Louisville will host George Mason on Nov. 12

In what will be dubbed “The Luke Hancock Classic,” Louisville will host George Mason on Nov. 12 inside the KFC Yum Center.

Here’s a portion of Tuesday’s release from George Mason:

The George Mason University men's basketball team will face an early non-conference test when the Patriots play at national championship contender Louisville on November 12.

The Patriots and Cardinals will match up in a Sunday showdown at the KFC Yum! Center. The contest will mark the fourth all-time meeting between Mason and Louisville on the hardwood.

Louisville returns the majority of its roster from a 2016-17 squad that posted a 25-9 record, including a 12-6 mark in the ACC. The Cardinals reached the NCAA Round of 32, falling to Michigan 73-69.

Louisville also will welcome a star-studded recruiting class ranked No. 6 in the nation by ESPN and No. 8 by Rivals.com.

One of the most storied programs in the nation, Louisville has made 11 of the past 12 NCAA Tournaments and has earned four Sweet 16 berths in the last five seasons. The Cardinals reached the national final in 2012 and won the national championship in 2013.

The Patriots return three starters from a team that won 20 games in 2016-17. That squad went 9-9 in Atlantic 10 play and ended its season with a loss to Loyola (MD) in the CBI.

For two seasons, George Mason was home to eventual 2013 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Luke Hancock. Hancock transferred to Louisville in 2011 after head coach Jim Larranaga left Mason for Miami.