Dec. 29, 2005

Starkville, Miss. - The George Mason men's basketball team will play one of its toughest non-conference games of the season on Friday night when the Patriots take on a Southeastern Conference school on its home floor as Mason plays at Mississippi State at 8 p.m. EST.

Mississippi State enters the contest with a 9-3 record and they have won six of seven after opening the season with a 3-2 mark. The Bulldogs are 5-2 at home this year, which is a surprising poor mark for a team that had been 39-2 against non-conference teams over the past seven years. Home losses to Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State have dented Mississippi State's armor.

The Bulldogs won their last time out, beating Holy Cross, 76-75 at the San Juan Shootout. Mason also won its last time out, beating Holy Cross at the Patriot Center, 71-38. Mason (7-3) has also won six of seven games, including three straight. Mason will be looking for its fourth straight win against a non-conference foe. The last time Mason won that many in a row against non-conference competition was 2002-03, when the Patriots defeated Duquesne, Coppin State, Niagara, East Carolina and Hartford.

Mississippi State is led by Jamall Edmondson, who is averaging 14.5 points per game but is shooting just .364 from the field. Jamont Gordon is averaging 13.4 points per game while shooting .418 from the field. Thanks to strong shooting from Dietric Slater, Walter Sharpe, Charles Rhodes and Wesley Morgan, all of whom are shooting better than .500 from the field, the Bulldogs are shooting .459 on the season and averaging 72.8 points per game.

Morgan is the team's leading rebounder with 8.1 boards per game. Sharpe is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game while Rhodes is grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game. Gordon is the team's leading passer with 3.3 assists per game.

The Patriots are paced by Lamar Butler, who became the school's all-time leader in career 3-pointers the last time out. The senior guard is averaging 15.7 points per game while Tony Skinn is scoring 14.2 points per game and Jai Lewis is checking in at 13.8 points per game. Lewis is leading the team with 8.6 rebounds per game and a .602 shooting percentage. Will Thomas is shooting .548 from the field while grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game.

Folarin Campbell, Skinn, Butler and Gabe Norwood are all averaging 2.7 assists per game or better while Mason is shooting .496 from the field while holding teams to 59.0 points per game. Should that defense continue, it would set a school record for lowest opponent scoring average in a season. Mason is also on pace to set a school record for assists in a season.

During Mason's recent seven-game run of success, the Patriots are holding teams to 54.1 points per game while limiting them to .339 shooting. Meanwhile, Mason is shooting .533 from the field and .421 from 3-point range. Butler is averaging 18.3 points per game during that stretch while shooting .597 from the field and .500 from 3-point range.

The Patriots will have a few days off after facing Mississippi State but will return to action on January 2, 2006 when they face Northeastern on the road in the first-ever meeting between the schools as members of the CAA. The Huskies lead that all-time series, 3-2.