The George Mason women’s basketball team is set to face Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Championship game on Sunday, March 8, at Henrico Entertainment & Sports Arena in Virginia. The contest will begin at 4 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. This marks the 15th meeting between the two programs, with Rhode Island having won their only encounter this season. The teams have not previously played each other on a neutral court.
Rhode Island enters the championship with a record of 27-4 overall and 16-2 in conference play. The Rams average 68.1 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 53.8 points, resulting in a scoring margin of 14.3 points. They are shooting 42.6% from the field and maintain a free throw percentage of over 77%. Defensively, they limit opponents to a field goal percentage of just under 38%.
Nationally, Rhode Island ranks sixth in scoring defense, allowing just over 54 points per game, and holds top-25 rankings in categories such as turnovers per game and free throw percentage. Within the Atlantic 10 Conference, they lead in scoring defense, turnovers per game, rebound margin, and winning percentage.
Individual players for Rhode Island have also posted notable statistics this season: Brooklyn Gray averages more than 12 points per game and is among national leaders in free throw percentage; Palmire Mbu contributes nearly two blocks per game; Sophia Vital leads the team with over three assists per contest.
For George Mason (23-8 overall; 16-2 A-10), Sunday’s matchup offers several milestones. A victory would secure back-to-back Atlantic 10 championships for the Patriots—a feat last achieved by George Washington University in consecutive years ending in 2016—and mark Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis’s 100th win at George Mason.
This season has already been historic for George Mason: it claimed its first regular-season conference championship and recorded its highest number of conference wins (16). Players Zahirah Walton and Kennedy Harris were named to the All-Conference First Team—an honor only achieved twice before by pairs of Patriots teammates—and Walton became the program’s first back-to-back First Team honoree since Jen Surlas more than two decades ago.
Hawa Komara and Mary Amoateng earned spots on the All-Defensive Team; Amoateng was also named to the All-Rookie Team as just the sixth Patriot to do so during their time in the A-10 Conference era. Junior Kennedy Harris recently surpassed her thousandth career point against Duquesne.
Head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis is noted as “the longest tenured Black female head coach in D1 (27 years).” She celebrated her milestone “400th career game on January 4, 2026 vs. VCU.” The Patriots secured their first-ever Atlantic 10 tournament title last year along with their inaugural NCAA Tournament appearance.
Zahirah Walton appears on “the Becky Hammon Player of the Year Midseason Watch List,” adding individual recognition to a season full of team achievements.
If victorious on Sunday, George Mason would earn back-to-back championships for the first time in program history.
