Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between George Mason and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 36-32 lead against Massachusetts.
George Mason came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.
Who's Playing
Massachusetts Minutemen @ George Mason Patriots
Current Records: Massachusetts 6-10, George Mason 11-5
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET
- Where: EagleBank Arena -- Fairfax, Virginia
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $5.00
What to Know
We've got another exciting Atlantic 10 matchup on schedule as the Massachusetts Minutemen and the George Mason Patriots are set to tip at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at EagleBank Arena. The Patriots are favored, but seeing as the odds didn't stop the Minutemen in their last game, maybe the team has another upset up their sleeve.
Massachusetts will bounce into Saturday's match after (finally) beating Dayton, who they had gone 2-8 against in their ten prior meetings. Massachusetts secured a 76-72 W over Dayton on Wednesday. While the oddsmakers failed to call the winner, they nailed the 148.5 point over/under.
Daniel Rivera was the offensive standout of the contest as he dropped a double-double on 23 points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Marqui Worthy, who went 7 for 11 en route to 18 points.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for George Mason, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road on Saturday. They came out on top against Richmond by a score of 64-58 on Wednesday.
George Mason got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Woody Newton out in front who earned 15 points in addition to six rebounds and two steals. What's more, Newton also racked up three threes, the most he's had since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Giovanni Emejuru, who earned eight points plus eight rebounds.
The victory snapped Massachusetts' losing streak at three games and leaves them with a 6-10 record. As for George Mason, they pushed their record up to 11-5 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Massachusetts has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like George Mason struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Massachusetts won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer when the teams last played back in February of 2024, slipping by George Mason 66-65. The rematch might be a little tougher for Massachusetts since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
George Mason is a big 11.5-point favorite against Massachusetts, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Patriots as a 10.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 139.5 points.
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Series History
George Mason has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Massachusetts.
- Feb 03, 2024 - Massachusetts 66 vs. George Mason 65
- Feb 01, 2023 - George Mason 70 vs. Massachusetts 59
- Mar 05, 2022 - Massachusetts 83 vs. George Mason 80
- Jan 30, 2022 - George Mason 72 vs. Massachusetts 62
- Dec 30, 2020 - George Mason 93 vs. Massachusetts 92
- Feb 09, 2020 - Massachusetts 69 vs. George Mason 67
- Jan 22, 2020 - George Mason 73 vs. Massachusetts 63
- Feb 13, 2019 - George Mason 80 vs. Massachusetts 75
- Jan 16, 2019 - George Mason 68 vs. Massachusetts 63
- Mar 08, 2018 - George Mason 80 vs. Massachusetts 75