WHEN: Tuesday, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico
RECORDS: Mason (3-1), Louisiana Tech (3-0)
SERIES RECORD: First meeting
TELEVISION: CBS Sports Network
LIVE AUDIO: A-10 Digital Network
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico - George Mason faces C-USA power Louisiana Tech in the 2017 Cancun Challenge Tuesday at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Bulldogs is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday's game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network, featuring commentary from Thad Anderson and Pete Gillen. In addition, Bill Rohland will provide live audio through the A-10 Digital Network, with live coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m.

* On Wednesday, the Patriots will then face either Fresno State or Evansville (6 or 8:30 p.m.). Each Cancun game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

* The game vs. Louisiana Tech is the first of four straight for the Patriots away from home. In addition to the two Cancun games, Mason also will play at James Madison (Nov. 29) and Auburn (Dec. 3).

* The Patriots won both of their Cancun Challenge opening round games this past week in Fairfax. Mason defeated Binghamton on Nov. 16 and CSUN on Nov. 18.

* In each of those two games, Mason trailed by double digits in the second half. The two Patriot opponents combined to shoot 53.2 percent in the opening half, but just 27.5 percent in the second as Mason clamped down on defense in both games.

* In Saturday's 78-73 OT win over CSUN, freshman Goanar Mar tallied his first career double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. He is averaging 19.0 points and shooting 52 percent over the past two games.  

* Junior Otis Livingston II added a season-high 20 points and dished out five assists. He's averaging 19.5 points, 5.5 assists and shooting 61.5 percent from 3-point range over the past two contests.

* Redshirt-freshman AJ Wilson made a huge impact Saturday. After posting 0 points over his first three games, Wilson poured in 12 points and blocked an impressive eight shots while making 5-of-7 field goals vs. CSUN. The eight-block mark is tied for second in the nation this season and is also the second-highest single game total in Mason history.

* Mason received 0 points from its bench over the first two games. Since then, the bench is averaging 11.5 points per contest.

* Mason struggled from the free throw line through three games (29-55, .527) after ranking 43rd nationally (.747) last season. But the Patriots made critical free throw after critical free throw vs. CSUN while making 19-of-20 attempts (.950).

* The Green & Gold are averaging a +9.0 rebounding margin over the past two contests.

SKINN, KONKOL FACE FAMILIAR FOE ON TUESDAY
The Louisiana Tech coaching staff is filled with George Mason basketball connections. Head coach Eric Konkol served two stints as an assistant under former Mason head coach Jim Larranaga (2002-05, 2007-11) before joining Coach L in Miami for the 2011-12 campaign. He worked with the Patriots on two NCAA teams (2008, 2011) and two NIT-qualifying squads (2004, 2009).

In addition, Louisiana Tech assistant coach Tony Skinn starred for the Patriots at the guard position from 2003-06. He scored 1,079 career points (29th all time at Mason) and is 12th all-time at Mason in 3-point field goals made (125). As a senior during Mason's Final Four season, Skinn averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 assists. He tallied 14 points and four assists in a Sweet 16 win over Wichita State and added 10 points and five rebounds in the Elite 8 upset of Connecticut. He tied for the team lead with 13 points in the national semifinal loss to eventual national champion Florida.

HISTORY vs. CONFERENCE USA OPPONENTS
Mason is 28-39 (.418) all time against teams currently in Conference USA. The bulk of those meetings have come against former CAA foe Old Dominion (21-36). The Monarchs left the CAA at the conclusion of 2012-13 and joined Conference USA for the 2013-14 campaign. The two teams then played a home-and-home series in 2013-14 & 2014-15, but have not played since. In addition, Mason's most common C-USA opponents are Charlotte (3-0) and FIU (2-1).

A LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS (2-0, 0-0 CONFERENCE USA)
Louisiana Tech was picked to finish third out of 14 teams in the 2017-18 Conference USA preseason poll. The Bulldogs won their Cancun Challenge openers vs. Southeast Missouri St (96-95) and Montana State (71-58). Sophomore guard Jalen Harris leads the team in scoring (22.0 ppg), shoots 50 percent from the floor and is averaging 6.7 rebounds per contest. Daquan Bracey chips in 15.7 ppg, shoots 60.7 percent from the field and dishes out 5.3 assists per contest, while Jacobi Boykins averages 15.0 points and 6.7 rebounds. Louisiana Tech is averaging 93.0 points per game and shooting 50.8 percent as a team through three games. Both marks rank in the top-10 nationally.

NOVEMBER NON-CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS UNDER PAULSEN
Mason has posted a 4-2 record in November non-conference tournaments under hed coach Dave Paulsen. The Patriots went 2-1 in the 2015 Charleston Classic (W vs. Ole Miss, W vs. Oklahoma State, L vs. No. 6 Virginia) and 2-1 at the 2016 Gulf Coast Showcase (L vs. Houston, W vs. Kent State, W vs. Bradley).

UP NEXT
Depending on Tuesday's results, Mason will play either Fresno State or Evansville in Cancun on Wednesday (Nov. 22) at either 6 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. The contest also will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.