WHERE: EagleBank Arena - Fairfax, Va.
WHEN: Tuesday, 6 p.m.
RECORDS: George Mason (23-9), Liberty (25-7)
SERIES: George Mason leads, 6-3
TELEVISION: ESPN2
LIVE VIDEO: Click here 
LIVE AUDIO: Click here
LIVE STATS: Click here
TICKETS: Click here
GAME NOTES: Click here (PDF)

PROMOTION: GREEN OUT! Wear Green and DEFEND NOVA

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason University men's basketball team (23-9) suits up for its second-straight NIT appearance Tuesday when the Patriots host Liberty (25-7) for an in-state battle in Fairfax.

Tip-off between the Patriots and Flames is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday's game will be televised nationally on ESPN2, featuring commentary from Kevin Fitzgerald and Randolph Childress. In addition, Voice of the Patriots Bill Rohland will call the game on the GoMason Digital Network, with streaming coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m.

PATRIOT POINTS
• It's George Mason's sixth NIT bid in school history. The Patriots have now made back-to-back postseasons (NCAA or NIT) for the first time since 2007-09. Prior to last season, GMU had not made an NCAA or NIT appearance since 2010-11.

• Last season, the Patriots won their first NIT game since 2004 with an 86-69 first round win over Samford.

• George Mason finished fifth in the 2025-26 Atlantic 10 standings after posting 11 league victories. Juniors Kory Mincy and Riley Allenspach garnered All-Atlantic 10 Second Team accolades for their outstanding performances this season.

• Since the start of the 2024-25 season, Mason ranks second in the A-10 and t-27th nationally in total wins (50). This season, GMU's 23 victories are tied for fifth most in school history.

• Last time out, the Patriots fell to St. Bonaventure, 63-57, in the A-10 Second Round Thursday. GMU led 34-24 at the half and 55-50 with 6:25 to go, but could only convert one field goal for the remainder of the game.

• Kory Mincy is averaging 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and shooting 47.2 percent (.471 3pt FG) over the past three contests. He's battled through his thumb injury since the Feb. 4 game vs. Duquesne and is rounding back into form over the past two weeks.

• The Patriots are 12-0 when holding their opponent to under 40 percent shooting this season. George Mason also is a perfect 15-0 when winning the turnover battle and 11-0 when scoring 80+ points in 2025-26.

• George Mason is one of seven programs nationally with 17+ home wins this season. GMU is 49-8 (.860) in Fairfax under Skinn and set a new school record for home wins (18) last season.

• Head coach Tony Skinn ('06), the 2025 A-10 Coach of the Year, sports an overall win percentage of .700 (70-30) and is at 64.8 percent (35-19) in A-10 games over his first three seasons.

• Skinn is the first George Mason head coach in school history to win 20+ games in three consecutive seasons. With a victory Tuesday, the Patriots would tie the school record for combined wins in back-to-back seasons (51, 2011-13).

• The Patriots enter Tuesday's game ranked 92nd in the NET. GMU also is No. 96 in KenPom.

NIT HISTORY
George Mason's 2026 NIT bid is the sixth in program history and second-straight appearance in the event for the Green & Gold. The Patriots are 4-5 all time in the NIT, highlighted by a trip to the Round of 16 in 2004 which featured wins over Tennessee and Austin Peay. Head coach Tony Skinn was a sophomore on that 2003-04 Patriots team and averaged 10.3 points/game over the three NIT games for the Green & Gold. Last season, GMU earned its first NIT bid since 2009 and picked up its first win since that 2004 run. The Patriots defeated Samford, 86-69, in the first round, then fell to Bradley 75-67, in the second round.

HISTORY vs. LIBERTY
Tuesday's game will mark the 10th all-time matchup between George Mason and Liberty and first since 2010. The programs played two home-and-home series from 2007-10, with the Patriots winning three of those four matchups. Prior to the 2007 contest, the teams met five times between 1987 and 1992. In the most recent matchup, George Mason won at Liberty, 84-54, on Dec. 11, 2010. Cam Long and Ryan Pearson each tallied 16 points in the win, while Luke Hancock added 12 points.

A LOOK AT THE FLAMES (25-7, 17-3 CONFERENCE USA; NET #106, KenPom #125)
Liberty won the 2025-26 Conference USA Regular Season title on the strength of a 17-3 league record. The Flames fell in the CUSA Tournament to Missouri State, 77-69, on March 11 in Huntsville, Ala. Liberty posted 25 overall wins, including a 64-61 victory at Dayton on December 20. Liberty's high octane offense ranks fourth nationally in both field goal percentage (.512) and 3pt FG percentage (.498) while the program also is third in the nation in A/TO ratio (1.95) and fourth in fewest turnovers/game (8.8). Liberty owns the No. 58 overall offense on KenPom (1.176 points/possession). Brett Decker leads the Flames in scoring (16.8 ppg), is second nationally in 3pt percentage (.481) and eighth in 3pt FGM/game (3.47). Zach Cleveland chips in 11.8 points/contest and dishes out 6.8 assists/game (ninth nationally).

UP NEXT
With a victory on Tuesday, George Mason would advance to the NIT Second Round and play either March 21 or 22. The Patriots would suit up against the winner of the first round game between No. 2 seed Nevada and No. 7 Murray State. George Mason would host Murray State or travel to Reno for a game at Nevada.