Jan. 25, 2006

The George Mason men's basketball team hosts William & Mary on Thursday night as the Patriots will be looking for their 13th win in the past 16 contests. Mason will be taking the court for the first time since having its six-game winning streak snapped. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and fans are reminded that with school in session, parking will be tighter than usual.

The two teams met earlier this month when Mason took a 65-46 win over William & Mary. That victory was part of a stretch in which the Patriots set a school record for fewest points allowed over a three-game span. Mason used that strong defensive run to climb to first place in the Colonial Athletic Association standings. Mason is currently tied for first with Old Dominion and UNC Wilmington.

In the meeting earlier this year, Mason shot .558 from the field while holding the Tribe to .353 shooting. Tony Skinn had 19 points, Will Thomas had 14 points and seven rebounds and Lamar Butler had 10 points. Taylor Mokris was the only William & Mary player to score in double figures with 13 points.

Mason enters Thursday night's contest eighth in the nation in field-goal percentage defense, allowing teams to shoot 37.7 percent from the field. Mason is also 39th in the RPI, second-best among all CAA teams. Old Dominion is currently 37th.

The Patriots have won seven straight in the series and 11 of the past 12 meetings. The past seven wins have come by an average score of 16.0 points. The last time Mason lost to William & Mary at home was February 16, 1998 when the Tribe took an 81-80 win in overtime. The last time Mason lost at home to William & Mary in regulation was January 18, 1995, and 85-82 defeat.

Mason is 13-4 against William & Mary under head coach Jim Larranaga. The 13 wins against William & Mary are the most by Larranaga against a single team as head coach of the Patriots.