Men’s and women’s basketball teams extend record-breaking seasons, enter tournament play

Capping two 20-plus win regular seasons and strong Atlantic 10 (A-10) performances, George Mason University’s women’s and men’s basketball teams will compete in the NCAA and NIT, respectively.

First up is the men’s basketball team (26-8), hosting Samford (22-10) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). 

This is the men’s teams’ first NIT bid since 2009 and first time hosting a home game since 2004. 

Tickets for the game are general admission, $25 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under. George Mason student tickets are free. Fans can purchase tickets through the George Mason Ticket Office by calling 703-993-3270 or at the EagleBank Arena Box Office. 

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. 

The men’s team has won 24 of its last 29 games, with a new program record for A-10 conference wins (15) and the second-most wins in team history.

The women’s team (27-5) is a No. 11 seed and plays its first-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 6 seed Florida State at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 22, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

They learned about their matchup on Sunday at a watch party at EagleBank Arena where they celebrated with fans. 

They earned an automatic bid, their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, by winning the A-10 conference last week.