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

Sherrod Wright tallied 13 points but got into foul trouble early on against Lamar (photo by John Irwin).

The Mason men’s basketball team returns home to take on Northern Iowa today at 4 p.m. at the Patriot Center. Coming off of a 68-54 win over Lamar on the road, the Patriots (2-0) look to keep their two-game winning streak alive in this matchup.

Marko Gujanicic recorded his first double-double of the season against Lamar, tallying 11 points and 10 rebounds. Patrick Holloway and Sherrod Wright also ended the night in double figures, posting 13 points each respectively. This game will be a true test of depth for the team, who will be without Bryon Allen (knee), Jonathon Arledge (back) and Eric Copes (suspension).

The Panthers (1-1) are coming off of an 86-52 win against Coe College, where senior forward Chip Rank scored 18 points, while junior forward Marvin Singleton tallied 13 rebounds. Junior point guard Deon Mitchell is a strong catch-and-shoot player and should get a lot of open looks from junior forward Seth Tuttle, who is a tough inside presence for the Panthers drawing defense near the basket. UNI is without last season’s senior threats Marc Sonnen, Anthony James and frontcourt powerhouse Jake Koch.

This will be the third matchup between these two teams in program history, with UNI taking the decision 82-77 in overtime last season. The Patriots turned the ball over 17 times in that game, which still seems to be a problem area for the team who most recently totaled 19 turnovers against Lamar.

A key focus for Mason in this matchup will be defense, and the team will have to watch out for open looks on the perimeter.