Women's Basketball Unveils Non-Conference Schedule

Season Ticket Info

WASHINGTON - George Washington women's basketball is set for another challenging non-conference slate, headlined by a visit from Big Ten power Maryland and two games against ACC foes at the Cancun Challenge in Mexico, head coach Jennifer Rizzotti announced Tuesday.

The defending Atlantic 10 champion Colonials are scheduled to face six teams that appeared in the 2018 NCAA Tournament as they get prepared for their Atlantic 10 schedule. Out of the 13 games, eight feature clubs that finished last season ranked with a top-70 RPI, including five of the first six contests.

"We are very excited about the challenging non-conference schedule we have put together for this season," Rizzotti said. "Our goal is always to compete for the A-10 Championship and reach the postseason, so we want to test ourselves against high-level competition right from the start.

"While last season we ran into some bumps early on, the quality of competition prepared us for the grueling Atlantic 10 schedule and set the stage for us to cut down the nets after winning the A-10 Tournament Championship. We will see a variety of playing styles, a number of teams coming off NCAA Tournament or postseason appearances, and quality players and programs from all over the country."

GW opens the 2018-19 season Nov. 8 at James Madison, which recorded its 13th straight postseason appearance last season and advanced to the third round of the WNIT.

The Colonials kick off their home slate on Nov. 11, welcoming Ivy League champion Princeton to the Charles E. Smith Center. Three days later, the Terrapins make the short trek to Foggy Bottom for the third time in the series history to finish a home-and-home agreement.

After a road trip to Iona, GW will spend Thanksgiving in Mexico, facing Georgia Tech (WNIT Third Round) and N.C. State (NCAA Sweet 16) on back-to-back days at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

The Colonials then play five of their final seven non-conference games at home, including matchups with 2018 NCAA participants Villanova (Dec. 6) and Mercer (Dec. 21). The stretch also features regional foes Towson (Nov. 27) and Monmouth (Dec. 2) before Memphis visits on New Year's Day in the Buff and Blue's final tune-up for A-10 play.

GW also travels to AAC stalwart South Florida (Dec. 9) to complete a home-and-series and William & Mary (Dec. 29) to begin one in December.

Pairings for GW's 16-game A-10 slate were released last week with dates and times to be announced later.

GW returns three starters and a pair of key reserves from last year's squad that peaked down the stretch to capture its seventh A-10 Tournament title and third NCAA berth in four years. The Colonials won 10 of 12 games, including four straight in the conference tournament, before they fell to third-seeded Ohio State in the first round of the national tournament.

Trusted point guard Mei-Lyn Bautista is back to lead GW after posting 141 assists against just 50 turnovers as a junior and making the A-10 All-Championship Team, along with fellow starters in senior Kelsi Mahoney and sophomore Neila Luma, who both played some of their best basketball of the season in GW's dazzling run at the conference tournament.

The Colonials also add four first-year student-athletes and a pair of transfers who sat out last season to the mix as they seek a return to the NCAA Tournament.

For information on season tickets, visit getGWtix.com or call 202-99-GWTIX. As a reminder, anyone who purchases men's season tickets will receive complimentary women's basketball season tickets.

GW Women's Basketball: 2018-19 Non-Conference Schedule
	at James Madison	Thurs., Nov. 8	Harrisonburg, Va.	GW kicks off the season with its first matchup against perennial CAA contender JMU since 2007 to begin a four-year series.

	Princeton	Sun., Nov. 11	Smith Center	The Colonials came up short in their opener last season to the Tigers on their home court in New Jersey.

	Maryland	Wed., Nov. 14	Smith Center	GW welcomes the Terrapins to Foggy Bottom for the first time since 2014 and third time in program history to close a home-and-home series.

	at Iona	Sun., Nov. 18	New Rochelle, N.Y.	GW leads the all-time series, 4-0, with the most recent meeting a 70-65 win in Foggy Bottom in December 2015.

	vs. Georgia Tech Cancun Challenge	Thurs., Nov. 22	Cancun, Mexico	The Yellow Jackets, who advanced to the WNIT last season, are the only first-time opponents on the schedule.

	vs. N.C. State Cancun Challenge	Fri., Nov. 23	Cancun, Mexico	GW trails overall in the series but won the last meeting in November 2014 as part of the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas.

	Towson	Tues., Nov. 27	Smith Center	GW scored a 66-43 road win at Towson last November to extend its lead in the all-time series to 9-2.

	Monmouth	Sun., Dec. 2	Smith Center	GW wraps a home-and-home series with the Hawks after scoring a 59-45 win in New Jersey last December.

	Villanova	Thurs., Dec. 6	Smith Center	GW has claimed three straight and eight of nine in the series with the most recent victory on the road in November 2016.

	at USF	Sun., Dec. 9	Tampa, Fla.	The Colonials battled the nationally ranked Bulls to the wire in last season's meeting in D.C. before coming up short, 83-78.

	Mercer	Fri., Dec. 21	Smith Center	GW looks to avenge last season's loss in Georgia as it completes a home-and-series with the defending Southern Conference champion Bears.

	at William & Mary	Sat., Dec. 29	Williamsburg, Va.	GW faces the Tribe for the first time since November 2012, renewing a series in which it has won eight of nine all-time meetings.

	Memphis	Tues., Jan. 1	Smith Center	GW leads the series against the Tigers 2-0 after winning at home in 2014 and on the road in 2015.