WHERE: UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse - Pittsburgh, Pa.
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (13-11, 5-6), Duquesne (15-8, 5-5)
SERIES: Duquesne leads, 8-6
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FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason and Duquesne will meet for the first time since February 2020 when the Patriots and Dukes match up Wednesday night in the Steel City.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Dukes is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+. In addition, Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• The Patriots are coming off a 69-61 setback at Loyola Chicago in which George Mason shot a season-low 32 percent from the floor. Graduate guard Victor Bailey Jr. played just seven minutes due to a hand injury. 

• Three Patriots scored 14 points in the game, including junior Malik Henry, who also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots. He averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in two games against the Ramblers this season. 

• The 14-point club also included Ronald Polite III (9-10 FT, team-high four assists) and DeVon Cooper (6-6 FT, two assists). 

• Senior Josh Oduro added 10 points and eight rebounds. The 2022 First Team All-A-10 selection leads the league with 9.7 rebounds/contest in conference play, is fourth in scoring (17.4 ppg) and sixth in field goal percentage (.575). Oduro also paces the league in offensive boards/contest in A-10 play (3.9). 

• George Mason shot 78.1 percent (25-32) from the free throw line at Loyola and made 25+ free throws in a game for the first time since November 2019. The Patriots rank 331st nationally in free throw percentage (.648) but are shooting 77.6 percent (38-49) over the past two games.

• However, over the past four games, the Patriots are shooting at a 40.1 percent overall clip (87-217). 
 
• Oduro is just the fourth player in school history with 1,200 career points, 600 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 assists. 

• In true road games, Oduro leads the Patriots with 15.4 points/game. Victor Bailey Jr. is at 12.1 points/contest, while Ronald Polite III improves upon his season averages (11.8 ppg, 6.0 apg).

• Freshman guard Justyn Fernandez has started six of the past seven games. He is averaging 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 21.4 minutes and shooting 38.5 percent (10-26) from 3pt range during that stretch. 

• Mason ranks second in the A-10 and 59th nationally in 3pt FG percentage (.364). That's the fifth-best mark in school history.

• Over the past three games, Mason foes are shooting just 27.3 percent (18-66) from long distance. The Patriots rank 41st nationally in 3pt defense this season (.306). HISTORY vs. DUQUESNE
Wednesday's matchup marks the 15th all-time meeting between Mason and Duquesne. The Dukes lead the series 8-6 and have won six of the eight Atlantic 10 matchups. The last four meetings between the teams have come down to the wire, with three of the games being decided by five total points and the other going to double overtime. However, the two teams have not met since a pre-pandemic contest on February 29, 2020, due to COVID-19 cancellations in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. Duquesne won that game in Moon Township, 81-78. Wednesday's game will mark Mason's first at the renovated UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. The teams have not played in Fairfax since February 23, 2019. 

A LOOK AT THE DUKES (15-8, 5-5 A-10; NET #119, KenPom #113)
Duquesne was picked to finish 15th in the 2022-23 A-10 preseason poll but has exceeded expectations under head coach Keith Dambrot. The Dukes went 10-3 in non-conference play and are 5-5 in A-10 games, including a win over VCU. Duquesne features a top-100 offense (1.1 points/possession) and ranks 36th nationally (first in the A-10) in 3pt FG percentage (.372). Dae Dae Grant leads the Dukes in scoring (15.5 ppg) to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists/contest. Jimmy Clark III adds 12.5 points/game and is 12th nationally with 2.3 steals/game. RJ Gunn Jr. chips in 10.1 points/game and shoots 43.8 percent from 3pt range. 

UP NEXT
George Mason returns home for a Saturday afternoon contest vs. Rhode Island. Tip-off between the Patriots and Rams is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised on MASN2. George Mason won the first matchup this season, 79-72, in Kingston on Jan. 21.