Nov. 7, 2006

The George Mason men's basketball team finished the 2005-06 season ranked No. 1 in the Mid-Major Top 25 and the Patriots will open the season ranked in the top 10 of that national poll as the Patriots were voted preseason No. 7. The poll is conducted by CollegeInsider.com.

The Patriots will face four of the top six teams this season, including three in the first four weeks of the year. The Patriots will face No. 5 Wichita State in Fairfax on Nov. 18, No. 1 Creighton in Omaha on Nov. 25 and No. 6 Bucknell at the Verizon Center in the BB&T Classic on Dec. 3.

The Patriots received 561 points in the poll, just four points behind Bucknell. Wichita State had 610 points, followed by Southern Illinois, which was No. 4 with 629 points. In third place was Colonial Athletic Association preseason favorite Hofstra, which will come to Fairfax on Feb. 10. The Pride has 681 points in the poll. Gonzaga, which was preseason No. 1 last year in the Mid-Major Top 25 and which finished the season No. 2 in the poll, is No. 2 in this preseason poll. Gonzaga's 729 points puts the Zags just 12 points behind Creighton.

Two other teams on Mason's schedule are ranked in the Top 25, led by Drexel, at No. 15, and Old Dominion, at No. 21. Mason faces Drexel on the road on Dec. 28 and the Patriots face Old Dominion on the road on Jan. 6 and at home on Feb. 3. Just four points outside the top 25 was UNC-Wilmington, which Mason will face twice. Also receiving votes was VCU, with 30.

The Patriots open the season on Saturday when they play at Cleveland State at 3 p.m.