WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Siegel Center, Richmond, Va.
RECORDS: Mason (13-10, 2-8), VCU (17-6, 7-3)
SERIES RECORD: Mason trails, 20-42
TELEVISION: ESPNU
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LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team makes its annual trek to the Siegel Center for a nationally-televised Wednesday night contest at VCU.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Rams is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, featuring commentary from Mike Corey and Julianne Viani. In addition, Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage set to begin at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• The Patriots are coming off a tough 69-67 loss at UMass on Sunday. Mason trailed 66-52 with five minutes to go, but used a 14-0 run to tie it up with 1:23 remaining. The Patriots had two chances to win or send it to overtime over the final 30 seconds, but could not convert.

• Junior Javon Greene led Mason with a game-high 19 points at UMass. He is fifth in the A-10 in scoring in league play (17.2 ppg) and third in steals (2.5 spg). He's scored 10+ points in seven of the past eight contests and 19 of 23 games overall.

• Sophomore Jordan Miller added 12 points at UMass, including the bucket to tie it up late. He's averaging 13.5 points over the past two games.

• Sophomore Jamal Hartwell II continued his improved shooting with 10 points (2-5 3pt FG) at UMass. After a prolonged slump from deep, Hartwell II has made six of 13 3-point attempts (.462) over the past two contests.

• Mason is 6-1 when scoring 70 or more points this season, but just 7-9 when scoring less than 70. The Patriots are 2-7 when not hitting at 40 percent or better from the field.

• Mason is 1-6 since Justin Kier's injury on Jan. 14.

• Freshman point guard Xavier Johnson has served as Mason's premier driver of the basketball this season. He ranks 76th nationally in free throw rate (.566) and excels from the stripe where he shoots 75.4 percent. Johnson has played at least 31 minutes in every A-10 game this season.

• Mason is wrapping up a stretch of its A-10 schedule in which the Patriots play five of seven games on the road. After Wednesday's game, Mason will play three of its next four in EagleBank Arena.

• AJ Wilson is fourth in the nation in blocks/game (3.3). He is fourth on Mason's all-time blocks list (147) and his 75 blocks in 2019-20 are second-most in single-season school history. He needs just three more blocks to overtake George Evans (1998-99) for the top spot.

• Wilson's activity around the rim has propelled the Patriots into the top-50 nationally in both blocks per game (4.7, 32nd) and offensive rebounds per contest (11.96, 44th).

• Mason is 295th nationally in experience (1.31 years/player). The Patriots started two freshmen and two sophomores at UMass.

HISTORY vs. VCU
Wednesday's game marks the 63rd all-time meeting between old CAA and current A-10 foes George Mason and VCU. Mason is 13-13 at home, 6-22 on the road and 1-7 on neutral courts vs. VCU (20-42 overall). The Rams have won 15 of the past 19 meetings and 11 of the 13 games in Atlantic 10 play. The last Patriot triumph came on February 18, 2018, when the Green & Gold claimed an 81-80 victory in Richmond after a last-second, buzzer-beating tip-in from current Mason senior Ian Boyd.

In the A-10 opener this season on January 5, VCU won 72-59 in Fairfax. Mason shot 30.3 percent in the opening frame and made 2-of-13 3-point attempts as VCU climbed out to a 33-22 lead. The Patriots made a much improved 11-of-24 attempts (.458) in the second half, but could not move closer than six for the rest of the contest. Four Patriots scored at least 10 points in the contest, led by junior Javon Greene who tallied 13 to go along with four assists, three steals and three rebounds. Justin Kier and Jordan Miller each chipped in 11 points, while freshman Xavier Johnson had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Kier and Johnson helped Mason hold a 26-13 edge in bench scoring for the game.

A LOOK AT THE RAMS (17-6, 7-3 A-10; NET No.  35, KenPom No. 41)
VCU was picked to win the A-10 and received 19 of 28 first place votes in the 2019-20 A-10 preseason poll. The Rams posted a 10-3 non-conference record and are 7-3 to begin league play. The Rams feature their usual brand of havoc defense and rank in the top-10 nationally in turnover margin (+5.2), steals per game (9.6) and turnovers forced/game (17.87).

Preseason All-A-10 Third Team pick Marcus Santos-Silva leads the Rams with 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds/game while ranking 37th nationally in field goal percentage (.572). Senior De'Riante Jenkins averages 10.9 points/contest while preseason All-A-10 First Team selection Marcus Evans is at 10.7 points, 3.0 assists/contest and shoots 40 percent from 3-point range. In A-10 play, freshman Bones Hyland averages 11.1 points and shoots 49 percent (25-51) from beyond the arc.