Feb. 5, 2010

Philadelphia, Pa. - The George Mason men's basketball team will begin the stretch run of its season on Saturday afternoon when the Patriots play at Drexel in a critical Colonial Athletic Association game for both teams. Mason is currently tied for first in the CAA with Northeastern and Old Dominion while Drexel and VCU are tied for fourth two games back. The Patriots play Drexel, VCU and Old Dominion in their next three contests. Saturday's game is a 4 p.m. tip and can be heard on 570 AM.

Mason (15-8, 10-2) had a seven-game winning streak snapped the last time out when the Patriots lost at Georgia State, 61-57. Mason led by four in the final three minutes before the Panthers closed the game with an 8-0 run. In that contest, Cam Long, who had averaged more than 20 points per game in the previous five games, was held to two points.

The Patriots are fourth in the CAA in scoring offense and 3-point field-goal percentage. Those are the only two categories in which the Patriots are in the top four. Long leads the Patriots in scoring at 13.1 points per game while Ryan Pearson is averaging 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 44.8 percent from the field. He is seventh in the CAA in rebounding and ninth in field-goal percentage.

Drexel (13-11, 8-4) is third in the CAA in field-goal percentage defense and fourth in scoring defense. Jamie Harris is eighth in the CAA in scoring at 14.3 points per game while Samme Givens is fourth in rebounding at 8.5 boards per game. Freshman Chris Fouch is second on Drexel in scoring at 10.7 points per game and he is sixth in 3-point field-goal percentage and 3-pointers made.

The Dragons are 4-1 in their past five games including a win at Northeastern and home wins over James Madison, Hofstra and Towson. The lone loss was a three-point defeat at William & Mary.

Mason has won the past four contests with two one-point wins last year, a 10-point road win in 2007-08 and a 47-point home win in 2007-08, the largest margin of victory ever for a Mason team in CAA play. The last Drexel win was a 61-49 win on Dec. 28, 2006.