March 14, 2004

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Fairfax, VA (March 14, 2004)--The George Mason Men's basketball team will host a NIT contest against the SEC's Tennessee Volunteers on Wednesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at the Patriot Center.

George Mason ended the season with a school record-tying 21 wins, finishing 21-9. Mason was hot at the end of the season, winning nine of their last 12 games. In the CAA tournament, the Patriots beat Delaware 65-58 in overtime, UNCW 80-66 and eventually lost the Championship Game, 55-54 to the VCU Rams.

The Vols, who are 15-13 on the season, are making their 24th postseason appearance and their sixth in the past seven seasons. Last year Tennessee lost to eventual NIT runner-up Georgetown in the first round of the tournament.

This is the Patriots fourth post-season appearance in Coach Larranaga's seven years as head coach. In only his second year of turning a program that hadn't seen a winning season since 1989-90, Mason earned a NCAA bid in 1999; it's first in 10 years. Only two years later, the Patriots won the CAA tournament again and an automatic bid in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. George Mason lost in the first round of both those tournaments, 72-48 to Cincinnati (1999) and an 83-80 thriller to cross-town foe Maryland (2001). The following season the Patriots placed second in the CAA to earn a NIT bid. Mason played host to St. Joseph's at the Patriot Center and lost 73-64.

The Patriots played in two other post-season games in their history. In 1986, George Mason beat Lamar 65-63 on March 13 to advance in the NIT Tournament, then lost to Providence, 90-71 on March 17. Mason earned a spot in the 1986 NCAA Tournament and lost to Indiana, 99-85.

Tickets are $8 for general admission and $13 for reserved. Tickets are on sale at the Patriot Center Box Office or at TicketMaster at 703 573-SEAT.