WHERE: EagleBank Arena - Fairfax, Va.
WHEN: Saturday, 4 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (18-5, 9-1), Rhode Island (15-7, 4-6)
SERIES: Series tied, 1-1
TELEVISION: Monumental Sports Network
LIVE VIDEO: Click here
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
TICKETS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

PROMOTION: Homecoming Festival & Tailgate, 12-3 p.m. (Lot L)

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team (18-5, 9-1) returns to Fairfax to host the University's annual Homecoming Game on Saturday vs. Rhode Island (15-7, 4-6).

Tip-off between the Patriots and Rams is set for 4 p.m. Saturday's game will be televised regionally on Monumental Sports Network and streamed nationally on ESPN+. The broadcast will feature commentary from Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland and Craig Esherick. In addition, Steve Kolbe will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 3:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• The Patriots currently own the nation's eighth-longest win streak. GM has won eight in a row and 16 of its past 18 games.

• Mason is coming off a 53-50 win at GW Wednesday night to complete the regular season sweep of the Revs. It marked the fewest points GM has scored in a road win since 2009 and the lowest scoring output for GW since the 2020-21 season.

• The Patriots are in sole possession of first place in the A-10 and are three games ahead of fourth in the league ledger.

• The Green & Gold are off to the best A-10 start in program history (9-1). GM's 18-5 record marks the Patriots' best overall start since 2011-12. That team started 18-5 (10-1 CAA).

• Jalen Haynes led the Patriots with an A-10 career-best 17 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists and a season-high three steals. Over the past three games, he's averaging a team-best 14.3 points as well as 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals and 2.0 assists while shooting 52.8 percent from the floor.

• The Patriots are 4-0 in their last four contests decided by five points or less, including each of the past three games.

• GM held a +3 turnover margin Wednesday night, improving the Patriots to 8-0 when they win the turnover battle.

• George Mason ranks second in the nation in FG defense (.365) while also ranking high in effective FG defense (2nd, .430), 2pt defense (3rd, .425) and 3pt defense (15th, .292). The Patriots are eighth in scoring defense (61.6 ppg allowed) and 10th in overall defensive efficiency (0.936 points/possession).

• To put those numbers in perspective, since the addition of the 3pt line to college basketball in 1986-87, only 13 teams have held opponents under 37 percent from the floor, under 43 percent from 2, under 30 percent from 3, under 43 percent effective FG% and under 63.0 points/game for an entire season. Nine of those teams made the NCAA Tournament and four made the Final Four.

• The Patriots are 15-1 when shooting 30 percent or better from from 3pt range on the season.

• George Mason's eight-game A-10 win streak is its longest in program history and the longest overall conference win streak since the Patriots rattled off 14-straight in 2010-11.

• The Patriots will not play back-to-back home or road games for the remainder of the A-10 schedule.

• George Mason is receiving votes in this week's AP top-25 poll. The Patriots are ranked 70th nationally in the Feb. 7 NET. GM also is 74th in the Ken Pomeroy rankings. It marks the Patriots' highest spot in the KenPom ledger since December 2011.

HISTORY vs. RHODE ISLAND
Saturday's matchup marks the 17th all-time meeting between Mason and Rhode Island. The series is tied 8-8, although the Patriots have won four of the past five matchups. GM holds a 4-3 edge in Fairfax.

Earlier this season, the Patriots dropped a 62-59 contest at the Ryan Center on January 4. GM led 34-25 at the break and 54-48 with 5:18 to go. But the Rams used a late 8-0 spurt to take the lead and held off the Patriots with a last second jumper after Brayden O'Connor tied it up for the Patriots (59-59) with 11 seconds to play. The Patriots held URI to just 33 percent (7-22) from the floor. But the Rams were +11 (15-4) from the free throw line in the second half and held a 15-9 edge in second chance points. GM went 9-of-18 from the line (.500) and 2-of-17 (.118) from 3pt range in the loss.

Darius Maddox led the Patriots with 14 points and four rebounds, while Woody Newton added 13 points (5-8 FG) and Brayden O'Connor chipped in 12 points (5-9 FG). Maddox has averaged 19.7 points/game in three career contests against the Rams.

A LOOK AT THE RAMS (15-7, 4-6 A-10; NET #118, KenPom #122)
Rhode Island was picked 11th out of 15 teams in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. URI leads the A-10 and ranks ninth nationally in free throws made/game (18.3) and is 12th in the country in defensive rebounds/contest (28.25). The Rams average 70.4 possessions/game (35th nationally) and lead the league in points/game (78.9). Sebastian Thomas ranks second in the A-10 in scoring (19.1 ppg) and leads the conference in assist/contest (5.8). David Green adds 14.7 points and adds 6.2 rebounds/contest while Jaden House chips in 11.7 points/game.

UP NEXT
George Mason goes west for a Tuesday night battle at Saint Louis. Tip-off Wednesday (Feb. 11) between the Patriots and Billikens is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and televised regionally on FanDuel Sports Network.