George Mason @ Maryland preview

George Mason at Maryland

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2012 ) George Mason 62, Maryland 69

No. 7 Maryland looks to continue its winning ways when it hosts George Mason on Saturday. The Terrapins have won their first four games of the season by an average margin of 23 points, including a 74-55 victory against Fairfield on Tuesday to extend their winning streak against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents to five games, and they hope to conclude their home stand by improving to 50-6 in non-conference home games over the last six years.

"We're just taking it game by game," Maryland guard Eric Ayala told reporters. "We have George Mason coming up and they're a very tough team so we just have to prepare for them." The Terrapins have won all eight meetings with George Mason, but haven't faced off against the Patriots since a 69-62 victory on Dec. 2, 2012, and hope to continue their dominance in the rivalry by securing their fourth home win in the series. Maryland is 34-6 in its last 40 home games overall and aims to take down its second Atlantic 10 Conference opponent of the season with a trip to the Orlando Invitational on deck for the upcoming holiday weekend. George Mason is off to its best start in program history at 5-0 following a 65-61 win against Loyola-Chicago on Tuesday, and hopes to pass its biggest test of the season by knocking off a Top 10 team for the third time ever.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT GEORGE MASON (5-0): Jordan Miller went 11-of-13 from the free-throw line en route to a team-high 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the win against Loyola-Chicago to register over 20 points for the second time in three games. AJ Wilson added 12 points and 11 rebounds to record his second double-double of the season as the Patriots stayed unbeaten despite shooting 27.6 percent from the floor. Javon Green scored 10 points and grabbed 11 points to register his second-career double double as George Mason overcame its shooting woes by going 24-of-29 from the charity stripe.

ABOUT MARYLAND (4-0): Jalen Smith led the Terrapins with 17 points and eight rebounds in the win against Fairfield to finish in double figures for the third time in four games. Ricky Lindo Jr. and Ayala each chipped in with 13 points against the Stags while Anthony Cowan added 12 points and five assists to climb past James Gist into the top 20 on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,424 points. "For my name to be up there with some of the all-time greats is cool," Cowan told reporters. "But now it's time to win something."

TIP-INS

1. Maryland is 5-3 against A-10 teams under coach Mark Turgeon.

2. Smith is averaging 9.3 rebounds per game this season.

3. George Mason is 2-10 all-time against Top 10 opponents.

PREDICTION: Maryland 82, George Mason 71