WHERE: EagleBank Arena - Fairfax, Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (0-1, 0-0), Longwood (0-1, 0-0)
SERIES: George Mason leads, 3-0
LIVE VIDEO: Click here
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)
TICKETS: Click here
THEME NIGHT: Military Appreciation
HALFTIME PERFORMANCE: Red Panda Acrobat

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team hosts 2022 Big South champion Longwood for the Patriots' home opener Friday night in Fairfax.

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

PATRIOT POINTS
• Mason went 10-4 (.714) at home last season, marking the program's best home winning percentage since 2011-12.

• The Patriots began the season on the road Monday for the first time since 2008-09. Mason dropped a 70-52 contest at #15 Auburn.

• Mason held the potent Tiger attack to just 33.8 percent (24-71) from the floor and 16 percent (4-25) from 3pt range.

• Despite that defensive prowess, the Patriots committed 19 turnovers, leading to 21 Auburn points. The Tigers also grabbed 22 offensive rebounds, which led to a 25-10 edge in second chance points. That marked the most offensive boards by a Patriot opponent since a Jan. 20, 2018 loss at Duquesne.

• Junior guard Ronald Polite III led Mason in points (10) and assists (4). It marked the third 10+ point effort of his career.

• Graduate student Victor Bailey Jr. added nine points and five rebounds in his Mason debut, while senior Josh Oduro chipped in eight points and four rebounds.

• The Patriots are picked fifth out of 15 teams in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. That is tied for Mason's top preseason prognostication since joining the league in 2013-14.

THREE'S COMPANY
George Mason returns three double digit scorers for just the third time since the 2005-06 Final Four season. What's more, Mason joins Saint Louis as one of just two A-10 programs to bring back three players who averaged 10+ points. The Patriot trio is made up of senior Josh Oduro (17.7 ppg in 2021-22), graduate student DeVon Cooper (11.6 ppg) and senior Davonte "Ticket" Gaines (10.2 ppg).

BROTHERLY LOVE
George Mason senior Josh Oduro and his freshman brother, Peter Oduro, are the first brothers to play for the Patriots since Mark and Steve Schultz suited up for the Green & Gold in 1977-78. Nationally, they are one of just 25 sets of brothers who play for the same team in Division I college basketball.

HISTORY vs. THE BIG SOUTH
Mason is 24-9 (.727) all time against teams currently in the Big South Conference. The Patriots'  most common opponents are fellow Commonwealth program Radford (14-4), as well as Charleston Southern (4-2) and Campbell (2-3). In the Patriots' most recent matchup with a Big South foe, Mason defeated Longwood, 76-65, on November 8, 2019, inside EagleBank Arena.

HISTORY vs. IN-STATE, DIVISION I OPPONENTS
Friday's game marks the 412th all time contest for Mason against an in-state, Div. I foe. The Patriots are 191-220 (.465) vs. Commonwealth opponents over the past 55 seasons. Harkening back to its CAA history, Mason's most common in-state opponents are James Madison (49-51), William & Mary (40-28), Richmond (26-41), VCU (22-45) and Old Dominion (22-37).

HISTORY vs. LONGWOOD
George Mason and Longwood will meet for the fourth time on Friday. Mason has won the previous three meetings, all of which have been played in Fairfax. Most recently, Mason won 76-65 on November 8, 2019. Then-freshman Josh Oduro tallied 10 points (4-7 FG) four rebounds and two blocks in the win.

A LOOK AT THE LANCERS (0-1, 0-0 BIG SOUTH; KenPom #161)
Longwood was picked to win the Big South in 2022-23 after capturing the league's regular season and tournament titles this past season. The Lancers advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, where the team fell to third-seeded Tennessee, 88-56. Longwood returns 11 letter winners from that championship team, including Big South Preseason All-Conference selections Isaiah Wilkins and DeShaun Wade. Wilkins averaged a team-best 12.7 points last season, while Wade added 11.8 points per contest and shot 44.8 percent from 3pt range. Longwood opened the 2022-23 campaign at No. 20 Alabama Monday, where the Lancers fell to the Crimson Tide, 75-54. James Madison transfer Michael Christmas led the Lancers with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals.

UP NEXT
The Patriots remain in Fairfax to host intra-DMV foe American on Sunday. Tip-off between the Patriots and Eagles is set for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+