Jan. 13, 2009

The George Mason men's basketball team will look for its first-ever 6-0 start in Colonial Athletic Association play when the Patriots travel to Williamsburg, Va. on Wednesday night to take on The College of William & Mary. Tip time is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on The Big Talker 1580 AM.

Mason is tied with Northeastern for first place in the CAA while William & Mary is tied for last with a 1-4 mark. At 12-3, this is just the second time in school history that Mason has won 12 or more of its first 15 games. The Patriots have won four straight since closing out the 2008 calendar year with a loss at Dayton.

William & Mary started the season 1-3 and after going 4-3, the Tribe has gone 1-3 in its past four contests. This will be the first meeting between the teams since facing off in the CAA Championship Game last March. Mason won that contest, 68-59.

Danny Sumner and David Schneider lead the Tribe with 15.9 and 14.1 points per game, respectively. Three others are averaging between 6.0 and 8.5 points per game. Scoring hasn't been the problem this year for The Tribe, but defense has. William & Mary is allowing more than 65 points per game and the opposition is shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from 3-point range.

Mason's defense has been exceptional, holding teams to fewer than 60 points and less than 40 percent shooting from the field. Cam Long, John Vaughan and Darryl Monroe are all scoring in double figures while Dre Smith, Louis Birdsong, Ryan Pearson and Andre Cornelius are all averaging 6.9 points or better. Monroe leads the CAA in field-goal percentage and is second in rebounding.

Mason is 4-3 on the road this season, 2-0 in conference play. The Patriots have not lost at William & Mary since February of 2002.