WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (0-0), Catholic (0-0)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads, 52
LAST MEETING: Mason def. Catholic, 98-66, on Feb. 23, 1981, in Fairfax, Va.
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
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FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team will put together its final preparations for the 2019-20 season on Wednesday when the Patriots host Catholic in a 7 p.m. exhibition contest.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Cardinals is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+, featuring commentary from Steve Kolbe. In addition, Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• It's the second-straight campaign Mason has hosted an open exhibition game. Last season, the Patriots defeated Johns Hopkins on Nov. 1. Prior to 2018-19, Mason had not contested an exhibtion since 2014-15.

• The Patriots return 10 letter winners and three starters from a 2018-19 squad which won a school-record 11 A-10 games, captured a program-best five A-10 road victories and won an A-10 Tournament game for the third-straight season.

• Mason has averaged 9.7 A-10 wins over the past three seasons. The Patriots averaged 4.3 conference victories over their first three seasons in the league.

• Mason will be led by senior guard Justin Kier, the 2019 Atlantic 10 Most Improved Player. A preseason All-A-10 second team selection, Kier is expected to miss the first portion of the season as he recovers from a stress fracture in his right foot.

• The Patriots will open the 2019-20 schedule with five-straight home contests. It's the most home games to start a campaign for the Green & Gold since 1996-97.

• The Patriots play Maryland for the first time since 2003-04 when Mason travels to College Park on Nov. 22. The Green & Gold also will play at Power 5 foe TCU and compete in the Cayman Islands Classic from Nov. 25-27.

• The Nov. 5 regular season opener vs. Navy will mark the first time since Nov. 13, 2016, that Otis Livingston II has not started for Mason at point guard. Livingston II played all 132 games of head coach Dave Paulsen's first four seasons in Fairfax and leaves Mason second all-time in assists (493), fourth in scoring (1,865 pts) and first in free throw percentage (.859).

• Sophomore Jamal Hartwell II will most likely start for the Patriots at point guard to begin the season. Talented freshman Xavier Johnson also will see ample playing time for the Green & Gold.

• Sophomore guard Jordan Miller returns to the Mason lineup after a stellar back-half of his freshman season. Initially expected to redshirt the 2018-19 campaign, Miller worked his way into the Patriot lineup after injuries challenged Mason's depth. The Middleburg, Va., product responded admirably, scoring 10+ points in nine of the final 12 games of the season. The ball hawk led Mason in offensive rebounds (64) despite playing just half the season.

• Mason was picked to finish ninth in what is expected to be a much-improved A-10 in 2019-20. It should be noted that the Patriots have usurped their preseason ranking in three of head coach Dave Paulsen's four seasons at the helm.

• In addition to Johnson, Mason will welcome two other freshmen to the roster. That duo includes a Northern Virginia native, forward Josh Oduro (Gainesville, Va./Paul VI), and Canadian expat Bahaïde Haïdara (Montréal, Quebec/Dawson College).

KELLY RETURNS TO FAIRFAX
George Mason fans will see a familiar face in EagleBank Arena Wednesday, when former Patriot assistant coach Aaron Kelly returns to the court to lead his Catholic University Cardinals. Kelly served as an assistant under head coach Dave Paulsen for 12 seasons at Williams, Bucknell and Mason before becoming head coach of his alma mater this spring. During Kelly's playing career at Catholic from 2002-06, the Cardinals totaled an 89-28 record, advanced to four conference finals and captured Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) championships in 2004 and 2006. They also made four postseason appearances, including three in the NCAA Tournament in 2003, 2004 and 2006. Catholic was also ranked in the top-25 nationally with a high of No. 11 in the NABC Division III Coaches Poll on Jan. 22, 2003. Kelly played in 91 games for the Cardinals and was elected team captain as a senior.

HISTORY vs. CATHOLIC
Wednesday's game marks the eighth all-time meeting between George Mason and Catholic and the first matchup since 1981. The two schools played four times in the mid-70s as part of the Mason-Dixon Conference. Mason has played Catholic twice since moving to Division I in 1978-79. The Patriots swept a home and home during the 1980-81 campaign, winning 98-66 in Fairfax and 86-64 in Washington, D.C. The Patriots hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS (10-15, 6-8 Landmark)
Catholic finished fifth in the Landmark Conference in 2018-19. The Cardinals' defense gave up the third fewest points overall in the Landmark Conference last season, but finished their last 10 games of the regular season with a record of 4-6. Forward Riley Hayes, who returns as a senior in 2018-19, finished the season second on the team in scoring (13.9 ppg), first on the team in rebounds per game (9.3) and blocks per game (0.6) in 2018-19. University of Maryland men's basketball head coach Mark Turgeon's son, Will, is a sophomore on the team. He averaged 4.6 points as a freshman in 2018-19.

UP NEXT
Mason opens the 2019-20 regular season on Tuesday, November 5, with a matchup against Patriot League foe Navy. Tip-off between the Patriots and Midshipmen is scheduled for 7 p.m. As part of Armed Forces Night, Mason students will receive a free USA/Mason themed hat when showing a valid Mason ID upon entrance to EagleBank Arena.

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