After a dramatic win to close out non-conference play, George Mason (6-7, 0-0) returns home to face Revolutionary Rival George Washington (6-7, 0-0) in their Atlantic 10 opener.
What We’ve Missed: Mason’s Last Few Non-Conference Games
After falling to Bucknell 64-51 in their last game before Winter Break, Mason has played four games. George Mason snapped their losing skid with a convincing 67-58 win at Navy on December 19. Two days later, in their last home game of the calendar year, the Patriots dropped a tough battle with Howard, 86-75.
Eight days after that, the Patriots traveled up to Delaware where they fell 63-44 in a lackluster showing. But boy did Mason bounce back after that.
In their final non-conference game of the year, George Mason gutted out a 59-58 win at SMU on New Years Eve. After trailing by nine points with 1:32 left, Camarie Gatling posted up for a go-ahead bucket in the waning seconds to secure the win for the Green & Gold!
CAMARIE GATLING CALLED GAME pic.twitter.com/EteKnhjRpd
— GMU Giant Killer (@GMUGiantKiller) December 31, 2019
Her bucket was followed by a phenomenal call of the final possession, by an utterly dejected SMU home play-by-play announcer:
And the final defensive stand!!! @MasonWBB closes out 2019 with a HUGE road W!!! pic.twitter.com/YrelrriRtY
— GMU Giant Killer (@GMUGiantKiller) December 31, 2019
#RevRivalry Against George Washington
Welcome to Atlantic 10 play!
These two teams enter today heading in to very different directions, with George Mason seemingly have found some footing while George Washington is still looking for some answers.
The Colonials have lost four straight games by an average for 19.25 points per game. The skid started with a loss to now-ranked Minnesota, 83-50, followed by a 69-50 loss to JMU, a 66-53 loss at American (who Mason has beaten this season, 73-55), and William & Mary, 63-51.
On the flip side, George Mason enters this game with all the momentum right now after an emotional win over SMU thanks to a late fourth quarter comeback.
GW’s biggest weakness, yet again this season, has been their offensive production. The Colonials are ranked 311th of of 348 teams in team scoring offense at just 56.9 points per contest. George Mason, by comparison, is tied for 207th, averaging 63.7 points per game.
Despite their immense struggles as of late, George Washington is #108 in the RPI rankings, while George Mason has climbed back to #170.
Also of note, last year was the first time ever that Mason swept the season series against GW, winning in Foggy Bottom 64-60 on January 19 and in 61-46 in Fairfax on February 6.
The game at GW snapped a 13-game losing streak by Mason to the Colonials, and marked the first time the Patriots had beaten GW since joining the Atlantic 10.
In the second game, Nicole Cardaño-Hillary dropped a career high 37 points, and outscored GW at halftime by herself, 22-21 after 20 minutes of play:
Folks, let me tell you: @nikkich_14 is SPECIAL. She OUTSCORED GW 22-21 in the first half. That's phenomenal. #GetPatriotic #RevRivalry
— Daniel Frank (@n1a2v3y4) February 7, 2019
Final | Mason 61 GW 46.
Patriots complete the season sweep of GW for the first-time EVER! @nikkich_14 was by far the star, as she dropped 37PTS. #GetPatriotic #RevRivalry— Daniel Frank (@n1a2v3y4) February 7, 2019
Given all the things that Mason has going for them in this game, I can’t help but feel confident about this one. I think the win at SMU did a lot for this team’s confidence, and I believe they’ve turned a corner. George Washington is a team still doing some soul searching, and I think the Colonials are going to have to put together a really strong effort today to steal a win in Fairfax.
While we won’t be in attendance at this game (I’m still home in Kentucky on Winter Break), I will be in Dayton, OH on Wednesday when Mason travels to take on the Flyers, so look forward to some #content from that game!
Tipoff from EBA today against GW is at 2:00 and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
It’s a brand new season.
