WASHINGTON – George Mason University men's basketball senior guard Darius Maddox has been named to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team, the league office announced Monday at its annual Media Day.
 
In addition, the Patriots were picked sixth out of 15 teams in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll.
 
Maddox put together an outstanding first season in a Patriots uniform in 2023-24. The Bowie, Md., product, ranked t-7th in the A-10 in 3pt FG percentage (.414) and was ninth in 3pt FG made/game (2.31) and minutes/game (33:54). He also checked in second on the Patriots and 14th in the conference in scoring (14.0 ppg). Maddox led the team in 3pt FG made (67) and was third in assists (53).
 
He elevated his game in league play, where he averaged 14.6 points and shot 41.1 percent from deep over 18 A-10 contests. Overall, he notched 10+ points in 25 of 29 games and knocked down 3+ 3-point field goals in 12 contests. He was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week on March 11.
 
The Patriots were picked sixth in the league's preseason poll while coming off a 2023-24 season in which the team earned 20 regular season (pre-conference tournament) wins for the first time since 2011-12 and a top-100 NET/KenPom ranking for the first time since 2010-11. 
 
The Patriots earned four top-100 NET victories and defeated two teams which qualified for the NCAA Tournament (Dayton, South Dakota State). George Mason's win over #16 Dayton was its first ever over a ranked foe at home and also marked the highest-ranked win by a Patriot program in regular season history.
 
The Green & Gold return two starters from that squad, including Maddox and senior captain Jared Billups. GM also brings back three additional letter winners, including Woody Newton, Austin Ball and 2023 All-SoCon Third Team selection Jalen Haynes (ETSU).
 
The Green & Gold will bring in five transfers for the 2024-25 campaign, including forward Giovanni Emejuru (Siena), guard Jeremiah Quigley (Iona), guard K.D. Johnson (Auburn), guard Brayden O'Connor (UMass Lowell) and forward Zach Anderson (FGCU). That group is ranked 57th nationally among transfer classes by EvanMiya.com. George Mason's three athlete freshman class includes guard Justin Begg (Houston, Texas) and forwards Bryson Cokley (Whiteville, N.C.) and Staš Sivka (Celje, Slovenia).
 
George Mason opens the regular season on November 4 with a 7 p.m. home contest against North Carolina Central.
 
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll
1) VCU (14) – 421
2) Dayton (6) – 394
3) Saint Joseph's (5) – 376
4) Saint Louis (2) – 371
5) Loyola Chicago (2) – 368
6) George Mason – 262
7) Richmond – 230
8) Duquesne (1) – 222
9) Massachusetts – 215
10) St. Bonaventure – 210
11) Rhode Island – 159
12) Davidson – 118
13) George Washington – 111
14) Fordham – 80
15) La Salle – 62
 
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
Posh Alexander – Dayton
Darius Maddox – George Mason
Darren Buchanan Jr. – George Washington
Xzayvier Brown – Saint Joseph's
Joe Bamisile – VCU
Zeb Jackson - VCU