- Matchup: Liberty Flames vs. George Mason Patriots
- Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
- Venue: Eaglebank Arena, Fairfax, VA
- Broadcast: ESPN2
- Betting Odds: Liberty (+5)
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The George Mason Patriots (23-9) are set to host the Liberty Flames (25-7) at Eaglebank Arena this Tuesday for the 1st round of the NIT tournament. Liberty enters this contest as 5-point underdogs, with the total set at 144 points.
In their most recent outing, the Liberty Flames suffered a setback against Missouri State, concluding the game with a score of 77-69. Liberty committed 18 personal fouls, while Missouri State recorded 13. The Flames were successful on 8 of their 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Missouri State, however, struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 13 out of 22 attempts, leading to a 59.1% shooting percentage. The Flames were able to secure 26 rebounds, including 9 offensive boards, but allowed Missouri State to shoot 56.0% from the field (28-of-50). Liberty ended the game with a field goal percentage of 42.9%, hitting 27 of 63 attempts, alongside making 9 out of 31 from three-point range.
A standout performance came from Zach Cleveland, who scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting, played 35 minutes, and collected 14 rebounds while also contributing 4 assists.
Liberty holds an impressive record of 25-7 this season, averaging merely 8.8 turnovers per game and committing about 14.1 personal fouls. The Flames are also pulling down 29.1 rebounds each game and have amassed 551 assists this season, ranking them 41st nationwide for team assists. They excel at three-point shooting with a conversion rate of 39.8% (340 of 854) and are hitting 70.5% from the charity stripe. On average, Liberty scores 78.2 points per game, which is 119th in college basketball, alongside a 51.4% field goal percentage.
Defensively, the Flames force an average of 11.2 turnovers per game while drawing 15.7 personal fouls. They rank 52nd nationally in assists allowed, having given up 384 assists this season. Liberty’s defense permits a field goal percentage of 45.2% (832 made out of 1,842 attempts) and allows 33.3 rebounds per game. The Flames also concede 37.7% on three-point shots and rank 84th in the nation for points allowed per game (70.4).
In their last encounter, the George Mason Patriots fell to St. Bonaventure, finishing at 63-57. They allowed St. Bonaventure to collect 28 rebounds (6 offensive) and scored just 27.3% (3-of-11) from three-point range. At the free-throw line, George Mason was slightly better, hitting 18 out of 25 attempts (72.0%). Defensively, they conceded 21 of 51 shots from the floor, resulting in a 41.2% field goal shooting percentage against. The Patriots managed to hit 24 out of 57 shots overall, achieving a shooting success rate of 42.1%, while also struggling from beyond the arc where they hit just 6 of 24 attempts (25.0%). They were able to collect 35 rebounds, including 25 defensive and 10 offensive boards.
Jahari Long was a key player for the Patriots, scoring 17 points in 37 minutes, with 2 assists and shooting 50.0% (6-of-12) from the field alongside 3 rebounds.
George Mason boasts a season record of 23-9. The Patriots average 15.3 fouls per game and maintain a free-throw shooting percentage of 72.8%. They assist on 12.7 shots per game (271st in the nation) and turn the ball over 10.6 times per game. The Patriots have racked up 2,347 points this season (73.3 per contest) and average 34.8 rebounds per game. They are effective offensively, shooting 47.5% from the field, ranking 52nd nationwide.
The Patriots’ defense ranks 35th in the nation for points allowed per game at 67.5. They force an average of 10.3 turnovers each game and opponents shoot 42.5% from the floor (86th in college basketball). The George Mason defense permits 32.6% from three-point range (251 of 771) and opponents are converting 70.4% of their free throw attempts. They allow 12.7 assists and 31.0 rebounds per game, ranking 117th and 23rd in Division 1, respectively.
Who will cover the spread in tonight’s NCAA matchup?
Prediction: Take Liberty (+5)
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