[PREVIEW] George Mason vs. Lamar -- Men's Basketball

Patrick Holloway saw 17 minutes of play in the home opener (photo by John Irwin).

The Mason men’s basketball team takes on the Lamar University Cardinals at 8 p.m. tonight in Beaumont, Texas. Coming off of a 63-60 win against American in their home opener, Mason (1-0) looks to build momentum on the road.

Bryon Allen led all scorers matching his career-high of 20 points, while Marko Gujanicic and Sherrod Wright tallied 13 points each. Mason’s depth poses problems for Lamar, who allowed 34 points off the bench to Butler University on Nov. 9. Mason outscored American 22-7 off the bench in their first action of the season. Coach Paul Hewitt has a number of options this season, with Vaughn Gray and sharpshooter Patrick Holloway each seeing 17 minutes of play.  

Lamar (0-1) is coming off of an 89-58 loss to Butler. Junior guard Nimrod Hilliard led his team with 23 points, while junior forward Donovan Ross tallied 18 points and led the Cardinals with seven rebounds. Coach Pat Knight had a rough season in 2012-2013, ending the regular season with a record of 3-28 overall.

If this team wants to start winning, they will need to focus on the post defense and three-point shooting. Last season, less than 11 percent of Lamar’s field goal attempts were from behind the arc--the lowest percentage in the nation.

The Patriots‘ talent and depth alone should be enough to hold off the Cardinals. The game will be broadcast live on the Lamar University website.