WHERE: Al McGuire Center - Milwaukee, Wis.
WHEN: Friday, 9 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (1-0), #18/17 Marquette (1-0)
SERIES: First meeting
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MILWAUKEE - The George Mason University men's basketball team will face its first road test of the season Friday night when the Patriots play at No. 18/17 Marquette inside the on-campus Al McGuire Center.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Golden Eagles is set for 9 p.m. (ET). Friday's game will be broadcast nationally on Peacock, featuring commentary from Justin Kutcher and Nick Bahe. In addition, Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 8:45 p.m. (ET).

Marquette plays almost all of its games inside FiServ Forum, home of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Friday's game will be Marquette's first at the McGuire Center since Nov. 10, 2022. 

PATRIOT POINTS
• Friday's game is Mason's first against a ranked foe since the Patriots' 71-67 triumph over No. 16/16 Dayton on Feb. 21 in Fairfax. GM's last road win over a ranked foe came on Nov. 17, 2021 at No. 20/21 Maryland (71-66).

• The Patriots opened the season with a 75-58 home victory over NC Central Monday. Mason has now won six of its past eight campaign debuts and is 35-24 (.593) all time in opening contests.

• The Green & Gold held the Eagles to just 28.1 percent (16-57) shooting and were +20 (48-28) on the glass in the win.

• Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team selection Darius Maddox led the Patriots with a game-high 17 points (7-7 FT). Giovanni Emejuru (11), Jalen Haynes (11) and Brayden O'Connor (11) also reached double figures in the win.

• In Monday's win, the Patriots made 55.9 percent of their two point attempts and converted 31 free throws, but shot just 2-of-17 (.188) from 3pt range.

• The Patriots are coming off a season in which GM notched 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 Green & Gold return two starters and six letter winners overall from that team, led by Maddox. In addition, EvanMiya.com ranked Mason's five-member transfer class 57th nationally.

• George Mason's opening night lineup ranked as the 31st oldest in the nation. The Patriots feature four fifth-year student-athletes as well as three players in their fourth season of eligibility.

• The Patriots were picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, released on Oct. 7 at the league's media day. GM will face four of the conference's preseason top-5 teams on the road.

• George Mason entered the 2024-25 season as the No. 98 team in KenPom (and is currently No. 95). It marked the Patriots' first top-100 preseason ranking since 2013-14.

• Maddox currently ranks eighth in the country in career 3pt percentage (.418, 132-316) when you combine his seasons at GM and Virginia Tech.

PATRIOTS TO FACE SERIES OF CHALLENGING ROAD TESTS
George Mason will play three non-conference road games against teams which won at least one game in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. First up on Nov. 8, the Patriots will head to Milwaukee to battle No. 18/17 Marquette, which reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 2 seed. Then, GM will battle former CAA rival James Madison on Black Friday. The Dukes upset No. 5 Wisconsin as a No. 12 seed in the 2024 Big Dance. The tests will culminate with the program's first trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium since 2006-07. The Patriots will face No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg and the seventh-ranked Duke Blue Devils in Durham on Dec. 17. Duke advanced to the 2024 Elite Eight.

HISTORY vs. MARQUETTE
Friday's contest marks the first ever meeting between George Mason and Marquette in men's basketball.

HISTORY vs. BIG EAST OPPONENTS
George Mason is 4-11 (.267) all time against schools currently in the BIG EAST Conference. The Patriots' most common foes are Villanova (1-4) and Creighton (1-3). Despite the DMV proximity, George Mason has played Georgetown just once (1985). Friday's matchup is Mason's first against a BIG EAST foe since the Patriots' 61-57 win over Villanova on March 18, 2011, in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. In fact, each of the Patriots' past two NCAA wins has come against a BIG EAST program (2006 Elite Eight win over UConn).

PATRIOTS ON THE ROAD AGAINST A RANKED FOE
George Mason will face No. 18/17 Marquette Friday in the team's first road game against a top-25 foe since last season's game at No. 17/13 Tennessee on Dec. 5. The Patriots' last road win over a ranked opponent came on November 17, 2021, when GM knocked off No. 20/21 Maryland, 71-66, in College Park. George Mason's most recent win over a ranked opponent in any venue came on Feb. 21 last season, when the Green & Gold defeated No. 16/16 Dayton, 71-67. It marked the first home win over a top-25 team for the Patriots in school history.

A LOOK AT THE #18/17 GOLDEN EAGLES (1-0, 0-0 BIG EAST; KenPom #16)
Marquette was picked to finish fourth out of 11 teams in the 2024-25 BIG EAST Preseason Poll. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 27-win season (14-6 BIG EAST) that culminated with a trip to the 2024 NCAA Sweet 16. Despite losing First Team All-American and former Patriot Tyler Kolek, the Golden Eagles return six of their top eight scorers heading into this season. That group includes Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection Kam Jones, who poured in a highly-efficient 32 points (14-16 FG) in Marquette's 102-62 drubbing of Stony Brook on Monday night. Chase Ross (23 points, 9-11 FG) and David Joplin (13 points) also reached double figures in the win. The Golden Eagles are led by former VCU head coach Shaka Smart.

UP NEXT
The Patriots return home for a pair of games as part of the Marquette Challenge. George Mason will host Stony Brook on Monday (Nov. 11) and Central Michigan on Wednesday (Nov. 13). Both games will tip at 7 p.m. and air on ESPN+.