Patriots host Dayton, Creighton and visit Puerto Rico, Tulane and GW

The George Mason men's basketball team will host NCAA participant Dayton, NIT participant Creighton, Liberty, VMI and Dartmouth in 2009-2010 while traveling to the ESPN hosted Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Tulane, George Washington and Radford. The Patriots will also host an ESPN BracketBuster contest in late February.

"Our non-conference schedule is very challenging," said head coach Jim Larranaga. "It is highlighted by a trip to an ESPN hosted Tournament in Puerto Rico, featuring 6 BCS schools and 3 nationally televised games. With Dayton, Creighton and VMI at home to go along with GW, Tulane and Radford on the road we are going to be in a battle every night. It has to be a Top 50 RPI schedule."

The season will begin on Friday, November 13 when Mason hosts Liberty and two days later, the Patriots welcome Dartmouth to the Patriot Center. After that, the Patriots will take to the road for three nationally-televised games on the ESPN family of networks. On Nov. 19, 20 and 22, the Patriots will play in San Juan, Puerto Rico against a field that includes 2009 Final four participant Villanova, 2009 NIT participant Kansas State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Mississippi, Boston University and Dayton.

After the trip to Puerto Rico, the Patriots will travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane on Saturday, Nov. 28. The following Wednesday, Mason will make the short trip to the District to face George Washington on December 2. After playing a to-be-determined Colonial Athletic Association foe on the road that weekend, Mason will return home for three straight games, taking on Dayton on Tuesday, Dec. 8, Creighton on Saturday, Dec. 12 and VMI on Tuesday, Dec. 22. The Patriots will conclude the calendar year with a trip to Radford on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

Mason's conference schedule has not been set, but the Patriots will play home-and-home games with Delaware, Georgia State, Hofstra, James Madison, Northeastern, Old Dominion and UNC Wilmington. Mason will play home games against VCU and William & Mary while traveling to Drexel and Towson. The complete conference schedule with dates and times will be released this fall by the CAA.

NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Nov. 13 Fri LIBERTY
Nov. 15 Sun DARTMOUTH
Nov. 19 Thu vs. TBA at ESPN Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Nov. 20 Fri vs. TBA at ESPN Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Nov. 22 Sun vs. TBA at ESPN Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Nov. 28 Sat at Tulane
Dec. 2 Wed at George Washington
Dec. 8 Tue DAYTON
Dec. 12 Sat CREIGHTON
Dec. 22 Tue VMI
Dec. 30 Wed at Radford
Feb. 20 Sat ESPN BRACKETBUSTER