Patriots Host Rhode Island in Top A-10 Matchup on Saturday

Women's Basketball 2/13/2026 12:00:00 PM

George Mason (16-7, 11-1 A-10) vs. Rhode Island (22-2, 13-0 A-10)
WHEN: Saturday, February 14, at 3 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 will host the Rhode Island Rams on Saturday, February 14. The game will be broadcast on Monumental Network 2 and ESPN+ with tip-off set for 3 p.m ET. Mackenzie Banks and Simon Burts will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 2:45 p.m.

This is the 13th matchup between the Patriots and the Rams, with Rhode Island leading the series 7-6. George Mason won both games between the two teams last season.

SCOUTING THE RAMS
The Rhode Island Rams women's basketball team holds a 22-2 overall record and a 13-0 mark in conference play, including a 12-1 record at home and 10-1 on the road. The Rams are averaging 69.2 points per game while allowing 53.1 points per game, resulting in a +16.1 scoring margin. Nationally, they rank 6th in winning percentage (91.7), 5th in scoring defense (53.1), 31st in scoring margin (16.1), and 128th in scoring offense (69.2).

Defensively, Rhode Island ranks 1st in the conference in scoring defense (53.1), field goal percentage defense (37.0), rebound margin (6.7), turnovers per game (11.1), scoring margin (16.1), and winning percentage (91.7). The Rams average 7.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game, while committing 13.6 fouls per game. In conference games only, Rhode Island is averaging 68.5 points per game and allowing 53.0, with a +15.5 scoring margin. They are shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from three in conference play, while limiting opponents to 37.3 percent overall and 26.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Individually, Brooklyn Gray averages 12.5 points per game and shoots 90.5 percent from the free throw line, ranking 10th nationally in free throw percentage. Palmire Mbu averages 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while recording 41 total blocks, ranking 33rd nationally, and 1.71 blocks per game. Vanessa Harris contributes 11.0 points per game, while Ines Debroise averages 9.2 points and shoots 81.2 percent from the free throw line. Albina Syla averages 8.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and Sophia Vital averages 8.0 points, 3.5 assists per game, and holds a 2.37 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks 19th nationally. As a team, five players average 8.0 or more points per game, and Rhode Island has outscored opponents 1661-1274 through 24 games.

PATRIOT POINTS

Freshman Mary Amoateng was named A-10 Rookie of the Week for the week of February 2 for her career-high 17-point performance vs. the Richmond Spiders
The Patriot's January 25th game vs. Richmond was postponed to February 16th at 4 p.m. due to weather
The Patriots were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Team of the Week for the week of January 26
Zahirah Walton was named to the 2026 Becky Hammon Player of the Year Midseason Watch List
Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis won her 400th career game on January 4, 2026 vs. VCU, 68-58
The Patriot's January 25th game vs. Richmond was postponed to February 16th due to weather
Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis is the longest tenured Black female head coach in D1 (27 years)
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
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.