WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (7-9, 1-2), Saint Joseph's (7-7, 2-1)
SERIES RECORD: Saint Joseph's leads, 4-1
LAST MEETING: Mason def. Saint Joseph's, 75-67, on Jan. 10, 2017
VIDEO STREAM ($): A-10 Digital Network
LIVE AUDIO: A-10 Digital Network
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)
TICKETS: Click here

BRING A FRIEND: Mason students can bring a friend to the game for FREE and get FREE Mason mini sports bottle. Just bring your friend and your valid Mason ID to the North Entrance of EagleBank Arena.
BOOK DRIVE: Bring a Book, Get a Bobblehead! Bring a new or gently used book for children ages 9-11 to a Mason men's or women's basketball game between now and Jan. 13 and receive a bobblehead (while supplies last). Drop off books at the Ticket Information booth located on the South Concourse of EagleBank Arena now through January 13.

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team continues its A-10 homestand Wednesday with a game against Saint Joseph's.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Hawks is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast on the A-10 Digital Network, which is available via subscription. In addition, a free audio stream will be featured on GoMason.com, with commentary from Bill Rohland. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• Mason is 5-4 at home this season while Saint Joseph's is 1-3 on the road. The Hawks have won all three meetings between the schools in Fairfax.

• Four of the Patriots' next six games will be played in Fairfax.

• Last time out, Mason dropped an 86-59 contest to Davidson inside EagleBank Arena. The Wildcats shot 55.6 percent from the floor, marking a season high for a Patriot opponent.

• With the setback, the Patriots are now 0-7 when they fail to score at least 65 points in a game.

• Junior Otis Livingston II led Mason with his fourth 20-point effort of the season. He tallied 20 points (4-5 3pt FG) and dished out three assists against the Wildcats.

• Livingston II averaged 26.5 points, 4.5 assists and shot 53.1 percent from the floor in two games last week. Through the first three league games, the Linden, N.J. product leads the A-10 in scoring (23.5 ppg).

• Junior Jaire Grayer tallied 11 points and made 3-of-6 3-pointers vs. Davidson. He's shooting 54.2 percent (13-24) from 3-point range over the past four games.

• Mason had only two players score in double figures vs. Davidson. The Patriots are 7-5 when three or more players post at least 10 points (0-4 when its two or less players).

• Mason broke out of a 16-for-72 (.222) slump from 3-point territory with a solid performance vs. the Wildcats. The Patriots made 10 3-pointers (second-most in a game this season) and shot 45.5 percent from long distance.

• Freshman Greg Calixte has started the past five games and is averaging 6.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and shooting 60 percent.

• The Patriots rank in the top-75 nationally in fewest fouls per game (16.3, 47th) and free throw percentage (.741, 69th).

REDUCING THE DEFICIT - NOT JUST A CONGRESSIONAL ISSUE
In many Mason losses this season, the Patriots have made it difficult on themselves with first halves that allow opponents to build sizable halftime leads. In the Patriots' nine losses, Mason has faced an average halftime deficit of 10.8 points. In two A-10 setbacks, the Green & Gold have faced an average deficit of 18.0 points. In the nine overall losses, Mason shoots 34.9 percent from the floor and 27 percent from 3-point territory in first halves. In wins, the Patriots have shot 48.4 percent overall and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc in the opening period.

HISTORY vs. SAINT JOSEPH'S
Wednesday's game marks the sixth all-time meeting between George Mason and Saint Joseph's in men's basketball. The Hawks lead the series 4-1 and are 3-0 in contests played in Fairfax. The teams also met in the opening round of the 2002 NIT with the Hawks winning, 73-64, in the then-Patriot Center. In last season's meeting, Mason picked up its first ever win over the Hawks with a 75-67 victory inside Hagan Arena. The Patriots trailed by one (32-31) at the half and with 2:37 to play (61-60), but Mason shot 60.9 percent (14-23) in the second half and outscored the Hawks 15-6 over the game's final minutes. Marquise Moore led all players in the game in points (24), rebounds (10), assists (7) and steals (4). Jaire Grayer added 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting vs. the Hawks.

A LOOK AT THE HAWKS (7-7, 2-1 A-10; No. 176 RPI, No. 127 KenPom.com)
Saint Joseph's was predicted to finish third out of 14 teams in the A-10 preseason poll.  The Hawks went 5-6 through a non-conference schedule that included a contest against No. 1 Villanova. Saint Joseph's has won their last two conference games, putting their record at 2-1 in the Atlantic-10. The Hawks' A-10 opener featured a loss to George Washington (70-64). Their wins came against VCU (87-81) and St. Bonaventure (85-78).  Saint Joseph's relies heavily on protecting the ball, as the Hawks rank seventh in the nation in turnovers/game (9.9) and third in the nation with fewest turnovers overall (138). The Hawks are led by preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team selection Shavar Newkirk ,who leads the team in assists (48) and steals (22). He also is second on the team in scoring (17.1). Freshman Taylor Funk sets the tone for the Hawks beyond the arc. The forward ranks in the top-35 in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.448) and is at 13.5 points per game. Senior James Demery currently leads the team in points per game (17.4) and minutes played (492).

UP NEXT
Mason wraps up its three-game A-10 homestand with a contest vs. Saint Louis on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on NBC Sports Network.