WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Rose Hill Gymnasium - Bronx, N.Y.
RECORDS: Mason (10-13, 4-6), Fordham (7-15, 2-8)
SERIES RECORD: Mason trails, 2-6
LAST MEETING: Mason def. Fordham, 82-71 (OT), on March 9, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
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GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team (10-13, 4-6) will battle in the Bronx against Fordham (7-15, 2-8) on Wednesday night inside historic Rose Hill Gymnasium.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Rams is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be streamed on the Fordham channel of the A-10 Digital Network (free). In addition, Bill Rohland will provide streaming audio on the Mason A-10 Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
* Mason is 3-5 on the road this season, while the Rams are 7-6 in Rose Hill Gym.

* The Patriots snapped a four-game losing skid Saturday with a 79-75 victory at Richmond.

* Playing without second-leading scorer Jaire Grayer (foot sprain), Mason received huge contributions from freshmen Goanar Mar and Javon Greene, who combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds.

* Mar tallied 17 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting. He also made a career-best four 3-pointers on six attempts and grabbed nine rebounds in 36 minutes.

* Greene tallied 14 points – his highest output since Dec. 3 at No. 8 Auburn – and compiled new career highs in rebounds (9) and steals (6) in the game. He also tallied three assists.

* The Patriots shot 45.3 percent vs. Richmond and are now 8-2 when they shoot 45 percent or better from the floor. Mason is 2-11 when shooting below 45 percent for the game.

* Mason held a +7 (46-39) edge on the glass against the Spiders. The Patriots are 6-1 this season when they post a +5 rebounding margin or greater.

* Junior Otis Livingston II tallied team highs in points (22) and assists (6) at Richmond. He's posted 20+ points in seven of 10 A-10 games and is second in the league in scoring in conference play (20.8 ppg).

* Livingston II has aggressively attacked the basket over the past three games. He' s averaging 8.7 free throws made and is shooting 86.7 percent (26-30) from the charity stripe.

* Mason held the Spiders to just 38 percent shooting in the game – marking a season low for a Mason opponent - and 19.0 percent from the 3-point line. That mark is Mason's second best defensive effort from beyond the arc in 2017-18.

* The Patriots are 3-0 when holding their opponent under 40 percent shooting this season and 6-2 when limiting their foe to under 33 percent from beyond the arc.

• During Mason's four-game losing skid, Mason had been outscored a combined 50-23 in the final five minutes of first halves, for an average deficit of -6.75 points in that portion of the game. The Patriots were +4 (9-5) in that stretch in the win at Richmond.

• Mason's next six opponents have a combined A-10 winning percentage of .328 (20-41).

KIER CREATES IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Known  as Mason's Swiss Army Knife, sophomore Justin Kier has taked his all-around game up a notch in league play. After averaging  10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and shooting 43.5 percent in non-conference games, Kier has improved in nearly all statistical categories in league play. He's at 11.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 47.3 percent from the floor.

MASON vs. BIG APPLE SCHOOLS
The Patriots have amassed an all-time record of 9-9 against colleges located within the five boroughs of New York City. The majority of those contests have come against Fordham (2-6), but Mason also has suited up against Manhattan (4-1), Wagner (2-0), St. Francis (1-0), St. John's (0-1) and Div. III Brooklyn College (0-1). The Patriots have played teams from the Bronx (Fordham, Manhattan), Staten Island (Wagner), Brooklyn (St. Francis, Brooklyn) and Queens (St. John's). But the Patriots have never played a Manhattan-based college in men's basketball.

HISTORY vs. FORDHAM
Wednesday's game marks the ninth all-time meeting between George Mason and Fordham in men's basketball. Three of those meetings have come in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Rams have won both meetings in the Bronx. Fordham had captured the first six meetings in the series, until Mason swept a pair of contests last season. The Patriots won 73-67 in Fairfax on Feb. 11, then defeated the Rams 82-71 (OT) in Pittsburgh on March 9 to capture the program's first-ever A-10 Tournament victory. In Pittsburgh, the Patriots trailed 62-55 with under a minute to go, but rallied to tie the game at the regulation buzzer on a Jalen Jenkins lay-in off a great look from Otis Livingston II. Mason was +11 (17-6) in overtime.

A LOOK AT THE RAMS (7-15, 2-8 A-10; No. 267 RPI, No. 280 KenPom.com)
Fordham was picked to finish 13th in the A-10 preseason poll. The Rams posted a 5-7 non-conference record which included losses to West Virginia and Florida State. Fordham has a 7-6 home record and is 2-3 in home conference games. Fordham has lost seven of its past eight games. Its most recent victory was an 82-69 win against UMass on Jan. 27. Mason will have to take care of the ball Wednesday, as Fordham is ranked fifth in the country and first in the A-10 in steals per game (9.5). In addition, 3-point shots may be tough to come by, with Fordham being ranked fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.337). Fordham also is 48th nationally in fewest fouls per game (16.2). Will Tavares leads the team in scoring (14.1 ppg) and is third on the team in rebounds (5.1). Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Defensive Team member Joseph Chartouny leads the nation in steals per game (3.3). Big-man Prokop Slanina is the top 3-point shooter for Fordham, shooting 37 percent from the 3-point arc. He also leads the team in blocks with 22.

UP NEXT
Mason returns home for a Revolutionary Rivalry matchup with George Washington on Homecoming Weekend. Tip-off on Saturday (Feb. 10) between the Patriots and Colonials is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be televised in markets across the nation on Stadium.

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