WASHINGTON – The George Mason University men's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2026-27 Atlantic 10 preseason poll, the league office announced at its annual media day on Monday.
 
The fourth-place preseason ranking is tied for the highest the Patriots have been picked since joining the league in 2013-14.
 
In addition to the poll, senior point guard Baraka Okojie was named to the Preseason All-A10 Second Team, while graduate guard Brayden O'Connor garnered a spot on the Preseason All-A10 Third Team. It's the second-straight season O'Connor has earned preseason all-conference honors.
 
Okojie Returns To George Mason, Garners Second Team Accolades
One of two A-10 All-Rookie selections in George Mason history, Okojie has since suited up for Memphis (2024-25) and Mercer (2025-26). With the Bears this past season, he ranked second in the Southern Conference in scoring (19.7 ppg) en route to First Team All-Conference accolades.
 
Okojie's 19.7 points per game last season also ranked 37^th in the country, while his 5.3 assists/game led the SoCon and placed him 44^th nationally. He also was fifth in the league in A/TO ratio (2.05) and sixth in steals/game (1.35).
 
Okojie's elite ability to get to the line as a freshman in Fairfax elevated to another level during his junior campaign. He ranked third in the nation in free throws made (224) and was seventh in attempts (274). His 7.5 fouls drawn/40 minutes ranked ninth in the country.
 
A NABC All-District Second Team pick, he scored 10+ points in all 31 games and 20+ in 14 of those contests. He poured in a career-best 29 points in two games and dished out a personal best 12 assists in two contests. He was one of just three players nationally to have three games with 20+ points, 10+ free throws made and 8+ assists.
 
O'Connor Named To Third Team Ahead of Graduate Campaign
A 2025-26 Preseason All-A10 First Team pick, O'Connor broke his foot midway through last season's opener and missed the remaining 32 games of the season.
 
He started all 36 games for George Mason at point guard in 2024-25 and ranked second on the Patriots at 28.1 minutes/game while leading the team in assists/contest (3.0). He also was third in scoring (9.1 ppg) on a squad that tied the school record with 27 victories and earned a share of the A-10 regular season title for the first time in program history.
 
An efficient scorer in addition to his distribution prowess, O'Connor shot 37.6 percent from 3pt range, 44.8 percent overall and 80.4 percent from the line in 2024-25.
 
He paced the Patriots in assists in a team-high 15 games and the team was 14-2 when he notched at least four assists in a game. He scored 10+ points on 16 occasions.

A proven winner over his four seasons of college basketball, O'Connor's teams at George Mason (2024-26) and UMass Lowell (2022-24) are a combined 98-37 (48-20 in league play).
 
Patriots Picked In Highest-Ever Position Ahead of Season
The league's coaches and select media members picked the Patriots fourth in the preseason poll announced Monday. Alongside 2018-19, it's tied for the highest the Patriots have been picked since joining the A10 in 2013-14.
 
Under head coach Tony Skinn ('06)m the 2024-25 A-10 Coach of the Year, the Patriots have set new program bests for overall wins (70), league wins (35), overall winning percentage (.693) and league winning percentage (.648) for a staff over their first three campaigns. What's more, Skinn's 69.3 overall winning percentage ranks 17th nationally amongst current Division I head coaches with at least three seasons at the helm. 

Skinn is the first coach in school history to lead his teams to three-straight 20-win seasons. The fastest bench boss to 50 wins in program annals, Skinn has guided the Patriots to two consecutive NIT appearances, marking the first time since 2007-09 the program has reached back-to-back postseasons (NCAA or NIT). Mason is one of just three A-10 programs during Skinn's tenure to finish in the NET top-100 all three seasons.

In just three campaigns at the helm, Skinn has mentored five All-A-10 selections, three NABC All-District picks and the 2025 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. 
 
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
1) VCU (11) – 308
2) Saint Louis (10) – 307
3) Dayton (2) – 279
4) George Mason – 240
5) George Washington – 207
6) Saint Joseph's – 181
7) Fordham – 169
8) Davidson – 144
9) Richmond – 138
10) Duquesne – 130
11) Loyola Chicago – 116
12) Rhode Island – 104
13) La Salle – 59
14) St. Bonaventure - 33