Dec. 5, 2008
The George Mason men's basketball team opens Colonial Athletic Association play on Saturday afternoon as the Patriots travel to Philadelphia to play Drexel in a game televised on CN8 and Cox Cable Channel 18 and broadcast on WWRC 1260. The radio broadcast will be available free on the Internet through GoMason.com's All-Access.
The Patriots enter the contest with a 5-2 mark while the Dragons are 2-1 on the year. The Dragons took a two-point season-opening win at home over Penn and then lost on the road at Georgetown, 81-53 on Nov. 22. Since then, Drexel has played just once, beating Cal State-Northridge at home, 55-47. The Dragons have won despite shooting just 30.5 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from 3-point range. They are among the top three in the CAA in both field-goal percentage defense and 3-point field-goal percentage defense, though, and they are second in the CAA in scoring defense.
Scott Rodgers has led the Dragons with 13.0 points per game while Gerald Colds and Tramayne Hawthore are averaging 10.7 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. Jamie Harris and Kenny Tribbett are each grabbing 5.3 rebounds per game while Samme Givens leads the Dragons on the boards with 6.7 per contest. Drexel's 41.3 rebounds per game are second in the CAA.
The Patriots are leading the CAA in scoring defense and scoring margin, they are second in field-goal percentage and fourth in field-goal percentage defense. Mason is also second in rebounding margin and fourth in turnover margin. Drexel ranks last in the CAA in turnover margin.
The Patriots have been exceptionally balanced this year with five players averaging 9.0 points per game or better. John Vaughan leads the team with 11.9 points per game while Darryl Monroe is one of two players in the CAA averaging a double-double, with 10.9 points and 10.1 rebounds. Cam Long is averaging 10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while leading the team with 3.0 assists per game. Louis Birdsong is averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while freshman Andre Cornelius is coming off the bench to average 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Freshman Ryan Pearson has been named CAA Rookie of the Week twice this year and is averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. Monroe and Birdsong are currently tied for first in the CAA in field-goal percentage.
Mason is 12-11 all-time in CAA openers with a 6-6 record on the road. Mason is 5-1 in its past CAA openers, but that one loss came at Drexel. Mason is 9-5 all-time against the Dragons including a 3-1 mark in the past four contests.
