WHEN: Saturday, 4 p.m.
WHERE: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (15-11, 9-4), Duquesne (17-9, 8-5)
SERIES RECORD: Series tied, 6-6
LAST MEETING: Duquesne def. Mason, 95-89 (2OT), on Jan. 20, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
TELEVISION: MASN2
LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO: Mason Digital Network 
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF) 
TICKETS: Click here

FAIRFAX, Va. - The Patriots return home for a critical Mason Homecoming matchup with Duquesne Saturday. Mason is currently tied for third in the A-10, but are just two games out of eighth place.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Dukes is set for 4 p.m. Saturday's game will be televised in the DMV on MASN2 and also will be streamed nationally on ESPN+. Bill Rohland and Craig Esherick will provide commentary. In addition, Steve Kolbe will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with pregame coverage beginning at 3:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
* The Patriots have won 12 of their past 17 A-10 games (.706), although the Green & Gold have dropped three of their past five contests. Mason is off to its best start in league play (9-4) in its six seasons in the Atlantic 10.

* Mason has tied its all-time record for Atlantic 10 victories (in its sixth A-10 season). The Patriots still have five regular season contests remaining.

* Since the start of 2017-18, Mason is 11-2 in A-10 games decided by five points or less.

* Last time out, Mason fell in a injury-ridden affair to St. Bonaventure (79-56) Sunday in Olean. The Bonnies - who entered the game shooting 31 percent from 3 - made 11-of-19 attempts from beyond the arc (.579).

* The following players did not finish the game due to injury: Otis Livingston II (ankle), Javon Greene (finger) and Ian Boyd (wrist). Greg Calixte did not play (concussion protocol). All four injuries are day-to-day. Mason is already without season-opening starters Jaire Grayer (indefinite - foot) and Goanar Mar (indefinite - foot).

* Justin Kier posted 18 of his team-high 21 points at SBU in the second half. He finished 8-of-14 from the floor (.571). Kier has recorded 13+ points in each of the past three games.

* Jordan Miller added 10 points, while Otis Livingston II tallied 10 and dished out three assists in his injury-shortened 21 minutes. Miller has posted 10+ points in four of the past five games.

* Livingston II is three points away from becoming the fourth Mason player to score 1800 points. He is the only Patriot to post 100+ assists in all four seasons of a career.

* Mason has captured five of its past six games at home. The Patriots are 3-0 in Homecoming games under Dave Paulsen.

* Mason opponents have averaged 78.0 points over the past five games. Prior to that stretch, Mason had held 11 straight foes under 70 points. It was the longest such streak for a Mason team in 10 years.

* During that 11-game run, Patriot foes averaged 60.5 points and shot 38.4 percent (.274 from 3-point range). Over the last five, opponents have combined to shoot 51.4 percent and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc.

* With a victory over Duquesne, Mason would record its 11th home win, marking the program's best total since 2011-12.

HISTORY vs. DUQUESNE
Saturday's matchup marks the 13th all-time meeting between Mason and Duquesne. The teams have split the series (6-6), although the Dukes have won four of the six Atlantic 10 matchups. The Patriots are 3-3 in Fairfax all time vs. Duquesne (1-2 during A-10 membership). The last two meetings between the teams have come down to the wire. Last season, Mason fell to the Dukes, 95-89, in double overtime. The Patriots won in Fairfax by one (63-62) in 2017.

In last season's game in Pittsburgh, Justin Kier led Mason with a then-career best 27 points (10-15 FG, 7-7 FT), while Ian Boyd added 17 points and nine rebounds.  Mason (9-11, 3-4) trailed by as many as 15 in the first half and 11 in the second, but the Patriots fought all the way back to lead by three (75-72) with six seconds remaining in regulation. But Duquesne's Eric Williams Jr. hit a 3-pointer to force overtime. Mason was behind by seven (84-77) in overtime with 1:27 left, but again, the Patriots battled all the way back, with a coast-to-coast Justin Kier lay-up sending the game to double overtime. But Duquesne (14-6, 5-2) held a 10-4 edge in the second extra session to come away with the victory.

A LOOK AT THE DUKES (10-14, 6-5 Atlantic 10; KenPom No. 158, NET No. 163)
Duquesne was picked to finish 11th in the A-10 preseason poll but has surpassed expectations and currently has a chance at a top-4 seed with its 8-5 league mark. The Dukes play the most up tempo of any team in the league and rank second in the conference in scoring (73.7 ppg). Duquesne is one of the youngest teams in the nation (346th out of 351 teams in KenPom experience stat). Sophomore Eric Williams Jr. ranks third in the A-10 in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and is 11th in scoring (team-high 13.2 ppg). A-10 Freshman of the Year candidate Sincere Carry is averaging 13.7 points and a league-best 5.7 assists per contest in conference play.

UP NEXT
Mason remains at home for the second of two contests this season against the Richmond Spiders. Tip-off Wednesday (Feb. 27) is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+.