GMU Basketball Schedule: What to Expect

As the George Mason University Basketball season approaches, fans are wondering what to expect from the team. Here is a look at the GMU Basketball Schedule and what fans can expect from the team this season.

Upcoming games

The George Mason Patriots are scheduled to play the following teams in the upcoming season

-Nov. 6: James Madison
-Nov. 10: Howard
-Nov. 13: Towson
-Nov. 17: Southern Miss
-Nov. 20: Norfolk State
-Nov. 24: Old Dominion

Game recaps

In the first game of the season, the George Mason University (GMU) Patriots defeated the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers 92-66. The Patriots were led by Junior guard Justin Kier who scored 21 points and had 5 assists. Redshirt Sophomore forward AJ Wilson also had a big game scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. The Patriots controlled the game from start to finish, and their victory was never in doubt.

The next game on the schedule is against the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Hokies are a much tougher opponent than the Mountaineers, and the Patriots will have to play their best to come out with a win. The game will be played at GMU’s Bank Arena on November 12th at 7:00 pm.

Be sure to check back here for a recap of the GMU vs. Virginia Tech game!

Team analysis

After finishing last season with a disappointing 14-17 record, the George Mason men’s basketball team will look to Bounce Back in a big way this upcoming season Although the Patriots lost key contributors Jalen Hudson and Otis Livingston II to graduation, they welcome in a talented recruiting class that should help offset those losses. Head Coach Dave Paulsen enters his fourth season at the helm of the Patriots, and he will look to lead his team back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. Below is a brief analysis of each player on the GMU roster:

Guards:

Junior guard Justin Kier (6’4”, 190 lbs) is widely considered to be the best player on the team, and he will look to build upon an excellent sophomore campaign in which he averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 37.5% from three-point range Kier is an excellent scorer and playmaker who has the ability to take over a game offensively when needed; he will be counted on heavily to lead the Patriots this season.

Redshirt junior guard Jaire Grayer (6’5”, 200 lbs) also returns after an outstanding sophomore year in which he averaged 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 39% from three-point range. Grayer is an excellent all-around player who does a little bit of everything; he will be asked to shoulder a large load offensively this season with Hudson and Livingston no longer on the team.

Sophomore guard Ian Boyd (6’3″, 185 lbs) was one of the biggest surprises for GMU last season, as he emerged as a key contributor off the bench despite being just a freshman. Boyd is a gifted scorer with great range on his jump shot he will look to build upon his strong rookie campaign as he becomes more accustomed to playing at the Division I level.

Redshirt junior guard Greg Calixte (6’2″, 175 lbs) provides valuable depth at the guard position; he saw limited action last season but will look to carve out a larger role this year with increased playing time expected due to Hudson and Livingston’s departures. Calixte is a good shooter with decent athleticism; he could see significant minutes if injuries or foul trouble plague GMU’s guards this season

Player profiles

The GMU Basketball team is led by 5th year senior point guard Marquise Moore. Moore was nominated for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point guard and is a two-time Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year. The 6’2″ guard from Dumfries, Virginia is also one of only two players in CAA history with 1,500 points, 900 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals. He is joined in the backcourt by sophomore Justin Kier and freshman Jarred Reuter.

In the frontcourt, the Patriots will be looking to redshirt juniorSatchel Pierce to provide a spark after he averaged nearly 10 points and six rebounds per game last season. George Mason will also be relying on junior forward Otis Livingston II and sophomore guard Jaire Grayer to step up and fill key roles this season.

Game previews

The George Mason University men’s basketball season is underway and the team has already begun to make a name for themselves. They have played in some big games and have come out on top in many of them. With conference play right around the corner, here is a look at what to expect from the Patriots this season.

For starters, GMU will be facing off against some of the best teams in the country. This includes matchups against conference foes like VCU, Richmond, and Dayton. They will also have non-conference games against teams like Notre Dame Syracuse, and Kansas. So, there is no doubt that the Patriots will have their work cut out for them this season.

However, GMU has proved that they can compete with anyone in the country. They have already beaten two Top 25 teams in TCU and Wisconsin. They also nearly upset then-No. 1 Duke earlier in the season. So, if any team can put together a run in the NCAA Tournament it is George Mason University

With all of that said, be sure to catch the Patriots in action this season as they look to make some noise on the national stage.

Mason Madness

Mason students, alumni, and fans get ready for one of the most anticipated events of the season: Mason Madness! This pep rally style event gets everyone excited for the season ahead. The event is free and open to the public. It includes a performance by the school’s marching band, dance team and basketball team You can also expect appearances by the school’s mascot, Gunston the Patriot.

A-10 Tournament

The annual A-10 tournament will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York from March 13-17, 2019. All 14 teams in the A-10 conference will participate in the event, with the top four seeds receiving a bye to the quarterfinal round.

The tournament format consists of four rounds of play, with each game being held at the home arena of the higher-seeded team. The tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

In recent years the A-10 tournament has been dominated by the VCU Rams who have won four consecutive titles and five of the last six overall. Other contenders for this year’s title include the Rhode Island Rams, who finished the regular season as co-champions with VCU, as well as last year’s NCAA tournament participant Davidson Wildcats.

Be sure to catch all the action from this year’s A-10 tournament!

NCAA Tournament

The NCAA tournament is the most important event in college basketball This year, the tournament will be held from March 15-17. The first and second rounds will be played at neutral sites, with the regional games being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles CA. The Final Four will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.

The GMU men’s Basketball team is seeded sixth in the West Region and will play eleventh-seeded Xavier in the first round on March 15. If they win that game, they will play third-seeded Arizona or fourteenth-seeded North Dakota State in the second round on March 17. The full schedule is as follows:

March 15: First round – GMU vs. Xavier
March 17: Second round – GMU vs. Arizona or North Dakota State
March 24: Sweet Sixteen – TBD
March 26: Elite Eight – TBD
April 1: Final Four – TBD
April 3: National Championship Game – TBD

Post-Season Awards

Post-Season Awards:
-3/11 Atlantic 10 conference championships (Quarterfinals)
-3/12 A-10 Conference Championships (Semifinals)
-3/13 A-10 Conference Championships (Finals)
-3/14 NCAA Selection Show
-3/17 NCAA First Four (Dayton, OH)
-3/19 NCAA First Round
-3/21 NCAA Second Round

Off-Season

Although the GMU basketball team had a strong season last year, they unfortunately did not make it to the NCAA tournament However, fans can still catch them in action during the off-season. The team will be playing several exhibition games against local colleges and universities. Additionally, they will be hosting a skills camp for High School players.