Patriots Picked Fifth, Oduro Garners First Team All-A-10 Honors

By Press release submission

Oct 17, 2022

The George Mason University men's basketball team has been selected fifth out of 15 teams in the 2022-23 Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, released Thursday morning at the league's annual media day at Barclays Center.

The pick matches Mason's highest ever predicted A-10 finish. The league's coaches and media also selected the Patriots fifth in the 2018-19 preseason edition.

Oduro is Mason's second ever Preseason All-A-10 First Team selection, joining former Patriot standout Otis Livingston II (2018-19). In March, Oduro became the first player in school history to garner All-A-10 First Team postseason accolades.

The Gainesville, Va., product put together an outstanding junior campaign in 2021-22 while claiming Mason's first individual conference scoring title since George Evans in 1998-99. He finished the conference campaign in the top-10 of the league ledger in scoring (19.0 ppg, 1st), rebounding (8.3 rpg, 2nd) and blocks (1.9 bpg, 5th).

A NABC All-District First Team pick and VaSID All-State selection, Oduro was one of just seven players in the nation to average at least 17+ points, shoot 52 percent or better from the floor and tally at least 1.5 blocks per contest.

Oduro averaged an A-10-best 17.7 points per game during the 2021-22 regular season while ranking third in the league in field goal percentage (.529) and eighth in blocks (1.7). He's the first Mason player since 1995-96 to post four 30+ point efforts. Oduro also had 11 games with 20 or more points and scored at least 10 in 23 of the 27 games he played.

He notched six double-doubles during the campaign and notched at least two blocks in 12 contests. He ranked eighth in the A-10 in offensive rebounds per contest (2.2). He also garnered A-10 Player of the Week honors on Nov. 15 and was named to the Crossover Classic All-Tournament Team during the non-conference season.

Dayton was picked to win the league and received 22 of 29 first-place votes. Saint Louis earned seven first-place votes and placed second, followed by VCU and league newcomer Loyola Chicago.

After the Patriots, Davidson, Richmond, UMass, Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure round out the top-10. From there, Fordham and George Washington were picked next, followed by Saint Joseph's, La Salle and Duquesne.

Joining Oduro on the All-A-10 First Team are Foster Loyer (Davidson), DaRon Holmes II (Dayton), Tyler Burton (Richmond), Yuri Collins (Saint Louis) and Ace Baldwin (VCU).

Single Game Tickets On Sale Friday

George Mason men's basketball single game tickets will go on sale Friday, October 14 at 9 a.m. Visit gomason.com/mbbtix or call (703) 993-3270 to secure your tickets today! In addition, a number of ticket packages are available:

Season Tickets: Click Here

5-Game Mini-Plan: Click Here

3-Game Mini-Plan: Click Here

Voucher Pack: Click Here

About The Patriots

George Mason returns seven letter winners and three starters from a 2021-22 squad which posted the program's best KenPom and NET/RPI final rankings in a decade. That group of starters includes senior Josh Oduro - the 2021-22 A-10 scoring champion (17.7 ppg) and Mason's first All-A-10 First Team selection in program history – as well as graduate student DeVon Cooper (11.6 ppg, 40.9 3pt FG%) and senior Davonte Gaines (10.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 40.2 3pt FG%). The Patriots also welcome the program's best recruiting class in nearly 15 seasons, led by ESPN Top-75 recruit Justyn Fernandez (Richmond, Va.).

2022-23 A-10 Preseason Poll

1) Dayton (22)

2) Saint Louis (7)

3) VCU

4) Loyola Chicago

5) George Mason

6) Davidson

7) Richmond

8) Massachusetts

9) Rhode Island

10) St. Bonaventure

11) Fordham