WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Richmond, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (13-9, 7-2), Richmond (8-14, 2-7)
SERIES RECORD: Mason trails, 24-36
LAST MEETING: Richmond def. Mason, 93-79, on March 8, 2018, in Fairfax, Va.
TELEVISION: MASN2
LIVE VIDEO: Click here
LIVE AUDIO: GoMason Digital Network 
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team (13-9, 7-2) plays its second game in less than a week in the greater RVA area when the Patriots travel to Richmond for a Wednesday battle with the Spiders.

Tip-off between Mason and Richmond is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+ and televised locally on MASN2. In addition, "Voice of the Patriots" 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 off to its best start in league play (7-2) in its six seasons in the Atlantic 10. The Patriots won their first four conference road games for the first time since 1989-90 (per Patrick Stevens).

* Last time out, Mason's road streak came to an end in a 79-63 setback at VCU on Feb. 2. It marked the most points allowed by the Patriots since an 87-84 win at William & Mary on Dec. 1 (13 games). VCU, while entered the game making just 29 percent of its 3-pointers, made 11 triples in the victory.

* Mason and VCU were tied at 52-52 midway through the second half, but VCU closed the game on a 27-11 run.

* Prior to Saturday, Mason had held 11 straight opponents under 70 points. It was the longest such streak for a Mason team in 10 years. The 2008-09 squad limited 14 straight foes to under 70 points.

* Jarred Reuter led Mason with 15 points at VCU (6-6 FG), He's averaging a team-high 13.0 points and shooting 68 percent over the past three games.

* Freshman Jordan Miller added his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-best 13 rebounds (6-8 FG). Sophomore Greg Calixte tallied a personal-best 13 points (6-8 FG) in 20 minutes.

* Miller is the fifth Patriot to post a double-double in 2018-19. Justin Kier (7), Otis Livingston II (2), Javon Greene (1) and AJ Wilson (1) also have notched at least one double-double this season.

* Mason made just 2-of-19 3-pointers (.105) at VCU. The Patriots are shooting 55.1 percent (92-167) from 2-point range over the past five games but just 25.7 percent (26-101) from beyond the arc. Mason is 7-of-36 (.194) from 3-point range over the past two games.

* In A-10 play, Mason ranks first in the league in 3pt FG defense (.253) and is second in scoring defense (63.2 ppg).

* Mason's last three opponents (UD, GW, VCU) have a combined league winning percentage of .640 (16-9). The Patriots' next three opponents (UR, La Salle, UMass) have a percentage of .269 (7-19).

* After Wednesday, five of the Patriots' final eight A-10 games will be played inside EagleBank Arena.

HISTORY vs. RICHMOND
Wednesday's game marks the 61st all-time meeting between George Mason and Richmond in men's basketball. The Patriots are 14-11 vs. the Spiders in Fairfax and 8-18 in games played in Richmond (2-7 on neutral courts). Mason has won 11 of the past 14 meetings, including six of the past seven, dating back to the old CAA years. Mason is 5-1 vs. Richmond under head coach Dave Paulsen. The two teams split a pair of meetings in 2017-18, with Mason winning in Richmond (79-75) and the Spiders taking the matchup in Fairfax (93-79). Otis Livingston II averaged 21.5 points, 5.5 assists and shot 48.4 percent in the two games last season, while Javon Greene (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 52.9 FG%) and Justin Kier (11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg) also played well.

HISTORY vs. IN-STATE DIV. I OPPONENTS
Saturday's game marks the 391st all-time game for Mason against an in-state, Div. I foe. The Patriots are 182-208 (.467) vs. Commonwealth opponents over the past 53 seasons. Harkening back to its CAA history, Mason's most common in-state opponents are James Madison (48-50), William & Mary (40-28), Richmond (24-36), VCU (20-40) and Old Dominion (21-36). The Patriots won at William & Mary on Dec. 1 and defeated JMU at home on Dec. 3, before falling at VCU on Feb. 2.

A LOOK AT THE SPIDERS (8-14, 2-7 Atlantic 10; KenPom No. 222, NET No. 205)
Richmond was picked to finish 10th in the 2018-19 Atlantic 10 preseason poll. The Spiders went 6-7 in non-conference play, including an 84-74 win over Wake Forest. The Spiders have dropped seven of their first nine A-10 contests. Richmond is one of the most deliberate teams in the country and ranks 300th in adjusted tempo. The Spiders are 68th in the nation in effective field goal percentage (.534) and ninth nationally in 2-point field goal percentage (.569). But Richmond is 304th in defensive efficiency (1.11 points/possession). Sophomore Grant Golden is third in the A-10 in scoring (17.7 ppg) and leads the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg). Sophomore guard Jacob Gilyard is third in the nation in steals/game (3.1) and chips in 16.5 points per game (5th in A-10). Freshman forward Nathan Cayo is 13th in the nation in field goal percentage (.635).

UP NEXT
Mason is back in Fairfax for a Sunday showdown with La Salle. Tip-off between the Patriots and Explorers is set for 2 p.m. The game will be televised regionally on Stadium.