Minutemen Return Home To Host George Mason Sunday On NBCSN

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 24	Massachusetts (9-14, 3-7 Atlantic 10) vs. George Mason (13-9, 2-7 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Sunday, February 9, 2020 \| 2:30 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Mullins Center
Watch	NBCSN
Listen	WEEI (105.5 FM) \| WCRN (830 AM) \| Tune-In App
Live Statistics	SIDEARM Live Stats
Game Notes	Massachusetts Notes \| 2019-20 Prospectus
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassBasketball
Instagram	UMass Basketball
Facebook	UMass Basketball
UMass Home Tickets	Get Your 2019-20 Tickets Now! \| 2019-20 Promotional Calendar

AMHERST, Mass. – The UMass men's basketball team is back in the Mullins Center for the next three games, and will host George Mason in a crucial Atlantic 10 battle on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN.

Sunday's promotions
We invite all youth basketball players to come out and cheer on the Minutemen. It will be a special night as we recognize the Western Mass CYO teams and show our appreciation for their support throughout the years. All kids in attendance are encouraged to wear a jersey to show their team pride, and there will be mini hoop giveaways at the entrance to the Mullins Center.

The series with George Mason
Sunday is the 13th all-time meeting between the two teams with the Patriots holding a 9-3 lead in the series. George Mason has won the last eight meetings, including one in Fairfax earlier this season. UMass' last win came on Feb. 21, 2016.

On Jan. 22, Carl Pierre had a team-high 23 points and freshman Tre Mitchell recorded his second double-double of the season (14 points, 12 rebounds), but George Mason used a pair of 12-2 second half runs and got 32 points from Javon Greene to pull away from the Minutemen at EagleBank Arena, 73-63.

Home sweet home
The Minutemen are back at the Mullins Center for the next three games, where they are 8-3 this season. UMass is shooting 47.5% from the floor and 39% from three (100-of-257) at home. Tre Mitchell (16.2) and Carl Pierre (15.1) are both averaging better than 15 points per game at home, while the defense is forcing opponents into an average of 15.8 turnovers per game.

Stiff competition
UMass has gone up against some of the nation's top teams, including 10 currently ranked in the top-100 of the NCAA NET Rankings: Dayton (5), Rutgers (26 ), Yale (50), Virginia (57), Saint Louis (76), South Carolina (80), St. John's (72), Akron (85), Duquesne (70), Davidson (95).

Dayton (5) and Saint Louis (76) are next up on the schedule for the Minutemen.

Tre ball
Tre Mitchell had a career-high 30 points on Tuesday at Rhode Island, and is fourth in the Atlantic 10 and first among rookies averaging 16.2 points per game this season.

Mitchell's 30-point night against the Rams were the most for a UMass freshman since Rashaun Freeman scored 31 on Feb. 28, 2004. Mitchell's averaging 19.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in his last seven games.

New look lineup
Freshmen Kolton Mitchell and Preston Santos have started each of the last four games, including their first collegiate starts on Jan. 25 against Duquesne. Them, along with Tre Mitchell, marked the first time the Minutemen had three freshmen start since Jan. 28, 2017 against George Mason.

Boarding school
The Minutemen picked up a +18 rebound differential in the Jan. 25 win against Duquesne, just the fourth time UMass outrebounded its opponent this season. It was the most rebounds (52) in a game for Massachusetts since pulling down Dec. 11, 2009 against Grambling State.

Dishin'
The Minutemen had a season-high 26 assists on 38 made field goals on Jan. 29 against Saint Joseph's, the most assists in a game since Jan. 26, 2014 against Fordham. The 38 made field goals were also the most in a game since Nov. 19, 2017 against Niagara.

Sean East II and Carl Pierre had seven dimes each, a new career-high for Pierre. East II is fourth in the nation among freshmen, and t-68th overall, with 4.8 assists per game, and is also 60th in the NCAA with 110 assists in 23 games.

Double 'em up
Samba Diallo's 11 point - 14 rebound performance on Jan. 5 at Saint Louis marked the first career double-double for the sophomore. He's the fourth Minuteman this season to record his first-ever double-double, joining Carl Pierre (23 points, 10 rebounds at Akron), Tre Mitchell (14 points, 12 rebounds vs. St. John's) and Preston Santos (15 points, 12 rebounds vs. Duquesne).

Since then, Diallo has added two more double-doubles, good for a tie for 13th in the A-10.

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Samba Diallo

Sean East II

Kolton Mitchell

Tre Mitchell

Carl Pierre

Preston Santos

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics