WHEN: Wednesday, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Mullins Center - Amherst, Mass.
RECORDS: George Mason (4-2, 0-0), Massachusetts (2-2, 1-0)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads, 9-4
LAST MEETING: UMass def. Mason, 69-67, on Feb. 9, 2020
TELEVISION: New England Sports Network (NESN)
LIVE VIDEO (ESPN+): Click here
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team opens A-10 play Wednesday when the Patriots play at the University of Massachusetts.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Minutemen is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN+ and televised regionally on New England Sports Network (NESN), featuring commentary from Jay Burnham and Frank Sullivan. In addition, Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• Mason is 2-5 all time in A-10 openers. The Patriots have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Minutemen.

• The Patriots are coming off a 68-65 setback to Norfolk State on Dec. 26 in Fairfax. Mason led 51-34 in the second stanza but the Patriots committed 13 second-half turnovers and made 9-of-17 free throw attempts (.529) as NSU completed the comeback.

• Freshman Tyler Kolek led Mason with career bests in points (19), 3pt FG made (5), rebounds (5) and assists (4) against the Spartans.

•Kolek garnered A-10 Rookie of the Week accolades Monday after averaging 12.7 points, 3.3 3pt FG, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals over three games. This season, Kolek leads Mason in assists (15) and 3pt FG made (15).

• Josh Oduro is averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds over the past two contests.

• Javon Greene led Mason with four steals vs. Norfolk State. He is now up to 133 career steals (40th nationally) and needs just two more to tie Kenwan Alford for 11th on Mason's all-time list.

• Mason is allowing an offensive rebound on just 22.9 percent of opponent possessions this season (45th nationally) and has given up less than 10 offensive boards in five of six games.

• On the other end of the floor, Mason leads the Atlantic 10 with 12.5 offensive rebounds per contest.

• Jordan Miller returned vs. Norfolk State after missing two games and tallied six points and a season-best four assists. Miller averages a team-best 16.5 points and shoots 54.3 percent from the floor.

• The Patriots rank fifth in the A-10 and 71st nationally with 8.2 steals per game. Mason generates a steal on 12.2 percent of opponent possessions (26th nationally).

• The Patriots have shot 37.3 percent (41-110) from 3-point range in their four wins and just 14.8 percent (8-54) in their two losses.

• In similar fashion, Mason is averaging 12.5 turnovers/game in wins, but 16.0/game in losses.

• The Patriots have struggled mightily from the free throw line over the past three games. Mason has made just 29 of 62 attempts (.468). In games against Div. I competition, the Patriots rank 328th out of 330 teams which have competed in 2020-21 (54.3 FT%).

HISTORY vs. MASSACHUSETTS
Wednesday's matchup marks the 14th all-time meeting between Mason and UMass. The Patriots hold a 9-4 advantage in the series and have won eight of the past nine meetings. The Patriots are 4-2 all time against UMass in Amherst. It's a popcorn worthy A-10 series, as nine of the past 11 meetings have been decided by six points or less and three of the past seven contests have gone to overtime.

The two teams split last season's series. Mason won, 73-63, on Jan. 22 in Fairfax. Javon Greene posted his second-straight 30+ point game, tallying 32 points to go along with seven rebounds in the win. Then, on Feb. 9 in the Pioneer Valley, Mason nearly erased a 14-point lead with five minutes to go, but could not tie the score up on its final two possessions. Greene added 19 points in the second matchup and averaged 25.5 points overall in the two games last season (56.0 FG%).

Select Career Averages vs. Massachusetts (Min. 2 games played)
Javon Greene (7 games): 14.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 56.9 FG% (29-51), 43.5 3pt FG% (10-23)
Jordan Miller (4 games): 9.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 48.1 FG% (13-27)
Josh Oduro (2 games): 9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 57.1 FG% (8-14), 1.0 bpg
Xavier Johnson (2 games): 9.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 spg, 46.2 FG% (6-13)
AJ Wilson (7 games): 5.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg, 35.3 FG% (12-34)

A LOOK AT THE MINUTEMEN (2-2, 1-0 A-10, KenPom #120)
UMass was picked to finish eighth in the A-10 preseason poll. UMass is 2-2 to begin the year and won its A-10 opener at La Salle (85-66) on Dec. 16. The Minutemen lead the A-10 in points per game (85.5) but allow opponents to shoot an effective field goal percentage of .572 (306th nationally). 2020 A-10 Rookie of the Year and Preseason All-A-10 First Team pick Tre Mitchell leads the A-10 and ranks 11th nationally with 22.5 points per game and shoots 61.5 percent from the floor (2nd in the league). A member of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Watch List, Mitchell also grabs 8.0 rebounds per contest. Javohn Garcia adds 15.0 points  and 2.3 assists per game for the Minutemen, while Carl Pierre (11.3 ppg) and Noah Fernandes (10.3 ppg) also average double figures.

UP NEXT
Mason returns to action Saturday when the Patriots play at Dayton. Tip-off inside UD Arena is set for 4:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network.