Editor's note: The 2017-18 George Mason University men's basketball primer will take a look at storylines surrounding the Green & Gold heading into a season filled with potential and fresh faces. Check back throughout the preseason for features on GoMason.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – George Mason University men's basketball junior guard Otis Livingston II has been named to the preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third Team.
 
The league announced its preseason honors Tuesday at its annual media day inside Capital One Arena. Livingston II is joined on the third team by Mike Lewis II (Duquesne), Joseph Chartouny (Fordham), Lamarr Kimble (Saint Joseph's) and Charlie Brown (Saint Joseph's).
 
In a preseason poll conducted by the league's coaches and select media members, the Patriots were picked to finish 10^th in the Atlantic 10 standings. Defending tournament champion Rhode Island was selected to win the league, with 27 of a possible 28 first place votes. The Rams are followed by St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, VCU and Dayton to round out the top-5.
 
Livingston II is coming off a strong sophomore campaign in 2016-17 in which he ranked second on the Patriots in scoring (14.2 ppg) and assists (3.0 apg). He also led the Atlantic 10 and ranked seventh nationally in free throw percentage (.919).
 
One of the Patriots' first recruits under head coach Dave Paulsen, Livingston II has started all 66 games over his first two years in a Mason uniform. He has recorded 868 career points and 216 assists while posting a scoring average of 13.2 ppg. He is Mason's all-time leader in career free throw percentage (.854).
 
As a freshman, Livingston II averaged 11.9 points and 3.6 assists en route to earning a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. A three-time A-10 Rookie of the Week selection, he was named the 2016 Virginia basketball Rookie of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors organization (VaSID).
 
Last season, Livingston earned A-10 Player of the Week honors on Feb. 6 and put together a consistent season to help bolster the Green & Gold to a much improved campaign. He led the Patriots in assist/turnover ratio (1.45) and averaged 34.6 minutes per contest.
 
In head coach Dave Paulsen's second season leading the program, George Mason put together a turnaround campaign in 2016-17 while registering the 13th 20-win season in school history. Mason set a new program record for Atlantic 10 victories (9) and its 20 overall wins were the most by the program since 2012-13. After winning 11 games total and five A-10 contests in 2015-16, Mason ranked as of the nation's 20 most improved teams this past season.
 
The Patriots return three starters heading into the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
1. Rhode Island (27) – 390
2. St. Bonaventure (1) – 345
3. Saint Joseph's – 300
4. VCU – 299
5. Dayton – 266
6. Davidson – 245
7. Saint Louis – 225
8. Richmond – 198
9. La Salle – 194
10. George Mason – 140
11. George Washington – 132
12. Massachusetts – 79
13. Fordham – 66
14. Duquesne – 61
 
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Peyton Aldridge, Davidson
E.C. Matthews, Rhode Island
Jaylen Adams, St. Bonaventure
Matt Mobley, St. Bonaventure
Justin Tillman, VCU
 
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
B.J. Johnson, La Salle
Yuta Watanabe, George Washington
Jared Terrell, Rhode Island
De'Monte Buckingham, Richmond
Shavar Newkirk, Saint Joseph's
 
Preseason All-Conference Third Team
Mike Lewis II, Duquesne
Joseph Chartouny, Fordham
Otis Livingston II, George Mason
Lamarr Kimble, Saint Joseph's
Charlie Brown, Saint Joseph's

2017-18 Men's Basketball Primer Archive
Oct. 2: Mason holds first official practice
Oct. 4: Leadership begins at home for Grayer
Oct. 5: EagleBank Arena to feature new center-hung video board
Oct. 12: Mason Athletics dedicates basketball practice facility
Oct. 15: Mason Madness Photo Recap