LIVE STATS: https://gomason.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
 
LIVE VIDEO: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=23ef00eb-2056-46a2-8a2c-ec95df7868b9
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team opens the 2020-21 season against NCAA Division I institution George Mason University on day one of the D.C. Paradise Jam in Washington, D.C. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
 
Thursday marks the first all-time meeting between the two schools. NCAA Division I institutions Belmont University, and Howard University round out the four-team field for the tournament that is typically played the week of Thanksgiving each year in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the tournament moved to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Nov. 26-28. All members of the tournament - players and staff - will have to follow comprehensive COVID-19 protocols created by local DC health officials.
 
Quick Facts
 
Queens Royals (24-7 in 2019-20)
(Game Notes)
 
-Thursday's contest marks the 2020-21 season opener for the Royals who surpassed the 20-win mark last season for the fifth straight year. The Royals have a total of 607 victories in program history since it's inception in 1989-90.
 
-The Royals were ranked No. 10 overall in both the D2SIDA Media Poll and the NABC Preseason Coaches Poll . Queens finished the 2019-20 season ranked No. 15 in the final edition of the D2SIDA Media Poll and held a No. 23 ranking in the NABC Coaches Poll.
 
- Over the past five seasons, the Royals have won 142 games and have won at least 30 games in three of the last four years.
 
-The two-time reigning regional champions were picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference's Preseason Poll, as voted on by the League's coaches. The Royals received one of 13 first-place votes and 144 total votes to place second behind preseason favorite Lincoln Memorial University.
 
-Junior Kenny Dye and redshirt-sophomore Jamari Smith were each named to the SAC's Preseason All-Conference Team, as voted on by the League's coaches.
 
-Head Coach Bart Lundy is in his 13^th season at Queens and 19^th season overall as a collegiate head coach. Lundy boasts a 383-180 (.680) career record and is Queens' all-time winningest coach with a 287-93 (.755) mark.
 
 
George Mason Patriots (17-15 in 2019-20) 
(Game Notes) 
 
-The Patriots return five starters and 12 letter winners overall from last season's squad. That includes 91.6 percent of the team's scoring, 90.9 of its rebounding and 90.3 percent of its assists. Redshirt-senior forward AJ Wilson, the 2020 A-10 Most Improved Player, enters the campaign as a Preseason All-A-10 Third Team and All-Defensive Team selection.
 
-The Patriots were picked to finish 10th in the 2020-21 A-10 Preseason Poll. Mason has finished ahead of its preseason prediction in three of five seasons under head coach Dave Paulsen.
 
-Paulsen is in his sixth season at Mason and 27^th season overall. He has a record of 82-82 in his tenure with the Patriots and boasts a 478-296 career record.