and Ice Young on the call. Tommy Buckles will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 11:45 p.m.

These two programs have faced off 72 times, dating back to 1975, where the Rams won the first matchup, 75-41. Since the Patriots joined the A-10 in 2013-14, they are 6-11 against VCU.

SCOUTING THE RAMS

VCU enters the 2025–26 season with an overall record of 4–10 and a 0–2 mark in conference play. The Rams are averaging 59.7 points per game while allowing 70.0 points per contest, resulting in a scoring margin of –10.3. VCU is shooting 37.8% from the field and 30.8% from three-point range, making an average of 6.1 three-pointers per game. From the free-throw line, the Rams are converting at a 69.2% rate with 10.4 free throws made per game.

On the glass, VCU averages 35.5 rebounds per game, including 11.0 offensive rebounds and 24.5 defensive rebounds, with a rebound margin of –2.9. Defensively, the Rams record 9.3 steals per game and 1.9 blocks per game while forcing 17.6 turnovers per contest. Opponents average 38.4 rebounds, 10.2 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game against VCU. The Rams commit 19.6 turnovers per game and hold an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.60.

Individually, Mary-Anna Asare leads the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game while shooting 40.0% from the field and 88.5% from the free-throw line. Katarina Knezevic adds 11.6 points per game and leads the team with 58 total rebounds. Patricia Augustin averages 6.4 points per game and contributes 2.1 steals per contest. Daija Preston and Lucy Ghaifan each average more than 4.0 rebounds per game, and the Rams record 25.0 bench points per game as a team.

• Kailani Merrell from Daytona, Fla. joined the team during winter break after graduating from high school early
• Zahirah Walton scored 42 points vs. Murray St. (including her 1,000th-career point) on Nov 28 and 20 points vs. then-#13 Ole Miss at the Daytona Beach Classic. She was named MVP of the tournament
• 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 return home to Fairfax for a midweek matchup vs. La Salle on Wednesday, January 7 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN+.