Game of the Day: George Mason at Auburn | 3ET | SEC Network/ESPN3
Fresh off of a stunning comeback win at James Madison, the Patriots have got to be feeling good heading into this one. This is the type of game that George Mason should feel much more comfortable about after their strong showing on the road at Louisville in the opening weekend of the season. The only piece that kept the Patriots from pulling off the upset that particular was was Otis Livingston II only scored three points the entire game.
Dayton fans will warn Mason fans of this Auburn team, as the Tigers went on the road and beat the Flyers 73-60 in UD Arena on Wednesday. Yet, one of the most astonishing things about George Mason in recent years has been that, quite frankly, the seem to play better on the road than they do at home. I honestly don’t have a statistic to give you about why Mason could or will win this game. This is just a gut feeling. If this team could go on the road and hang in with Louisville for 38 minutes, then I don’t see why they couldn’t pick up a win at Auburn.
Prediction: George Mason 82, Auburn 80
George Washington vs Temple | 2:30 ET | MASN (BB&T Classic)
In their final appearance in the once-great BB&T Classic, the Colonials will try to go out with a bang with an upset win over Temple. The Owls enter with a 4-1 record, with their only loss coming to La Salle last Sunday. GW and Temple are two teams with a history, as the Owls were in the A-10 from 1982 until 2013 when they left to join the AAC. In the meeting last year, Tyler Cavanaugh hit a game-winning three with only seconds left to give GW the road win. This year, I certainly expect the Colonials to keep this one close, but I’m just not sure if GW has all the pieces needed to take down the Owls today.
Prediction: Temple 77, George Washington 70
Dayton at Mississippi State | 8ET | SECN Network
Following their disappointing loss to Auburn on Wednesday, the Flyers will look to bounce back against another SEC team, this time one the road. Mississippi State comes in at 6-0 with solid wins over North Dakota State, Stephen F. Austin and Jacksonville State. This is a Bulldogs team that has not been tested that much, so that could play into the hands of Dayton. To me, this game will depend entirely on how the Flyers approach this one. They enter with a modest 3-3 record with some less-than-great loses to Hofstra and Old Dominion, and most rectently, a tough loss to Auburn. If Dayton comes out with a fire under their butts, this is a winable game for them. But it they come out flat, this could be a long night for UD.
Prediction: Mississippi State 87, Dayton 78
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