George Mason wraps up a two-game road trip with a Tuesday night contest at #17/13 Tennessee. It's Mason's first ever trip to Knoxville and the second all-time meeting
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"PATRIOT POINTS
• The Patriots are 7-1 to begin the season, which matches the 2019-20 squad for the best start over the past 40 campaigns. The 2019-20 team began the season 11-1.
• Most recently, Mason picked up an 86-77 win at Toledo in its road opener Saturday night in the Glass City. Mason showcased its usually defensive fortitude while holding Toledo's top-50 FG offense (.493 entering Saturday) to just 42.9 percent. On the other end of the floor, the Patriots shot 50+ percent for the third-straight game while making 51.7 percent (31-60) of their attempts.
• Mason made 8-of-15 (.533) 3-point attempts against the Rockets. The Patriots are shooting 44.4 percent (36-81) from deep and making 9.0 triples/contest over the past four games. Mason leads the A-10 and is 20th in the nation in 3pt FG percentage (.398).
• Graduate forward
Amari Kelly led the Patriots with a career-high 24 points (8-11 FG) against the Rockets to go along with team highs in rebounds (10) and blocks (2).
• It marked Kelly's second-straight double-double and third of the season. He ranks fifth in the A-10 in offensive rebounding (2.5/game) and is sixth in overall rebounding (7.5 rpg).
• Preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection
Ronald Polite III added 14 points and four assists. He's averaging 14.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals and shooting 52.9 percent (18-34) over the past four games.
• Senior
Darius Maddox is averaging a team-best 16.7 points over the last three games. He's also dishing out 3.3 assists/contest while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from deep.
• Sophomore
Keyshawn Hall ranks sixth nationally in defensive rebounds/game (9.4) and is 36th in overall rebounding (9.4/game). He leads the A-10 in all three of those categories.
• The Patriots held Toledo's potent offense to 19-of-43 (.442) from 2pt range. Mason ranks fifth nationally in 2pt FG defense (.396) and is 23rd in overall FG defense (.381).
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Mason's initial NET ranking of No. 62 is the program's best in the NET era. The previous high of 67 was reached during December of the 2019-20 campaign.
• The Green & Gold also have moved into the KenPom top-100 overall (96) and offensively (96th, 1.088 points/possession). Mason has scored 80+ points in three-straight games for the first time since Jan. 2011.
• The Patriots' last win over a ranked team came at #20/21 Maryland on Nov. 17, 2021.
HISTORY vs. SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
Mason is 6-7 (.462) all time against teams currently in the Southeastern Conference. The Patriots' most common opponents are Ole Miss (2-1), Mississippi State (1-1) and South Carolina (1-1). Mason's most famous SEC showdown came in the 2006 NCAA National Semifinal against eventual national champion Florida. In the most recent matchup with an SEC foe, the Patriots fell at #15/15 Auburn, 70-52, in last season's opener on Nov. 7, 2022. Then-junior
Ronald Polite III led the Patriots with 10 points (2-4 3pt FG), four assists and four rebounds against the Tigers.
HISTORY vs. TENNESSEE
Tuesday's game is just the second all time between the Patriots and Volunteers in men's basketball. In the only previous meeting, George Mason earned a 58-55 victory on March 17, 2004 in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament. Current Mason head coach Tony Skinn led the Patriots with 16 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3pt FG) in the win. Terry Reynolds added 15 points, while Jai Lewis chipped in 13 points (5-7 FG) along with team bests in rebounds (6) and steals (3).
A LOOK AT THE VOLUNTEERS (4-3, 0-0 SEC; KenPom #11, NET #17)
Tennessee was picked to win the Southeastern Conference in the league's 2023-24 media poll. The Volunteers have played the nation's fourth-toughest schedule, with losses to Purdue (71-67) and Kansas (69-60) in the Maui Invitational, and a road setback at North Carolina (100-92). Tennessee also won at Wisconsin (80-70) on Nov. 10.
The Vols rank second nationally in defensive efficiency (.904 points/possession allowed) and hold opponents to a 45.0 effective field goal percentage. Dalton Knecht ranks second in the SEC and 36th in the nation in scoring (20.3 ppg). He's shooting 50.5 percent (49-97) from the floor and 40.5 percent from 3pt range (15-37). Jordan Gainey adds 11.6 points/contest while Josiah-Jordan James chips in 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds/game.
THE BARNES CONNECTION
Tuesday's game marks the first time former George Mason head coach Rick Barnes has faced his former program. Barnes served as an assistant coach under former Mason bench boss Joe Harrington from 1980-85. After assistant coach stops at Alabama and Ohio State, Barnes returned to Fairfax to assume the rank of head coach for the 1987-88 season. During that campaign, Barnes earned CAA Coach of the Year honors after leading the Patriots to a 20-10 record and10-5 mark in league play. The following season, Barnes took the head coach job at Providence College. He also served as head coach at Clemson and Texas before taking the Tennessee job in 2015."