THE BASICS
Rhode Island (9-5, 0-1 A-10) at George Mason (13-1, 1-0 A-10)
Tip-Off: Saturday, Jan. 3, 4:00 p.m.
Coverage: Watch: USA Network | Listen: Varsity Network | Live Stats | Game Notes

RHODE ISLAND VS. GEORGE MASON - SERIES NOTES

• The all-time series between Rhode Island and George Mason is a tightly contested one, with the host Patriots holding a slight 9-8 lead.  
• Saturday's game will be the first of two between the teams in a span of 21 days.
• URI hosts the Patriots on Jan. 24.
• George Mason has won five of the last six games in the series.
• Rhode Island is 3-4 as the road team in the series, last winning in Fairfax on Jan. 28, 2020.
• George Mason is one of the top teams in the country at getting to the free throw line. The Patriots are ninth nationally with 20.6 made free throws per game and 10th in the country with 27.9 attempts per game.
• Rhode Island set a single-game program record by shooting .926 (25-of-27) at the free throw line against the Patriots in a 75-67 loss on Feb. 11, 2023. 

• The game will be nationally broadcast on USA Network.
• Jason Knapp will handle the play-by-play, while Zendon Hamilton is the color analyst.
• Game producer Rene Hatlelid was the first female ever to produce the broadcast for the famed Indianapolis 500 when she spearheaded the 2021 production for NBC.
• The audio broadcast will stream on the Varsity Network with Jack O'Marra and Chris DiSano.

CRAWFORD GETTING MORE AGGRESSIVE

• Forward Alex Crawford has looked for his shot more often of late, attempting 19 field goals in the last two games.
• Crawford was 5-for-10 from the field against Northeastern and then 4-for-9 against Loyola Chicago.
• He averaged 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the two games, a marked improvement over his season averages of 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.
• Over the first 12 games of the year, Crawford averaged 5.0 field goals per game.
• Since starting the year 0-for-8, he is 10-for-22 from 3-point range (45.5 percent) over the last 10 games.

ITEJERE THROWING A BLOCK PARTY

• Forward Keeyan Itejere ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 20 blocks on the season.
• He had three blocks against Loyola Chicago on Wednesday, his third game with three or more.
• Over his last seven games, Itejere has recorded 16 blocks, an average of 2.3 per game.
• He had just four blocks combined through the first seven games of the season.