RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — A surging George Mason team riding its best start in program history will look to continue its dominance when it visits the Robins Center to face Richmond in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night. The Patriots (21-3, 10-2 A-10) have won seven of their last eight games and sit atop the conference standings. Their only losses this season came against Duquesne and Rhode Island in January. They are coming off a 60-52 defensive win over Saint Joseph’s on Saturday, led by 20 points from guard Jahari Long. Long has been the engine for George Mason, averaging 13.6 points and 3.4 assists over his last seven games. He scored 20 points against Saint Joseph’s and had a near double-double with 13 points and nine assists in a win at Saint Bonaventure on Jan. 31. Richmond (13-11, 4-8) has struggled in conference play, losing six of its last seven games. The Spiders are coming off a narrow 82-77 road loss to Rhode Island on Saturday, where guard AJ Lopez scored 19 points and dished five assists. Lopez has been a bright spot during the slump, averaging 16.4 points over his last seven contests. He poured in 20 points at Saint Louis on Jan. 17 and 18 in a win over La Salle on Jan. 14. Forward Mike Walz adds an interior presence, coming off a 17-point, eight-rebound performance against Rhode Island. The matchup pits George Mason’s elite defense, which has held opponents under 65 points in four of its last five wins, against a Richmond team seeking consistency. The Patriots won the season’s first meeting 86-80 in overtime on Jan. 10 behind 24 points from Long. Tuesday’s game is a critical opportunity for Richmond to secure a resume-building win at home and halt its slide. For George Mason, it is a chance to solidify its conference lead and continue a historic season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.