Following the Thanksgiving holiday, George Mason (4-4) returns home to play host to Bucknell (4-3) in a Wednesday matinee for Elementary School Day. The Bison hold a 5-2 record all-time against George Mason, winning the past four matchups. Mason enters this game on a three-game skid, having lost both games in the Coastal Carolina Thanksgiving Classic while the Bison have won two in a row, including both games in the Puerto Rico Classico.
Patriots Seeking End to Losing Skid
The Patriots have lost three consecutive games for the first time since January, when they dropped three straight against Davidson, St. Bonaventure and Duquesne. In their last home game, the Patriots’ ran out of gas in the fourth quarter as UMKC out-lasted Mason 64-58. Over Thanksgiving Weekend, George Mason came up empty in two games in Myrtle Beach, losing at the buzzer in a tough game against 6-1 Bradley and falling in a true road game at Coastal Carolina, 74-59.
Vita Stam to Make her Freshman Debut
On Monday, Freshman Vita Stam learned that she had finally received her eligibility from the NCAA, effective immediately, and is expected to make her collegiate debut on Wednesday morning.
You can see the reaction video below, and boy, who started cutting the onions???
We’re not crying, you are 😭💚
Freshman @vita_stam can play her first collegiate game on Wednesday! #GetPatriotic pic.twitter.com/6P9DkxCx6F
— Mason Women’s Basketball (@MasonWBB) December 2, 2019
Vita’s arrival in the lineup gives a much needed boost to George Mason. Dare I say, this is exactly what the doctor ordered. It’s easy to get down during a three-game losing skid, especially after leaving a holiday tournament without a win. Sometimes a team just needs a boost, and getting an infusion of fresh blood can sometimes be just what a team needs to right the ship. See the men’s team last year with the arrival of Jordan Miller in January- he exploded onto the scene and gave a jolt to the offense and added depth.
Not to add pressure to Vita before she has even put on the Mason uniform for the first time, but she by far stood out the most to me out of all the newcomers to the team when I attended the women’s basketball open practice back in October.
Some thoughts from @MasonWBB practice:
-Lots of motion offense, similar to last season
-Mix of man 2 man D & 2/3 zone
-Freshman are looking good, especially Vita Stam, Tamia Lawhorne & Jordan Wakefield.
-This team has more length & athleticism than in years past#GetPatriotic— Daniel Frank (@n1a2v3y4) October 19, 2019
I think Vita’s size and athleticism will add another dimension to this team that has been lacking in the past few games, especially with Jacy Bolton and Camarie Gatling just coming back from injuries.
Now, lets not get ahead of ourselves, we don’t know how much Vita is going to play on Wednesday, or what kind of impact she is going to make. But lets just say that looking long term, I am ~very~ excited to see Vita Stam in the lineup for George Mason.
Scouting Bucknell
Right, yes, there is a game to play today. And Bucknell is shaping up to be another formidable foe for the Green & Gold.
Last season, the Bison went 28-6 (16-2 Patriot) and won the Patriot League, reaching the NCAA Tournament as a 12-seed. Bucknell fell in the opening round to 5-seed Florida State by just three points, 70-67.
That first-round matchup turned into one hell of a game, and little did I know while watching it that I would be including tweets from that game in a Mason pregame preview?
Bucknell just couldn't get a defensive rebound down the stretch. That's a back-breaker. Another near-upset. #NCAAW
— Daniel Frank (@n1a2v3y4) March 22, 2019
Close, but no cigar. At any rate…
In addition, last year’s Bison saw wins over Quinnipiac (a fellow NCAA Tournament team), as well as UMass and St. Bonaventure. Luckily for Mason today, that Bucknell team graduated five seniors, including two of their three top scorers.
Thus far this season, it has been Ellie Mack leading the way offensively, averaging 15.3 points per game, along with 6.0 rebounds. Mack also leads the team in three-point percentage at 43.5%, on 23 total attempts. In contrast, she is just a 73.9% free throw shooter, something to keep in mind should the game come down to foul shooting late.
This is a game that I’ve been looking forward to for a while, and the added wrinkles of Mason entering on a losing streak and the debut of Vita Stam add even more intrigue.
Tipoff is set for a special 11AM tipoff from EBA, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Come on out, take a long lunch or a study break and get your butt to EBA!!!
