Michigan
George Mason
Wolverines Open 2017-18 with George Mason in Preseason WNIT
11/8/2017 5:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan will open the 2017-18 by hosting George Mason in the Preseason WNIT. U-M is participating in the event for the second time in program history.
» U-M is ranked No. 24 by the Associated Press and No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches poll. It is the first time since 2001 that Michigan has been listed in the preseason AP poll.
» The Wolverines will raise the 2017 WNIT Championship banner prior to the game. The ceremony will begin at 6:45 p.m., so fans are encouraged to arrive early.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Nov. 10 -- vs. George Mason (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.
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ANNÂ ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 24-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (0-0) will kick off the 2017-18 season by hosting George Mason in the first round of the Preseason WNIT on Friday (Nov. 10) at 7 p.m. Michigan will be raising its 2017 WNIT Championship banner prior to the game (6:45 p.m.), with the first 1,000 fans in attendance receiving a replica banner.
• Michigan will hang the first banner in program history prior to its contest against George Mason. U-M won its first-ever postseason championship last season, winning the WNIT after outlasting Georgia Tech in three overtimes in the championship game. The Wolverines will welcome back last year's championship team, including captains Siera Thompson and Danielle Williams, to Crisler Center to raise the banner to the rafters. The ceremony will begin at approximately 6:45 p.m.
• Senior Katelynn Flaherty continues to put her name in the Michigan and Big Ten record books. On the career front, Flaherty is only 58 points away from passing Diane Dietz to become the program leader in scoring. Dietz (1978-82) set the record with 2,076 points, which has stood since her graduation in 1982. Flaherty enters the season with 2,019 points as one of six Wolverines between the men's and women's programs to score at least 2,000 points. She also has 292 career triples and is eight away from becoming the seventh player in Big Ten history to reach 300 three-pointers.
• Junior Hallie Thome looks to build on a stellar sophomore season that saw her average 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. She became the third sophomore in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau and ranks 22nd in program history with 1,105 points. Thome participated in the USA Basketball U23 Training Camp this past summer, her first time at USA Basketball.
• Senior Jillian Dunston rounds out Michigan's returning starters after starting all 37 games last season and finishing as U-M's leading rebounder (286, 7.7 rpg). Dunston is known for her energy and ability to defend multiple positions. She enters her senior season ranked 16th in program history with 565 rebounds after pulling down 286 last season, which ranked fourth on the single-season list.
• For the first time since 2001, Michigan has garnered a preseason ranking from the Associated Press. U-M comes in at No. 24 with 113 points after winning the 2017 WNIT title. In addition, the Maize and Blue comes in at No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll with 100 points.
• George Mason finished last season with a 13-17 record, scoring 60.8 points per game. The Patriots graduated their leading scorer in Kara Wright (14.9 ppg), but return second leading scorer sophomore Jacy Bolton (8.9 ppg). Now eligible to play for George Mason is 6-foot-5 center Natalie Butler, a graduate transfer from Connecticut. While at UConn, Butler averaged 5.4 ppg and 5.0 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game. This is the first meeting between Michigan and George Mason.
• With a win against George Mason, Michigan will be back in action on Sunday (Nov. 12) in the second round of the WNIT at 2 p.m. inside Crisler Center.
