WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (0-0), St. Mary’s (Md.) (0-0)
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University men’s basketball team will give fans a preview of its 2024-25 squad this Saturday afternoon when the Patriots host St. Mary’s (Md.) in an exhibition game.
Tip-off between the Patriots and Seahawks is set for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, featuring commentary from Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland and former GM standout Chris Fleming (’09).
Saturday’s contest will mark the first exhibition matchup and 18th overall meeting between the Patriots and St. Mary’s. George Mason holds a 9-8 lead in the series, although the two teams have not met since the 1980-81 season. The Seahawks currently compete in the Div. III United East contest and tallied a 9-3 record in the league last year (16-12 overall). St. Mary’s assistant coach Karl Panton is a former assistant in the George Mason athletic communications office.
• 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 preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team selection Darius Maddox.
• George Mason enters the 2024-25 season as the No. 98 team in KenPom. It’s the Patriots’ first top-100 preseason ranking since 2013-14.
• The Patriots welcome a talented 5-member transfer class this season, which EvanMiya.com ranked 57th nationally earlier this summer.
• Mason also brings in a 3-member freshman class which includes guards Justin Begg (Houston, Texas) and Bryson Cokley (Whiteville, N.C.), as well as forward Stas Sivka.
• The Patriots open the regular season with a Nov. 4 home game vs. North Carolina Central. The Patriots will play nine non-conference home games, the most for the program since 1983-84. GM will play four true road games in the non-conference slate for the first time since 2021-22.
• The Green & Gold also will play two ranked road opponents during non-conference play for the first time since 2021-22. That includes tilts at No. 18 Marquette and No. 7 Duke.
