Game 5  ·  American (2-2, 0-0 PL) vs George Mason (3-2, 0-0 A10)
Tuesday, November 23  ·  7 p.m. ET  ·  Bender Arena (Washington, D.C.) 
Broadcast Talent: Dan Lain (pxp) and Jody Patrick (analyst)

WASHINGTON - After four games on the road the American University women's basketball team (2-2) is finally making its 2021-22 debut in Bender Arena on Tuesday, November 23, with a 7 p.m. tip against crosstown rival George Mason (3-2).

PROOF OF VACCINATION REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO BENDER ARENA

• In the interest of public health and in accordance with American University's commitment to maintaining a vaccinated community on campus, AU Athletics will require proof of vaccination for all spectators 12 and older when attending sporting events inside Bender Arena.
• This policy is effective October 21, 2021. Proof of vaccination can be achieved by showing one's vaccine card, a photo of one's card or a digital vaccine record.
• Due to AU's requirement that current students and faculty/staff be vaccinated, those with a current AU ID will not need to show further proof of vaccination.
• Read the full policy HERE.

MASK POLICY AT AU ATHLETICS EVENTS 

• Individuals are required to wear masks to all American University athletics indoor AND outdoor events, per current AU guidelines.  
• We also encourage social distancing at all of our venues. 

SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS

• George Mason is coming off its second loss of the season after falling to William & Mary in overtime on Friday, 65-54.
• The Patriots' only other loss so far this year was to #24 Virginia Tech, 81-52, on Nov. 14.
• Among the three wins for Mason this season was a 53-51 victory in Baltimore against another Patriot League foe, Loyola Maryland.
• Amaya Scott led the Patriots with a double-double on Friday, scoring 19 points and adding a dozen boards against the Tribe.
• Tima Lawhorne was the only other play in double-figures for Mason, posting 13 points off the bench.
• Jordan Wakefield has led Mason's overall offensive output so far this season with 13.8 ppg, followed closely by Scott (13.6 ppg), who also leads the team on the boards with 7.4 rpg.
• Jayla Jordan leads the team with 20 assists.
• George Mason is led by head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, who is in her first year at the helm for the Patriots after spending the last 13 years leading the program at Bethune-Cookman. A four-time MEAC Coach of the Year while with the Wildcats, she led the team to six winning seasons and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2019. A 22-year coaching veteran, she also had a stop at her alma mater, Mount St. Mary's, from 1998-2007.

SERIES HISTORY vs. GEORGE MASON

• American and George Mason first met in Washington, D.C., during the 1974 season with AU taking that debut win, 51-22.
• Mason has led the 54 games since, though, with an overall record of 31-24, including a narrow 14-13 advantage in Bender Arena.
• The two teams last met in 2019 in Fairfax with Mason taking the win, 73-55. The last win for the Eagles was the season prior in Bender, 86-71.

THE LAST TIME WE MET...

• Seven players return from the AU squad who last faced George Mason in Fairfax, Va., on Nov. 21, 2019, including leading scorer then-sophomore Jade Edwards who put up 16 against the Patriots.
• Mason took the win, 73-55, behind a 23-point effort from Nicole Cardano-Hillary and a pair of 10-point performances from Jacy Bolton and Alexsis Grate.
• Of Mason's 11 players from that game, only four return this time around with Marika Korpinen, Tamia Lawhorne, Livija Kaktaite, and Devyn Wilson.
• Korpinan scored seven and added three assists in the last meeting between the two teams.

THE STARTING FIVE

• American will open its home slate after an opening four-game stretch on the road. The Eagles are 2-2 coming into their first game in Bender Arena after dropping a 73-56 contest at Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
• For the first time in her career, junior Lauren Stack led the Eagles in scoring with a dozen against the Gophers. She hit a career-high 85.7 percent (6-7) from the floor and also tied her career-high with two steals. Senior Taylor Brown was the only other Eagle to land in double-figures with 10 against the Gophers alongside a team-high eight boards.
• American has topped each of its four opponents this year in efficiency from the floor, including a season-high 48.8 percent (20-41) against Minnesota.
• Senior Jade Edwards earned the season's first Patriot League Player of the Week nod after opening with a 19.7 ppg average through the first three games, including a dominant 27-point performance during the OT 68-61 win over Vermont on Nov. 13. Despite being held to only five points against the Gophers, she still leads the team with 16.0 ppg.
• This is the ninth season for head coach Megan Gebbia and her staff, all of whom arrived together in 2013 with the exception of director of operations Nicole Krusen, who joined in 2016. Gebbia has already had a historic career at the helm and will look to add to that this year as she sits 12 wins away from becoming in the winningest coach in program history.

THE LAST TIME OUT

• American dropped its second game of the season on Wednesday with a 73-56 loss to Minnesota in Minneapolis.
• Junior Lauren Stack led the team with a career-high 12 points and tied her career best with a pair of steals.
• Senior Taylor Brown also landed in double-figures for the first time this season with 10 points alongside a game-high eight rebounds in front of her hometown crowd.
• The game served as a homecoming for Brown, who grew up just south of the city in Lakeville, Minn.
• AU's two point guards, senior Emily Fisher and sophomore Kayla Henning, combined for seven assists and only two turnovers. Senior Jade Edwards also pitched in four assists to lead the team alongside Henning.
• American shot a season-high 48.8 percent from the floor (20-41), but struggled from the line hittng only 12 of 21 (.571).
• Turnovers also continued to haunt the Eagles, as they gave up 20 miscues which Minnesota took for an additional 26 points.
• The Gophers also dominated on the boards, 34-26, and picked up 23 second chance points to AU's three.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE

• American is 51-11 at home since the start of the 2016- 17, including an undefeated 23-0 run that ranked sixth in Division I before ending with a loss to Ohio on Dec. 29, 2018.
• Within that run was the program's first undefeated season at home since the 1970s en route to the program's second PL title in 2017-18.
• Under head coach Megan Gebbia, the Eagles are 81-27 (.750) in Bender Arena, including 63-16 (.797) against Patriot League opponents.
• American was undefeated at home once again last season at 4-0 during the shortened conference-only slate.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION

• Adult: $8
• Youth (17 and below): $5
• Senior (65+): $5
• Groups: All group tickets must be reserved in advance; not valid at box office on game day
  • 10-24: $3 each
  • 25+: $2
• Season tickets are still available! SAVE OVER 23% and guarantee yourself a seat to all 13 women's home games starting at just $50! 
• All other inquiries e-mail clawed@american.edu or call 202.885.TIXX

For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).