WHERE: EagleBank Arena - Fairfax, Va.
WHEN: Monday, 7 p.m. 
RECORDS: George Mason (0-0), St. Thomas (0-0)
SERIES: First meeting
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FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team begins its two-game exhibition season with a home contest against St. Thomas (Fla.) on Monday night.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Bobcats is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland providing commentary.

PATRIOT POINTS
• The game marks the first on the sidelines for new head coach Tony Skinn ('06). Skinn was a key starter on George Mason's 2006 Final Four Team and returns to his alma mater after an assistant coaching career which included stops at Seton Hall, Ohio State and Maryland.

• During his assistant coaching career, he helped guided three different programs to the NCAA Tournament and was a part of six 20+ win campaigns.

• Skinn put together a revamped roster for the 2023-24 which includes 11 new players. Five student-athletes return from last season's team, led by senior Ronald Polite III who is a Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Third Team selection.

• Polite III improved in nearly every statistical category last season, including scoring (11.5 ppg vs. 4.9 ppg), assists (4.0 vs. 1.4), 3pt FG% (.364 vs. .219) and overall FG% (.441 vs. .360). He ranked 10th in the A-10 with a career-best 4.0 assists/game.

• In addition to Monday's game, Mason also will play at West Virginia (7 p.m.) in a charity exhibition on Friday, before opening the regular season at home vs. Monmouth on Nov. 6. It's the first of three-straight home games for the Green & Gold to kick off the campaign.

• Mason's nine new scholarship players include seven transfer student-athletes and two true freshmen.

• The Patriots were picked 10th in the 15-team Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, released on Oct. 17.

• Skinn's new coaching staff includes associate head coach Steve Curran, who worked alongside A-10 stalwart Mark Schmidt at St. Bonaventure for the last 13 seasons.

• Skinn also welcomes back former teammate Lamar Butler ('06) as director of player development. Butler was the 2006 NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player.

• The Green & Gold will look to build on last season's 20-win campaign. The Patriots went 11-7 in league play, matching program bests for A-10 wins (11) and A-10 Tournament seed (5).

• St. Thomas is an NAIA power which went 26-8 last season and reached the NAIA Sweet 16. The Bobcats welcome back their top scorer from last season, Milton Matthews (18.7 ppg).

• George Mason welcomed new athletic director Marvin Lewis to Fairfax this summer. Lewis played four seasons at Georgia Tech and averaged 11.0 points on the 2003-04 Yellow Jackets squad which reached the NCAA National Championship Game. Mason is the only Div. I school in the nation to have an athletic director and men's basketball head coach who competed in the NCAA Final Four.

UP NEXT
The Patriots wrap up their exhibition slate on Friday night in Morgantown, W. Va. George Mason will take on the Mountaineers at 7 p.m. in a contest that will be broadcast on ESPN+.