George Mason (8-7, 4-5) hits the floor for the first time since January 30th when they lost to St. Bonaventure, 84-67.
Prior to the loss to the Bonnies, Mason had won three out of four games.
The Patriots will face Dayton (10-5, 6-4) for the second time this season. Friday’s game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2, featuring commentary from Mike Corey and Seth Greenberg.
In the first contest, Dayton came away with a 74-65 win. Mason erased an 18 point deficit to tie the game at 63 with 2:41 left but they would run out of gas. They would make only make one field goal the rest of the game. The Flyers were led by Jalen Crutcher’s 26 points. Mason got 16 points from Tyler Kolek.
Keys:
Defending the Three Point Line
In the first meeting, Dayton shot 12-25 from the three point line. It’s been an issue all season. Mason is 11th in the conference in three-point shooting percentage defense.
Third Scorer
For most of the season, the Patriots have been able to count on Jordan Miller and Tyler Kolek on offense. Finding a third scorer will be a must if they want to defeat the Flyers. The first time around, Mason had four players score in double-figures and still didn’t win. In the rematch, if the defense improves, finding a third scorer could keep the game close.
Offensive Boards
The first time around, Mason only grabbed four offensive rebounds. The Patriots are second in the Atlantic 10 in offensive rebounding. That strength must show up in the rematch.
