WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (11-14, 5-7), Dayton (11-13, 5-7)
SERIES RECORD: Dayton leads, 7-1
LAST MEETING: Dayton def. Mason, 83-70, on Feb. 23, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio
TELEVISION: MASN/Spectrum Sports Ohio
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here TICKETS: Click here

VALENTINE'S DAY PROMOTION: Each fan at the game will receive a Boone & Sons Jewelers scratch off card and one lucky winner will take home a 1-karat pair of diamond stud earrings valued at $4,500.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Free United Nation of Mason gloves for Mason students with a valid Mason ID (while supplies last)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team (11-14, 5-7) plays host to Dayton for a Valentine's Day showdown vs. the Flyers on Wednesday night.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Flyers is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast locally on MASN and in the Midwest on Spectrum Sports Ohio. Dwight Burgess (play-by-play) and Tony White (color commentary) will handle broadcast duties. In addition, Bill Rohland will call the game on the A-10 Digital Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• Mason is 13-6 all time on Valentine's Day. The Patriots have won their last six and nine of their last 10 V-Day games dating back to the 1997-98 season.

• Mason is 8-6 at home this season, while the Flyers are 1-7 on the road in 2017-18.

• After dropping four-straight games from Jan. 17-Jan. 31, Mason has won two of its past three contests.

• The Patriots are coming off a 72-65 Homecoming Saturday victory over Revolutionary Rival George Washington. Mason led by one (26-25) at the break, then used a 16-3 run midway through the second half to provide a cushion the Patriots ultimately would ride to victory.

• Seven of Mason's eight scholarship players posted at least seven points in a strong all-around effort for the Green & Gold.

• Mason shot 41.2 percent (7-17) from 3-point range. The Patriots are 17-of-42 (.402) from deep over the past two contests.

• The Patriots are a combined +29 (137-108) on the glass over the past three games for an average margin of +8.3.

• Junior Otis Livingston II tallied 14 points and a game-high nine assists to lead Mason vs. GW. He's averaging 8.0 assists over the Patriots' last two contests.

• Junior Jaire Grayer added his seventh double-double of the season (12 pts, 12 reb), while sophomore Justin Kier chipped in 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting (2-3 3pt FG).

• Kier has made four of his last five 3-pointers and six of his past 11. Prior to that stretch, he began the season 1-for-27.

• Freshman AJ Wilson provided a huge spark off the bench for the Patriots, tallying 11 points (4-8 FG) and five rebounds in an A-10 high 20 minutes. The Patriots scored 21 bench points vs. GW and are averaging 24.5 bench points over the past two contests.

• In conference play, the Patriots lead the A-10 in defensive rebounds per game (27.9) and are fifth in offensive boards/contest (10.7).

• Mason gave up 82.0 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot 46.6 percent over the first 10 games of the A-10 schedule. Over the past two, Patriot foes are averaging just 66.0 points and shooting 41.2 percent over the past two games.

PATRIOTS BACK TO PAULSEN PROWESS ON THE BOARDS
Dave Paulsen teams are often known for their relentless rebounding effort, particularly on the defensive glass. This season through the first 22 games, Mason ranked 165th in defensive rebounds/game (25.64) and held an average rebounding margin of -0.4. Over the past three games, the Patriots have averaged 45.7 rebounds per game, including 33.3 defensively, with an average margin of +8.3. Over that span, Mason has climbed 73 spots in the national rankings and are now 92nd nationally in defensive rebounds/game (26.56).

HISTORY vs. DAYTON
Wednesday's game marks the ninth all-time meeting between George Mason and Dayton in men's basketball. The programs played a four year home-and-home series from 2007-2010, before the Patriots joined the A-10 in 2013-14. Dayton is 4-0 in league contests vs. Mason. Last season, the Flyers earned an 83-70 victory in Dayton on Feb. 21, 2017. Current Patriot Jaire Grayer (12 pts, 13 reb) posted a double-double in the contest.

A LOOK AT THE FLYERS (11-14, 5-7 A-10; No. 115 RPI, No. 132 KenPom.com)
Dayton was picked to finish fifth out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. The Flyers played the fifth-toughest non-conference schedule in the nation while amassing a 6-6 record. Dayton is 4-2 in A-10 home games, but just 1-5 in road contests.  The Flyers rank in the top-30 nationally in field goal percentage (.485) but are 278th out of 351 Div. I teams in field goal percentage defense (.460), as well as 325th in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.384). The Flyers are led by redshirt-junior Josh Cunningham, who paces the team in scoring (16.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg) and is seventh nationally in field goal percentage (.670). Senior guard Darrell Davis adds 16.3 points per game while sophomore Trey Landers chips in 10.0 points. Freshman guard Jalen Crutcher paces the team with 4.3 assists per game and adds 9.0 points per contest.

UP NEXT
Mason hits the road for the first of two straight contests in greater Philadelphia. The trip starts Saturday (Feb. 17) with a 2 p.m. contest at La Salle.