(Dover, Del.) – Coming off its first road win of the season, the Delaware State women's basketball team (2-3) will take on the George Mason Patriots (5-3) Wednesday evening (5:30 p.m.) at Memorial Hall. 

The Opponent

» George Mason Patriots (5-3, 0-0 Atlantic 10)

After starting the season 4-1, the Patriots have dropped two out of their last three, including a 93-90 overtime loss at UMES on Nov. 23.  Currently, George Mason is in the second game of a season-long seven-game road swing.

Offensively, the Patriots have three players averaging double figures in the scoring column, led by guard Taylor Brown (17.9 ppg), who also leads the team in assists (40) and steals (14).  Averaging a double-double, meanwhile, is forward Janaa Pickard at 15.6 points and a team-high 10.9 rebounds per contest, along with tallying 17 blocks to lead the Patriots.  Totaling 13.3 points per game off the bench, on the other hand, is forward Sandra Ngoie, who also leads George Mason in three-point shooting at 36 percent (14-of-39).

Additionally, all three players shoot over 80 percent from the charity stripe.

» The Head Coach: Nyla Milleson is in her first season with the George Mason women's basketball program, after spending six seasons as the head coach for the Fairfax Bears.

» The Series: DSU is 1-7 all-time against George Mason.  The last meeting occurred in the 1991-92 season with the Patriots picking up an 81-71 victory at home.  The lone win for the Lady Hornets, meanwhile, transpired during the 1986-87 season with DSU pulling out a 72-71 win in its home opener.

A Win Would Mean…

» The Hornets would be 2-0 at home for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

» DSU would have at least a .500 record since starting the 2011-12 campaign at 2-0.

» Delaware State would be 3-3 for the first time since the 2007-08 season.  

Last Time Out…

The Lady Hornets defeated the Manhattan Jaspers on the road, 80-69, behind 48 percent (31-of-64) shooting from the floor, including 54 points in the paint and 23 points off turnovers.

Leading way was forward Tierra Hawkins pouring in a career-high 34 points (14-of-22), to go along with seven rebounds, two steals and a block.  With this scoring output, it was the second time in three games the Clinton, Md. native, topped 30 points or more.

Forward Deanna Harmon, meanwhile, turned in her best performance of the season with 18 points while going 6-of-7 (.857) from the floor and charity stripe.  Harmon also dished out a game-high six assists to move into eighth on DSU's all-time career list (219), to go along with a team-high eight rebounds and two steals. 

Also, scoring in double figures for DSU was guard Raven Bankston with 14 points (5-of-12), as she added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.    

Through Five Games Last Season…

The Hornets were 2-3, coming off a 67-52 win at home over UMES.

Coming Up Next…

DSU will open up MEAC action this Saturday (2 p.m.) at home against the Coppin State Eagles. Last season, the Lady Hornets fell, 73-68, in their lone matchup against the Eagles.

Fear the Hawk

After earning Second Team All-MEAC honors last season, junior Tierra Hawkins has picked up where she left off.

So far in 2013-14, the Clinton, Md. native, not only leads the MEAC and Lady Hornets in scoring (24.6 ppg), but she sits eighth in the nation.  Additionally, Hawkins leads the Lady Hornets in rebounds (10.5 rpg) and double-doubles (2). 

In DSU's 86-73 win at home over Wilmington, Hawkins tied what was then a career-high 30 points and matched a career-high in rebounds (15).  Also, in this game, she tallied 1,000 career points to become the 15th player in team history to reach this milestone.  

Rav. Bankston Off to a Hot Start

After scoring a career-high 28 points on 10-for-21 (.476) shooting in the Lady Hornets' 87-71 loss at Albany, guard Raven Bankston added to her hot start this season.

Through five games, the freshman out of Detroit, Mich. is second on the team in scoring (18.8 ppg), first in three-pointers made (6), three-point percentage (.353) and third in assists (2.6 apg).  From the line, she is shooting a team-best 82 percent (18-of-22).

In DSU's season opening loss at Old Dominion, Bankston totaled 18 (8-of-12) points, five rebounds and a steal, along with going 2-for-3 (.666) from beyond the arc.  With these efforts, she earned MEAC Rookie of the Week honors.

All By Herself

Standing as the lone senior on the roster, guard/forward Deanna Harmon is averaging 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and a team leading 2.2 steals per contest.  In addition, she is 21-for-29 (.724) from the field and 16-of-21 (.762) from the free throw line.

Career wise, she sits eighth (219) on DSU's all-time assist list.

“Floor” General Washington

Starting every game this season, guard Jade Washington leads the team assists at 4.2 per contest, 21 total.  Her highest output of the season occurred in DSU's loss at Albany as she finished with six.

Last season, she led the Lady Hornets in the assist department at 3.5 assists per game, which was good for fourth in the MEAC.