Dec. 26, 2004

George Mason's men's basketball team closes out 2004 with road games at McNeese State Tuesday night at 8 p.m. (EST) and at Morehead State Thursday evening at 7 p.m. The Patriots (5-3) are winners of two straight contests, while the Cowboys (4-6) have lost three consecutive games, and the Eagles (6-3) have won two of three.

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Mason leads the series 1-0 and 2-1 against McNeese State and Morehead State, respectively. The Patriots defeated both teams at home last season, topping the Cowboys 96-63 and besting the Eagles 95-82.

The Patriots exploded for 95 points in their 37-point victory over St. Bonaventure last week in which seven players scored in double figures. It's the second consecutive season that the Patriots returned from the exam break to score 90 or more points on an opponent.

Mason, which has posted double-digit wins in four of its five victories this season, is winning games by an average margin of 17.8 points.

Mason totaled 26 team assists versus the Bonnies, tying for the fifth highest single-game mark in school history.

Head coach Jim Larranaga (128-87) needs three wins to become George Mason's all-time winningest men's basketball coach, surpassing John Linn (130-147, 1971-80). He needs two victories to tie the record.

The Patriots are 2-0 this season and 8-17 (not including subsequent games) over the past eight seasons when reaching the site of a game by virtue of a flight.