Saint Louis vs. George MasonÂ
Thursday, March 9, 2023 |1 p.m. CT | Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center)  Â
Radio: KMOX 1120 AM (Bob Ramsey, Earl Austin Jr.)
TV:Â USA Network (Paul Burmeister, Tim McCormick, Corey Robinson, Caroline Pineda)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Game Notes:Â SLU Postseason Media Guide
QUICK PREVIEW
Fourth-seeded Saint Louis opens play in the 2023 Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday afternoon when it takes on No. 5 George Mason at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Game time is slated for 1 p.m. (CT).
George Mason advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinals with a come-from-behind 62-57 win over No. 12 Richmond in Wednesday’s second round. The winner of the SLU/GMU matchup advances to the A-10 semifinals on Saturday, March, 11, at 1 p.m. (CT). Note that there is an off day at the A-10 Championship on Friday.
Earlier this season, Saint Louis rallied from eight points down with a little more than two minutes left to post a 63-62 victory over George Mason at Chaifetz Arena.
FOLLOW THE ACTION Â
Thursday’s game, as well as all quarterfinal round matchups on Thursday, will be televised on USA Network. Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Tim McCormick (analyst), Corey Robinson (sidelines) and Carolina Pineda (sidelines) have the call.
The radio broadcast will air on the home for the Billikens, KMOX 1120 AM. As always, Billiken Hall of Famers Bob Ramsey and Earl Austin Jr. will be on the call.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE Â
Postgame press conferences for every game at the A-10 Championship will be streamed live on YouTube. You can find the links on the tournament central page here:Â https://atlantic10.com/sports/2022/8/10/MBB23.aspxÂ
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FIVE FACTSÂ
1 // Yuri Collins continues to hold the overwhelming lead in the NCAA in assists (304) and assists per game (10.1). He is the only player in the NCAA averaging a points/assists double-double (11.3 ppg and 10.1 apg). Collins was tabbed one of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Awards, which goes to the NCAA’s top point guard. Fan voting for the award begins Friday at hoophallawards.com.
2 // Gibson Jimerson leads the Billikens in scoring with 14.0 ppg. He is second in the A-10 in 3-point field-goal percentage (.397) and third in the league in 3-pointers made per game (2.61). Jimerson enters the A-10 Championship needing two more 3-pointers to surpass Scott Highmark for third on SLU’s all-time career list.
3 // Francis Okoro is the A-10 leader in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and ranks fourth in the conference in blocked shots per game (2.61).
4 // Saint Louis leads the A-10 in rebounds per game (38.4), fastbreak points per game (12.9), assists per game (16.2) and assist/turnover ratio (1.34). The Billikens enter the Championship second in the A-10 in scoring offense with 75.3 ppg.
5 // The Billikens have cut down the nets twice at Barclays Center – in 2013 in the first year the A-10 held the Championship in Brooklyn, and again in 2019, the last time Barclays Center hosted the full A-10 Championship. SLU was the No. 4 seed in the 2020 A-10 Championship at Barclays Center, but the tourney was canceled on the Thursday of Championship Week due to COVID.
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ABOUT GEORGE MASONÂ
The George Mason Patriots (20-12, 11-7 A-10) are one of the hottest teams in the league having won seven in a row. Mason won a school-record six-straight A-10 games heading into the Championship to claim the fifth seed.
First-team All-Conference selection Josh Oduro leads the team in scoring with 15.6 ppg. He turned in a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday against Richmond. Oduro led the A-10 in rebounding during conference play.
In all, four Patriots score in double figures. Joining Oduro is Victor Bailey Jr. (11.8 ppg), Ronald Polite III (11.5 ppg) and DeVon Cooper (10.2 ppg). Polite III leads George Mason with 118 assists.
During Mason’s six-game win streak to close the regular season, its defense limited opponents to just 62.2 ppg and 27.6 percent shooting from 3-point range. For the year, the Patriots’ 3-point FG percentage defense ranks 25th in the NCAA.
Head coach Kim English is in his second season at George Mason with a 34-28 record.
THE SAINT LOUIS-GEORGE MASON SERIESÂ
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Saint Louis leads the all-time series 10-4 and has won four in a row. The last two matchups have been close – SLU won at George Mason last year in double OT by two points, and the Bills won by one point earlier this season at Chaifetz Arena.
The Billikens and Patriots are meeting for the second time in the A-10 Championship. SLU defeated George Mason 83-78 in the first round of the 2016 A-10 Championship. Marcus Bartley drained seven 3-pointers in that game, one off the school record, en route to 24 points to lead the Bills.
