FAIRFAX, Va. (Interstat) — A surging George Mason looks to continue its dominant start when it hosts a Rhode Island team seeking a statement win in Atlantic 10 men’s basketball on Saturday.

The Patriots (13-1) have won six straight games since their only loss at Virginia Tech on Dec. 6, most recently an 80-75 road win at La Salle on Wednesday. Emmanuel Kanga was a force in that victory, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds in just 18 minutes. The forward has provided a major boost, averaging 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds over his last two contests.

George Mason’s strong record has been built on both ends of the floor, boasting one of the conference’s top offenses and a defense that has held eight opponents under 70 points this season.

They face a Rhode Island squad (9-5) aiming to rebound from a tough 61-57 home loss to Loyola Chicago on New Year’s Eve. In that game, guard Tyler Cochran led the Rams with 15 points. Cochran has been a key contributor, logging over 30 minutes in three of the last five games, including a 12-point, four-assist effort in a win over Canisius on Dec. 16.

The Rams have shown resilience on the road earlier this season, with wins at Temple and Vermont, but will face their toughest conference test yet at EagleBank Arena.

This matchup is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 24 in Kingston.

A George Mason win would solidify its place atop the early A-10 standings, while Rhode Island hopes to hand the Patriots their first loss since early December and announce itself as a conference contender.