FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason men's basketball team will host six opponents in non-conference play and take a trip to Hawaii as part of its 2013-14 non-conference schedule announced Tuesday. The Patriots will take part in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic along with the BB&T Classic in Washington, D.C., comprising half of the of eight contests away from Fairfax as they tune up for the inaugural season of Atlantic 10 Conference play.
Mason will open the season at home on Friday, November 8, hosting crosstown rival American University at the Patriot Center. Four days later, Mason travels to the Lone Star State to face Lamar University for a Tuesday night tilt in Beaumont, Texas.
A two-game homestand follows as the Green and Gold host Northern Iowa on Saturday, November 16 and St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday, November 19. Mason follows that with a trip to the Tri-State Area, facing Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 23. Three days later, the Patriots will visit New Jersey to square off against the Princeton Tigers on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Following a quick break for the Thanksgiving holiday, two home games follow, a non-conference affair against the University of Rhode Island on Saturday, Nov. 30 and a Wednesday, December 4 meeting with the University of South Florida at the Patriot Center.
The tournament season begins for the Patriots on Sunday, Dec. 8, taking on the University of Oklahoma as part of the 19th Annual BB&T Classic at the Verizon Center. A two-week break for final exams will conclude as Mason heads to Honolulu, facing Iowa State in the Diamond Head Classic at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Games on Monday, Dec. 23, and Wednesday, Dec. 25 await the Green and Gold as they look to capture the tournament title among a field that also includes Oregon State, Akron, South Carolina, Saint Mary's, Boise State, and host Hawaii. More information on the Diamond Head Classic can be found here.
Mason will ring in 2014 at home, hosting the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, January 2, before traveling to longtime conference rival Old Dominion on Saturday, Jan. 4. Mason's meeting with the Monarchs is the first since both squads departed the Colonial Athletic Association in July, but the 26th consecutive year they have met on the hardwood. In total, Mason will face at least four postseason qualifiers from a year ago, including two teams from the Big XII Conference in the Sooners and Cyclones.
The Patriots will embark on their first season of A-10 play thereafter, competing in 16 conference games against the 12 other members as they position for the 2014 Atlantic 10 Championship, which will be contested March 13-16 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Season ticket packages are on sale now! Full season plans start at just $126. Place your deposit today and to experience the inaugural season in the Atlantic 10. Or, purchase an A-10 ticket plan, which includes the home opener versus American and nine games against Atlantic 10 opponents, for just $190. For information on all ticket plans, click here, or call the Athletic Ticket Office at 703-993-3270.
Current season ticket holders will receive renewal notices by mail next week.
Mason's full schedule, including game times and the Atlantic 10 slate, will be released at a later date.
2013-14 George Mason Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
All Times Eastern
NOVEMBER
8 Fri AMERICAN TBA
12 Tue at Lamar TBA
16 Sat NORTHERN IOWA TBA
19 Tue ST. FRANCIS (PA.) TBA
23 Sat at Iona TBA
26 Tue at Princeton TBA
30 Sat RHODE ISLAND TBA
DECEMBER
4 Wed SOUTH FLORIDA TBA
8 Sun vs. Oklahoma (BB&T Classic) TBA
22 Sun vs. Iowa State (Diamond Head Classic) 5:30 p.m.
23 Mon vs. TBA (Diamond Head Classic) TBA
25 Wed vs. TBA (Diamond Head Classic) TBA
JANUARY
2 Thu PENN TBA
4 Sat at Old Dominion TBA
