George Mason Patriots 2025 Roster Preview
George Mason Patriots complete roster breakdown under Tony Skinn. Senior heavy team aims to end 15 year NCAA Tournament drought in loaded A-10.
The George Mason Patriots are coming off their best season since 2011 when they finished 27-7 and received an eight-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Patriots finished 27-9 and 15-3 in the A-10 last season. While they didn’t reach the NCAA Tournament after falling to VCU in the conference tournament, the Patriots did earn a bid to the NIT. They took down Samford in the first round, but fell to Bradley in the second round 75-67.
It’s been a strong two seasons for Tony Skinn since taking over as head coach. In his first season, he finished 20-12 and 9-9 in conference. Now that fans have gotten a taste of what could be, they are going to have their eyes set on one thing…returning to the NCAA Tournament and breaking the 15 year drought.
The Patriots were a senior heavy team last season, so Skinn has been tasked with rebuilding the roster with just a small handful of players returning. On paper, it looks like George Mason fans have something to be cheering for next season. Let’s dive into their new roster.
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Roster Turnover
The Patriots have lost the following players:
Darius Maddox (Ineligible)
13.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals
K.D. Johnson (Ineligible)
7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals
Woody Newton (Ineligible)
6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds
Jared Billups (Ineligible)
5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 steals
Zach Anderson (Ineligible)
5.3 points, 3.5 rebounds
Chase Tucker (Ineligible)
1 point (2 games/2 minutes)
Jalen Haynes - Cincinnati
14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Giovanni Emejuru - East Carolina
6.2 points, 4 rebounds
Justin Begg - Sam Houston
2.9 points, 0.7 rebounds
Bryson Cokley - Elon
1.2 points
Jeremiah Quigley - Binghamton
1.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Austin Ball - Eastern Kentucky
DNP
George Mason was one of the most experienced teams in the country last season as they were 21st in the country. The coaching staff and fans new that there were going to have to rebuild with six players running out of eligibility, and another player in Jalen Haynes that in a modern NIL era of college basketball was not going to stay. Haynes will be making his fourth stop at Cincinnati after playing at Virginia Tech, ETSU, and then the Patriots last season. While he isn’t a three point threat, he’s a menace in the paint. He finished shooting 55.4% overall, while racking up 6.9 rebounds per game.
Giovanni Emejuru was another hit to the roster as his 6’11 height and efficient offensive capabilities made him a strong player off the bench. However, Skinn has done a wonderful job building depth with height on his 2025-2026 roster.
Returning Players
George Mason has the following players returning next season:
Brayden O’Connor
9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3 assists
Stas Sivka
1.5 points, 0.9 rebounds (14 games/4.6 minutes)
Ben Woodward
6 points (1 game/2 minutes)
T.J. Prosise
2 points (1 game/2 minutes)
Brayden O’Conner (6’4)
While the Patriots have lost a lot of pieces, anytime you can return a top three scorer is an excellent piece of the following season’s puzzle. O’Conner shot 44.8% overall and 37.6% from beyond the arc last year in his first season after transferring in from UMass Lowell. Consistency in his production is a bit of a concern, but when he’s on…he’s on. He dropped 26 points against La Salle, and between December 31st and January 21st he averaged 12.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and three assists. His 22.1% assist rate was 331st in the country. O’Conner brings experience and vital production to the roster.
Stas Sivka (6’10)
The freshman out of Slovenia appeared in 14 games last season and averaged 4.6 points. He shot 61.5% overall, and he knocked down four out of his eight three-point shot attempts. He’s still a bit of a raw talent, but he played professional basketball in the Pro-A Slovenian League. This new George Mason squad is another senior heavy roster, however, don’t be surprised if you see Sivka earn some more minutes this season.
Walk-ons
Ben Woodward and T.J. Prosise are both walk-ons, so you should imagine their production will mirror a similar result.
Roster Additions
George Mason has added the following players:
Jahari Long (Senior) - Maryland
4.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Nick Ellington (Senior) - Murray State
9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Jermahri Hill (Senior) - Ball State
15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1 steal
Masai Troutman (Senior) - Northeastern
13.5 points, 1.7 rebounds
Dola Adebayo (Senior) - Mount St. Mary’s
13.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1.1 blocks
Malik Presley (Junior) - Texas
DNP (Redshirt)
Riley Allenspach (Junior) - Samford
7.8 points, 3 rebounds
Kory Mincy (Junior) - Presbyterian
15 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.5 steals
Isaiah Skinn (Freshman)
Devin Booker (Freshman)
Emmanuel Kanga (Freshman)
Ryan-Preston Mendy (Freshman)
Guard
Kory Mincy (6’1)
Mincy was a hot commodity in the transfer portal after a completely dominant sophomore season at Presbyterian where he shot 40% overall and 36.8% from beyond the arc on 7.3 attempts per game. He dropped 28 points against NC State, and 20+ points in seven games. He’s not just a great offensive weapon, but he’s also a strong ball handler. He finished the season with a 24.6% assist rate compared to just a 15.3% turnover rate. He had two double-doubles with ten assists, and he finished seven games with seven or more assists. He’ll be a vital player for the Patriots this season.
