By Malcolm Price
1 15 2025
WHERE: UD Arena – Dayton, Ohio
WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (12-5, 3-1), Dayton (11-5, 1-2)
SERIES: George Mason trails, 6-10
TELEVISION: CBS Sports Network
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University men’s basketball team (12-5, 3-1) hits the road for a nationally-televised contest at Dayton (11-5, 1-2) on Wednesday night inside UD Arena.
Tip-off between the Patriots and Flyers is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network, featuring commentary from Tom McCarthy and Chris Walker. In addition, Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.
PATRIOT POINTS
• The Patriots have won 10 of their past 12 games and are coming off a 77-70 win over Massachusetts on Saturday. The win improved the Patriots to 3-1 in A-10 play for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign, when GM started 4-1.
• Senior Darius Maddox led the Patriots with an A-10 season-high 18 points vs. the Minutemen, while junior Brayden O’Connor added 11 points, three assists and three rebounds.
• In A-10 play, O’Connor is averaging team highs in points (14.5/game) and assists (3.0/game) while shooting 50 percent (18-36) from the floor.
• Senior Jalen Haynes tallied nine points and eight rebounds in 16 first-half minutes, before leaving the game (concussion protocol). He is listed as day-to-day.
• GM was +17 (43-26) on the glass vs. UMass and now holds a +11.8 average rebounding margin through four league games (1st in A-10). In overall games, the Patriots lead the league and rank 22nd nationally in rebounding margin (+7.2).
• GM has yet to allow an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the floor this season thru 17 games. During Tony Skinn’s first season at the helm, the Patriots held opponents to below 50 percent over the first 19 games last season.
• What’s more, GM has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting in 13 of 17 games (.765) this season. Since 1998-99, GM’s best rate holding opponents under 40 percent is in 20 of 33 games in 2008-09 (.606).
• George Mason is fourth nationally in FG defense (.359) while also ranking high in 2pt defense (3rd, .408) and effective FG defense (7th, .427). The Patriots are 12th in scoring defense (62.1 ppg allowed) and 33rd in overall defensive efficiency (0.968 points/possession).
• The Patriots are 11-1 when shooting 30 percent or better from from 3pt range on the season.
• Turnovers often tell the story for the Patriots this season. GM is 7-1 when committing less than 15 turnovers and averages only 12.3 miscues in wins. GM is at 16.0/game in losses.
• In league games, George Mason leads the A-10 in scoring defense (61.8 ppg), but opponents have shot 36.9 percent (31-84) from 3pt range, compared to the team’s 28.1 percent 3pt defense clip (98-349) during non-conference play.
• Dayton is 36-8 (.818) vs. A-10 foes inside UD Arena since the 2018-19 campaign. George Mason holds two of those opponent victories (2019 and 2023).
• The Patriots are ranked 86th nationally in the Jan. 14 NET. GM also is 88th in the Ken Pomeroy rankings.
HISTORY vs. DAYTON
Wednesday’s matchup marks the 17th all-time meeting between George Mason and Dayton. Dayton holds a 10-6 advantage in the series, although the Patriots have won the last three matchups. The Flyers hold a 6-2 edge inside UD Arena. In addition to their league battles, the two programs also played a four year home-and-home series from 2007-2010, before the Patriots joined the A-10 in 2013-14.
Last season, the Patriots knocked off #16/16 Dayton, 71-67, on Feb. 21 in Fairfax to earn the first home win over a top-25 team in school history. It also marked the highest ranked regular season win in program annals. Trailing 40-29 in the second half, the Patriots blitzed Dayton with a 24-2 run to go up 53-42, then held on late as the Flyers surged back with a furious rally.
A LOOK AT THE FLYERS (11-5, 1-2 A-10; NET #61, KenPom #54)
Dayton was picked to finish second in the A-10 preseason poll. The Flyers put together an outstanding non-conference resume, with wins over Northwestern (71-66), Connecticut (85-67) and Marquette (71-63). UD is 1-2 to start A-10 play and is coming off back-to-back losses at George Washington (82-62) and Massachusetts (76-72). Dayton features the league’s most efficient offense (1.162 points/possession) and turns the ball over on just 14.4 percent of possessions (20th nationally). Preseason All-A-10 selection Nate Santos leads the team with 14.5 points/game and shoots 40.5 percent (34-84) from 3pt range. Enoch Cheeks adds 12.5 points and a team-best 7.1 rebounds/contest, while Zed Key chips in 11.9 points/game and shoots 61.3 percent from the floor. Malachi Smith rounds out the double-figure scorers with 10.9 points/game.
UP NEXT
George Mason returns home for a nationally-televised Saturday afternoon contest vs. rival George Washington. Tip-off inside EagleBank Arena is set for 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on USA Network.
COURTESY GEORGE MASON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
