Tip off: 7 PM EST
Spread: GM -5.5
Total: 139
DUQUESNE
Last season, Duquesne finished with a 19-13 record and posted a 10-6 record in the A-10. They were invited to the CBI where they lost to Oregon by 2 in the quarterfinals.
It was theire defense that got them there. Last year, the Dukes held in conference opponents to a mere 0.93 points per possession. They lost defensive player of the year Damian Saunders and also All-Defense 2nd team wingman Bill Clark.
The result has been a middling record for the Dukes. They have pulled out of the gates 6-5, and have yet to beat a ranked opponent, with losses to Pittsburgh and Arizona so far.
Still, despite those struggles, the Dukes are putting up 74 points per game behind the scoring of Sean Johnson (15.6 ppg), B.J. Monteiro (13.6 ppg), Eric Evans (11.4 ppg), and T.J. McConnell (10.5 ppg). Johnson, a 6’2″ junior guard, has increased his scoring average by 5.8 points per game over last season and is seeing 25 minutes per contest while shooting 50% from the floor. He has posted two 20+ point games aginst both Akron and Tennesee Tech, and has scored in double figures in all games except the 4 point loss to Robert Morris.
McConnell, a 6’1″ sophomore guard is averaging over six assists per game and he had a triple double against the District of Columbia. Recently, however, he has struggled with his touch and has hit just 7 of his last 20 shots over the last three games, only one of which was a win (Penn State).
GEORGE MASON
Despite having lost in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, it would be hard to call last season a bad one for the Patriots. They posted a 27-7 record and lost only 2 of their 18 Colonial Conference games. Their defense was outstanding, giving up only 0.94 points per possession, whle they managed to score an astounding 1.16 points per possession themselves.
After a 2-2 start, things didn’t look as though they would go as well this season, but since they have rallied to win 5 of their last 6 games, though none have been against tough opponents (their schedule is soft every year).
They are led by 6’6″ senior forward Ryan Pearson. He puts up 18.1 points per game, and also pulls down 7.6 boards per contest, and has been far and away the Patriots’ best player. He began the season by posting three straight double doubles, while scoring 28, 18, 16. he has since cooled, and is only averaging 12.3 points per game over the last three games while shooting under 50% from the floor over that span. In the three games he has scored over 20 points, the Patriots are 3-0 and because they blew out Radford last game, Pearson got a chance to rest and only played 22 minutes.
The Patriots dont take on a single ranked opponent all season so they will undoubtedly have their annual shell shock in March when they finally face some top shelf competition.
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