Jahari Long (6’5)
Long spent his first two seasons with Seton Hall before transferring to Maryland for the last two years. Unfortunately, Long missed the entire 2024-2025 season due to an ACL injury. In his last season in 2023-2024, he appeared in 30 games and averaged 18.5 minutes. He finished with career highs across the board while finishing shooting 41.6% overall and 35.5% from three-point. His playing time was a bit sporadic, but he finished with a 109.1 offensive rating, a 2.9% steal percentage, and a 49.5% true shooting percentage. The raw makeup is there and with an extended opportunity, he could be a solid player this season.
Jermahri Hill (6’3)
While Ball State had a slightly disappointing season. Jermahri Hill certainly did not in his first division one season. On the season, Hill shot 42.3% overall and 23.2% from beyond the arc on 3.1 attempts per game. He also racked up 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and one steal per game while averaged 15.8 points. While the three point percentage wasn’t where he would have liked it to be, he still finished the season scoring less than ten points just four times. He also finished with a 22% assist rate compared to a 17.6% turnover rate. While he’s prolific inside the arc at 47% on the year, he’s not afraid to crash the boards and facilitate offense for his teammates.
His metrics could have even been higher. He drew a ridiculous 5.7 fouls per game which jumped to 6.2 in the MAC. His 49.9 free throw rate was 164th in the country and his 54.3 free throw rate was 6th in conference. However, he shot just 65% from the line. If he shot better from the line and from beyond the arc, he could have easily averaged over 20 points per game last season. With some more development, Hill could soar this season.
Masai Troutman (6’4)
Coming off three seasons with the Northeastern Husckies, Masai Troutman has shown a lot of promise. In his sophomore campaign, he started in all 32 games while averaging ten points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 rebounds, and on steal per game while shooting 43% from the floor and 36.3% from beyond the arc. Last season, he was looking even better, but he was cut short while appearing in just 13 games. He was shooting 43.5% and 39.6% from three-point before being shut down for the season. He gets to the free throw line at stellar rates as he drew 6.7 fouls per 40 minutes on average. Against Stony Brook, he knocked down 14 of 15 attempts. He’ll be a huge offensive weapon for the Patriots this season.
Isaiah Skinn (5’11)
Isaiah is yes, the son of head coach Tony Skinn. In his senior season, he averaged 21.9 points, six assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per game. He doesn’t have a ton of readily available material out there, however, from what I could find he is crafty on offense. He seems to be lightning quick, allowing him to slash to the basket, but he also was a floor general for his team. I know some people have skeptical feelings when a coach brings his son onto the team, however, I believe that Skinn is a benefit for the program. I don’t think he’ll play a ton as a freshman, but as he develops, he could be a strong point guard for the Patriots in the future.
Devin booker (6’5)
I don’t know if you could find a better name for an incoming freshman here. Booker was a three-star recruit and ranked 287th in the incoming class. He has a knack to score from all over the court, whether he is slashing to the paint, finishing with a dunk, or pulling up from outside or from the mid-range. He could be an underrated pick-up here for the Patriots as he continues to develop. He seems like the type of player that could be a sparkplug on offense.
Booker had offers from a number of strong programs including: Duquense, Saint Louis, High Point, Towson, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, and more.
Forwards
Malik Presley (6’6)
After redshirting for Texas last season, Presley hit the transfer portal and landed at George Mason. He spent his freshman season at Vanderbilt where he averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds on 42.9% shooting overall. Coming out of high school, he was highly regarded and held offers from Texas, Arizona State, LSU, Houston, and more. In his minimal time at Vanderbilt, he showed a strong knack for slashing to the paint. I see him coming off the bench, but the untapped potential is there. He could be a breakout candidate as the season goes on.
Dola Adebayo (6’8)
Mount St. Mary’s was a blast to watch last year, and Dola Adebayo was a large piece of that team. He shot 51.5% overall and 30.6% from beyond the arc on two attempts per game. He’s a prolific rebounder, and he’s grown into a strong defender. He finished the season with a 4.4% block rate that was 252nd in the country, along with an 18.1% defensive rebounding percentage which was 375th. In conference play, his interior finish rate jumped to a remarkable 63.9% overall. This is a player that finishes at strong rates in the paint, but he can also step out and knock down a three. While teaming up with Nick Ellington & Riley Allenspach, the the Patriots are going to be a force down low.
Emmanual Kanga (6’8)
The 6’8 forward is listed as a four-star recruit per 247 Sports and he ranked 144th in this year’s incoming class. In his last season of prep league basketball, he averaged 15.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. He won the Elite Prep League Defensive Player of the Year. He has strong verticality and he’s going to be a problem for opponents down low. The Patriots have decent height and depth already at this position, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him earn some minutes this season to kick off his development. He’ll be a huge long-term piece for George Mason.
Kanga held offers from Towson, George Washington, Georgetown, Maryland, and more.
