The men's basketball team at George Mason University is back for its third time in five years in the NCAA National Tournament, which means Dr. Michael Nickens, known  as "Doc Nix", and his "Green Machine" will energize the team on the road in Cleveland, Ohio today.

Faithful Patriot fans back in Fairfax, Va., know well what kind of excitement the band brings to home games, but now the entire country will get a taste of this dynamic new sound. 

For Dr. Michael Nickens representing a variety of new and head-nodding music is a priority in selecting what they play also. " I am Black, yes,  but I'm also multi-racial. And I think the make-up of our tunes reflect that. George Mason has one of the most diverse campuses in the nation. We try to represent that with our music."

In addition to directing the pep band Dr. Michael Nickens is a full-time professor on tenure track in the music department. 

Since coming to Mason in 2006, Nickens has been putting his unique style which blends Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B and Jazz on display to pump up the fans of the basketball team which has had some very successful seasons over the last five years.

The team finished 26-6 including the CAA Tournament this season, which is one win short of their best ever record from the 2005–2006 season.

"This (basketball) program is very exciting and they have been doing very well. And all that success helps and excites the band because we get to travel with them and represent the university as well. We as a band have gotten to know them.  Sometimes the  players will come by before games and ask for certain music selections and we are happy to play it for them " says Nickens.

When he talks about how he came to GMU, he recounts a love of music that started in grade school.  Then he stops and says "actually, I was reminded by a 97-year-old aunt that told me, 'you started playing music as soon as you were big enough to get up on the piano bench.  You could pick out melodies that you had heard and play them by ear.'  And when she would say that, then I would say,' oh, I do remember that.’ "