Oct. 19, 2010

Men's Basketball Announces 2010-11 TV Schedule

Arlington, Va. - The George Mason men's basketball team has regularly been among the top teams in the Colonial Athletic Association, and for the 13th year in a row Mason has been picked to finish among the top-four. The Patriots were predicted to finish second, announced Tuesday as part of the CAA's basketball media day at the Champps Restaurant. The results are based on a poll of the league's coaches, media and sports information directors.

Senior guard Cam Long was recognized as well, chosen to the five-member Preseason All-CAA First Team. Long, a two-time All-CAA selection, was the Patriots' leading scorer and ranked 15th in the conference in 2009-10 with 12.2 points per game along with a team-high 97 assists and 39 steals. This is the second-straight season he was named preseason first-team All-CAA. Joining the Palm Bay, Fla., native on the first team are Northeastern's Chaisson Allen, James Madison's Denzel Bowles, VCU's Joey Rodriguez, and Hofstra's Charles Jenkins, who was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

Junior forward Ryan Pearson was selected a preseason All-CAA honorable mention, after the Far Rockaway, N.Y., native led the Patriots in rebounding (6.4 rpg) and was second in scoring (11.9 ppg) and steals (34). His rebounding mark placed ninth among CAA players a season ago.

Old Dominion was predicted to repeat as conference champions, while VCU and JMU rounded out the top four. Hofstra and Drexel ranked fifth and sixth, and were followed by Northeastern, William & Mary, Delaware, Towson, Georgia State and UNC Wilmington.

Mason returns all five starters from its 2009-10 squad, a Patriots team that earned its eighth postseason appearance in the last 12 years. Among the other top returners are juniors Andre Cornelius (9.4 ppg) and Mike Morrison (8.5 ppg/5.9 rpg) and CAA All-Rookie selection Luke Hancock (7.7 ppg). Cornelius was the league's top threat from beyond the arc last season, shooting a CAA-best 43.3 percent from 3-point range.

After an home exhibition against Bowie State on Wednesday, November 3, the Patriots open the 2010-11 season at home against Harvard, a 4 p.m. tip on Saturday, Nov. 13.