George Mason vs. Rhode Island Picks and Prediction for Saturday, January 24, 2026
Use Code WWWC On Saturday, the George Mason Patriots will play the Rhode Island Rams in an Atlantic 10 Conference basketball game, and we have you ready to go with our George Mason vs. Rhode Island prediction, odds, and preview. Tip-off from Kingston, RI, is at 2:00 p.m. ET.
The Patriots are two-point spread favorites, and the game total is 136.5 points scored.
The Patriots defeated the Rams 61-50 on January 3, improving to 7-3 (6-4 ATS) in the last ten matchups between these A-10 opponents. GMU knocked down 50 percent of its three-pointers and added 15 points at the charity stripe. They also won the turnover and rebounding battles. If you want the George Mason vs. Rhode Island prediction, read on to get our top NCAAB predictions and increase your bankroll!
George Mason is atop the A-10 standings
George Mason (18-1 SU, 10-8 ATS, and 9-9 O/U) leads the A-10 with a 6-0 conference record. The Pats have won nine straight since their lone loss on the road to Virginia Tech. They beat DMV rival George Washington 69-64 at home on Monday night, shooting 49 percent from the floor with 28 points in the paint.
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The Patriots went 27-9 last season, including 15-3 in Atlantic 10 competition. They were co-champions, claiming their first A-10 regular season title since 2011 and advancing to the second round of the NIT. GMU is coached by Tony Skin, a former Patriots guard who has a 65-22 record (30-12 in A-10 play) since taking the head coaching duties in 2023. KenPom rates George Mason 73rd in the nation, including 77th in offensive efficiency and 84th in defensive efficiency.
Senior guard Brayden O'Connor, a Preseason All-A-10 selection, is the team's leading returner. Unfortunately, he was injured in the Patriots' first game of the season with a foot injury and hasn't suited up since. George Mason welcomed nine transfers and four frosh ahead of the 2025-26 season, including four collegiate players who averaged ten-plus points last season. A few Patriots stars to watch on Saturday against Rhode Island are junior guard Kory Mincy (16.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.6 APG), junior forward Riley Allenspach (13.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG), and senior guard Jahari Long (11.2 PPG and 3.8 APG).
George Mason Patriots Injury Report:
- No significant recent injuries to report.
Rhode Island will rely on its defense on Saturday
Rhode Island (11-8 SU, 8-11 ATS, and 7-12 O/U) beat Richmond 69-68 on the road on Wednesday night, picking up its second conference victory. The Rams were inefficient from three-point range (3-for-20), but scored 20 points at the foul line and 34 in the paint. URI also outrebounded the Spiders 38-28 with 14 offensive rebounds.
Rhody was 18-13 last season, including 7-10 in Atlantic 10 competition. The Rams are led by fourth-year head coach Archie Miller (40-55 record), who spent the previous ten seasons split between Dayton and Indiana. They have progressed from nine wins to 12 and 18 under Miller, building momentum for 2025-26. Rhode Island scores 72.2 points per game (311th) on 45.6 percent shooting (171st), including 30.4 percent from three-point distance (335th). The Rams' opponents average 67.0 points per game (21st) on 43.3 percent shooting (155th), including 35.6 percent from beyond the arc (299th).
The Rams have a new-look roster, with just one rotation piece returning in team captain and redshirt senior forward Drissa Traore (1.9 PPG). Miller reloaded by signing eight D-I transfers in the offseason, with defense being a priority. URI has struggled on that end of the court under Miller (276th in opponent scoring last season), but has made a significant improvement (70th in defensive efficiency rating) this season. Former MAC Defensive Player of the Year Tyler Cochran has spurred that change, as the senior guard, who sat out last season at Minnesota with a foot injury, is averaging 3.1 steals per game. A few other Rhode Island players to watch are junior guard Jonah Hinton (14.1 PPG and 3.4 RPG), junior forward Jahmere Tripp (10.8 PPG and 3.8 APG), senior forward Keeyan Itejere (7.3 PPG and 5.5 RPG at Western Kentucky), and senior forward Keeyan Itejere (8.0 PPG and 5.4 RPG).
Rhode Island Rams Injury Report:
- Cochran is questionable to play versus George Mason with an undisclosed injury.
George Mason vs. Rhode Island Pick and Preview
Spread Pick for George Mason vs. Rhode Island
- Patriots -2 (5 Units)
I give credit to Miller for helping turn around the Rhody defense, but I don't believe even their best effort will be enough to win or cover on Saturday.
The Rams slow down the pace to grind down their opponents, forcing them to be efficient, but the Patriots are used to that style. They're even slower-paced than URI and are efficient enough to play that way (ranked 37th in FG%). Rhode Island is weak defensively on the perimeter (ranked 302nd in opponent 3PT%), and George Mason shoots 36 percent from deep. The Rams also foul too often (283rd in opponent free-throw rate), and the Patriots also get to the foul line a lot (5th-highest FT rate).
On the other end of the court, the Rams are unlikely to keep pace, either. They are a poor three-point shooting team, generate few second-chance scoring opportunities, and aren't likely to shoot many free throws in this game (GMU ranks 52nd in opponent FT rate). Rhody shoots a high percentage from the mid-range, but the Patriots are also solid defensively in that area.
George Mason ranks 4th in the nation in Haslametrics' Away from Home metric. The nearly-undefeated Pats will leave Kingston with a win and cover the spread on Saturday!
Over/Under Pick for George Mason vs. Rhode Island
- Over 136.5 (4 Units)
This total appears a bit low, as I'm comfortable predicting that GMU will have more success against the Rhody defense than most teams have this season. While these teams are slow-tempo, the Patriots should force their way to the foul line often, as well. Those extra points scored with the clock stopped will make a big impact on the total, especially in the second half when the Rams are forced to foul to extend the game. This matchup is expected to be competitive and slower-paced than average, but I'm willing to bet that George Mason will be efficient enough in its halfcourt offense to push the total over 136 points.
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