Ryan-Preston Mendy (6’9)
One of the latest strong recruits coming out of the French rank, Mendy last played for ASVEL last year where he averaged 8.1 points and 4.3 rebounds. His playing was a bit sporadic, but regardless he finished with two double-doubles. He shot 31.7% overall and 25.9% from beyond the arc. I’m curious to see if his offensive mindset changes as he enters the college ranks. At 6’9, he’s a strong rebounder, but he took 112 three-point shots last year and just 83 from within the arc. It makes me question whether or not he should focus on bumping his interior presence from a 39.8% shooting percentage up to 50% and reduce the volume of three-pointers. Mendy is a raw talent, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see him redshirt this season.
Nick Ellington (6’8)
I’ve followed Ellington’s career closely, especially as he played at Murray State the past two seasons. Last season, he shot 56.1% overall while finishing with four double-doubles on the season. While he’s a strong finisher in the paint, he’s a legitimate block threat. He finished the season with a 5.3% block percentage which was 168th, in which he jumped to 6% in the conference for the fourth best in the Missouri Valley Conference. He also finished with a 17.2% defensive rebounding percentage and a 10.9% offensive rebounding percentage which both ranked nationally. The Patriots have a strong duo that are going to lock down the paint.
Centers
Riley Allenspach (6’11)
After spending his first two seasons with the Samford Bulldogs, Allenspach is headed to George Mason following Bucky McMillan’s journey to Texas A&M. Last season, he averaged a remarkable 7.8 points and three rebounds in just 13.7 minutes per game. He shot 57.5% overall and 48% from beyond the arc on 25 attempts. At 6’11, he’s extremely nimble on his feet and he’s a menace in the paint. With Nick Ellington & Dola Adebayo as his supporting cast, the Patriots may have one of the most fun frontcourts to watch in the Atlantic 10 this season.
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Expectations
Last year, George Mason didn’t receive a single vote to finish first in the Atlantic 10 in the preseason poll. The Patriots defied the odds to tie with VCU at 15-3 in the conference for first place. Now, coming into this season with nearly an entire new roster…I personally think this roster is even better than last season’s. Let’s look at what a potential starting lineup looks like and why I think we could see another successful season:
Kory Mincy
Brayden O’Connor
Jermahri Hill/Masai Troutman
Dola Adebayo/Nick Ellington
Riley Allenspach
Coming off the bench, you’ll have Jahari Long, one of Jermahri Hill or Masai Troutman, Malik Presley, and one of Dola Adebayo or Nick Ellington. You’ll most likely see some minutes from Stas Sivka and one of the freshman as well, like Devin Booker or Emmanual Kanga.
At guard, it’s hard to gauge Jahari Long. He’s played at the highest level of college basketball, however, the ACL is a tough injury. He did average nearly 20 minutes per game on Maryland two seasons ago where he was incredibly efficient on offense. There is a reasonable chance that during practice in the preseason and through scrimmages that he could nab a starting spot because the raw talent is there.
I personally love the combination of Kory Mincy and Brayden O’Connor. O’Conner led the Patriots in assists last season, but Mincy is a true point guard. With O’Connor moving to more of a combo-guard position, he can focus on increasing his offensive efficiency further while providing George Mason to two strong ball handlers.
At the small forward position, they will have a couple of options between Jermahri Hill and Masai Troutman. I’d lean on Hill in the start guard spot while bringing in Troutman off the bench. Hill absolutely dominated at Ball State, but I want to see him pull in those three point attempts. He doesn’t need to be taking three shots per game if he is going to shoot 23.2%. It’s worth noting that those shooting figures were the worst of his career, so if he can returning to the 30%+ mark, he’s going to be lights out for the Patriots.
Troutman coming off the bench would give the Patriots a strong advantage because he’d be able to be an offensive spark in the secondary unit as he shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc in his 13 games last season. You would also still have Malik Presley as well who should be seeing 20+ minutes as well. He played in 26 games for Vanderbilt two seasons ago and while the three point shooting might not be there, he’ll provide a strong rebounding and slashing option while Troutman holds down as a sharpshooter outside in the secondary.
In the backcourt, you have to start Riley Allenspach at center. Then you have a couple of options between Dola Adebayo and Nick Ellington. Adebayo has a bit of an edge offensively, but both players are prolific rebounders and defenders in the paint. Both will end up playing a similar amount of minutes per game this season as I believe we’ll even see a combination of the two playing at the same time on the court when Allenspach is on the bench. Don’t count out Emmanual Kanga either!
In this secondary unit proposal, the Patriots would have Jahari Long, Masai Troutman, Malik Presley, and one of Nick Ellington or Dola Adebayo. That’s an incredibly strong lineup, which doesn’t include any production you get out of Stas Sivka or the freshmen.
While George Mason was a very strong team last season, I’d argue this team has actually improved more. However, in this era of college basketball, we don’t know how well the team will gel together and how each player will fit into their roles. On paper, the Patriots should be competing at the top of the Atlantic 10 once again. From a schedule perspective, we know they are playing in the Sunshine Slam, Virginia Tech, James Madison, and Old Dominion. Before they announce the rest of the schedule, they are already going to be testing themselves. Patriots fans should have a lot to cheer about this coming season.