WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m. (ET)
WHERE: Manhattan, Kan.
RECORDS: Mason (6-6), Kansas State (9-2)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads, 1-0
LAST MEETING: Mason def. No. 18 Kansas State, 87-77, in 2007 Old Spice Classic
TELEVISION: Fox Sports Kansas City
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LIVE AUDIO: A-10 Digital Network 
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team wraps up non-conference play with a road contest at 2018 NCAA Elite Eight participant Kansas State on Saturday (Dec. 29).

Tip-off in Bramlage Coliseum is set for 8 p.m. (ET). Saturday's game will be televised regionally on Fox Sports Kansas City and streamed nationally on ESPN3. A stream also is available on the Fox Sports app. In addition, "Voice of the Patriots" Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 7:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
* The Patriots have won four of their past five games after starting the season 2-5. During that stretch, Mason is shooting 49 percent from the floor and holding opponents to an improved 40.6 percent. Mason is averaging 8.2 steals and has a positive turnover margin (+1.2) during the stretch.

* Last time out, Mason rolled past Navy, 84-63, on Dec. 21 in EagleBank Arena. The Patriots never trailed in the game and shot 51.8 percent (29-56) on the night. Mason made 11-of-25 3-point attempts (.440) and held Navy to a 33.3 percent overall clip (20-60) from the floor.

* Over the past two games, Mason is holding its opponents to 58.0 ppg and a combined 32.8 percent (38-116) shooting mark. Mason is 4-0 this season when holding its opponent under 70 points.

* Senior Otis Livington II poured in a game-high 30 points vs. Navy on 11-of-17 shooting. He also made a season-best four 3-pointers on eight attempts. He has scored at least 18 points in five of the past six games and is averaging 25.5 points (17-30 FG, .567) over the past two contests.

* Livingston II has averaged 18.0 points, 5.3 assists and shot 47.5 percent in six Patriot wins this season. He's averaged 10.8 points, 4.3 assists and shot 36.5 percent in the team's six losses so far in 2018-19.
u Junior Justin Kier posted his second-straight double-double vs. Navy (12 pts, 10 reb). He's averaging 14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the past two games and has posted at least 12 points in five-straight contests.He leads the team in rebounding and steals and is second in scoring and assists.

* Livingston II needs 15 points Saturday to pass Ryan Pearson and move into fifth place on the all-time Mason scoring list.

* Mason had just 10 turnovers vs. Navy. The Patriots are 6-1 this season when they commit fewer than 15 turnovers and 0-5 when the turnover count is above 15.

* The Patriots shot 44 percent from 3-point range vs. Navy, improving the team to 3-1 this season when Mason shoots 40 percent or better from deep. The Patriots are 4-2 when making at least seven 3-point field goals.

HISTORY vs. KANSAS STATE
Saturday's matchup marks the second time the Patriots and Wildcats have met in men's basketball. In the only other meeting, Mason knocked off previously unbeaten, No. 18 Kansas State in the opening round of the 2007 Old Spice Classic 87-77. In that game, former Mason star John Vaughan led the team with 21 points, while Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas both recorded 18 points. Mason held the Wildcats to just 12.5 percent from 3-point range and the Patriots shot an outstanding 47.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Three future NBA players led the Wildcats in the game. Michael Beasley dropped a game-high 30 points and added 10 rebounds. He would go on to be picked No. 2 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. Bill Walker added 11 points while Jacob Pullen chipped in 10 for Kansas State.

HISTORY vs. BIG 12 OPPONENTS
Mason is 2-8 (.200) all time against Big 12 foes. Mason's most common opponent is West Virginia (0-4). The Patriots are 1-0 against both Oklahoma State (71-68 win in 2015-16) and Kansas State (87-77 over No. 18 KSU in 2007-08). Earlier this season, the Patriots fell to Big 12 foe Baylor, 72-61, on Nov. 24 in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.

A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS (9-2, 0-0 Big 12; KenPom No. 28, NET No. 33)
Kansas State was picked second in the Big 12 preseason poll. Last season, the Wildcats posted a 25-12 record and advanced to the the Elite Eight before falling to Cinderella Loyola of Chicago 78-62. This season, the Wildcats are off to an 9-2 start, and rank fifth in the nation in scoring defense (57.8 ppg). The team is second nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency (0.86 points/possession). The team also ranks 26th in 3-point field goal defense (.385) and 13th in 3-point FG defense (.271). KSU has won its past three games, including victories over Sun Belt favorite Georgia State (71-59), Southern Miss (55-51) and Vanderbilt (69-58). The Wildcats also defeated Missouri (82-67) on Nov. 19.

Kansas State returned its top-3 scorers from the Elite Eight squad, led by Preseason All-Big 12 guard Barry Brown Jr (14.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 42.3 FG%). Xavier Sneed (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg) is also playing a big part in the Wildcats' success this season. Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Dean Wade (13.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 52.2 FG%) has played nine games in 2018-19, but has been ruled out indefinitely after suffering an injury against Georgia State on Dec. 15. The Wildcats are in their seventh season under head coach Bruce Weber.

UP NEXT
The Patriots open Atlantic 10 play on Thursday (January 3) with a contest at Saint Joseph's. Tip-off between the Patriots and Hawks is set for 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.