George Mason (23-9, 16-2 A-10) vs. Quinnipiac (26-6, 19-1 MAAC)
WHEN: Thursday, March 19, at 7 p.m ET
WHERE: EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va. 
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network
GAME NOTES: LINK
WBIT PROGRAM: LINK

FAIRFAX, Va. - The #3 George Mason women's basketball team will take on the #6 Quinnipiac Bobcats on Thursday, March 19 in the First Round of the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN+ with tip-off set for 7 p.m ET with Steve Kolbe and Debbie Taneyhill on the call. Simon Burts and Mackenzie Banks will be on the GoMason Digital Network starting at approximately 6:45 p.m. ET. 

This is the first matchup between the Patriots and Bobcats. They played one common opponent this season - Rider - who they both beat by 10+ points. 

SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
The Quinnipiac Bobcats women's basketball enter postseason play with a 26-6 overall record and a 19-1 mark in conference action. They have compiled a 10-4 record at home, 14-1 on the road, and 2-1 in neutral site contests. As a team, Quinnipiac is averaging 76.5 points per game while allowing 51.3 points per contest, resulting in a +25.2 scoring margin. The Bobcats are shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three-point range, and 76.5 percent from the free throw line. They average 35.6 rebounds per game with a +4.3 rebounding margin and record 15.4 assists, 9.56 steals, and 4.3 blocks per game. 

Individually, Jackie Grisdale leads the team with 12.2 points per game, adding 3.5 rebounds and 59 assists across 32 starts. Ella O'Donnell contributes 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Ella Ryan averages 10.5 points and 4.1 rebounds. Karson Martin adds 10.0 points per game, and Anna Foley posts 10.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. Sydney Ryan averages 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with 9.6 points, while Paige Girardi contributes 40 assists and 34 steals. Additional contributors include Emma Lizotte (66 rebounds), Maria Kealy (47 rebounds), and Reagan Sipla, who has appeared in 14 games. 

As a team, Quinnipiac has recorded 795 made field goals on 1,846 attempts and 248 made three-pointers on 687 attempts. They have totaled 1,140 rebounds, including 334 offensive boards and 806 defensive rebounds, while forcing 15.6 turnovers per game. The Bobcats have also accumulated 273 assists, 306 free throws made, 91 blocks, and 344 steals on the season. Opponents are shooting 36.5 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range, while averaging 31.3 rebounds and 64.7 percent from the free throw line. 

• This is the Patriots' second WBIT appearance (2024) and the second time they've hosted a postseason game (2018)
• The last time George Mason hosted a postseason game was in 2018 when the Patriots hosted Stephen F. Austin in the first round of the WNIT. This is also the only postseason win in program history 
• A win on Thursday would be Coach Blair-Lewis' 100th win at George Mason
• The Patriots secured a piece of the 2026 Regular Season  Championship - the program's first regular season championship ever in any conference
•  George Mason finish the 2025-26 regular season with the most conference wins in program history (16)
• Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris were named to the All-Conference First Team. Only two other set of Patriots have been name to their conference's first team in the same season: Jen Surlas & Trish Halpin (1999) and Marcell Harrison & Nickie Hilton (1993). Walton is also the first Patriot to win back-to-back First Team honors since Surlas in '99 and '00.
• Hawa Komara and Mary Amoateng were named to the All-Defensive Team. Amoateng joins Nicole Cardaño-Hillary as the only George Mason players to make the A-10 All-Defensive Team as freshmen. 
• Amoateng was also named to the All-Rookie Team. She becomes just the 6th Patriot to be named to the All-Rookie Team in the program's A-10 era
•  Junior Kennedy Harris eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark last Saturday vs. Duquesne. She joins teammate Zahirah Walton and 21 other Patriots in the program's 1K point club 
• Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis is the longest tenured Black female head coach in D1 (27 years)
• 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 Patriots won the Atlantic 10 championship for the first time in program history in 2024-25, giving them their first NCAA Tournament berth
• The Patriots were picked to finish second in the A-10 Preseason Poll

WITH A WIN...
The Patriots will face either #2 Stanford away or #7 LMU (CA) at home on Sunday, March 22 on ESPN+. Time is TBA.