Atlantic 10 foes will clash when the Duquesne Dukes (15-10) face the George Washington Colonials (18-7) at A.J. Palumbo Center. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
The Dukes are hoping to rebound after their 108-99 loss to Massachusetts on Sunday. Despite the loss, Micah Mason earned his second double-double this season with 29 points and 10 assists. The Colonials, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 64-57 loss at the hands of St. Bonaventure on Saturday. Patricio Garino led the game in scoring with 21 points.
Over the last five games, Mason has been playing at a high level for the Dukes, averaging 22.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 4.0 three-pointers.
This game should be a matchup of contrasting styles. The Dukes (ranked 15th in the nation in possessions per game) prefer an up-and-down style of play, while the Colonials (282nd) are more half-court oriented.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Colonials won the first game 91-64. Kevin Larsen played a huge role in the victory by recording a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
The Dukes have gone 15-10 Straight Up (SU) and 11-11 Against The Spread (ATS). Duquesne is excellent from the perimeter with 231 three-pointers made (9.0 per game), the 35th-most in the country. The Dukes do a great job keeping their opponents off of the glass and limiting second-chance points. They have the most defensive rebounds in Division I, with an average of 30.1 per game.
On the other side, the Colonials head into the game with records of 10-12-1 ATS and 18-7 SU. The Colonials have shown improvement on the offensive end over the most recent 10 game stretch. Over that span, George Washington is averaging 81.7 PPG, significantly more than their season average of 74.7. George Washington is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the nation, connecting on 17.0 shots from the line per game. The last 10 games have really brought the worst out of the Colonials on the defensive end. They allowed 82.2 points per game during that span, which is higher than their season average of 69.0. Taking care of the basketball is something the Colonials do very well, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game.
George Washington beat Duquesne in their most recent meeting this season, bringing its SU record in their most recent games to 6-4. With a 7-3 record, the Colonials also have the advantage ATS. George Washington held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, while Duquesne was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – GW, ATS Winner – GW
Notes
“Duquesne is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games “.
“The total has gone OVER in 9 of Duquesne’s last 10 games “.
“Duquesne is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games at home”.
“The total has gone OVER in 5 of Duquesne’s last 5 games at home”.
“Duquesne is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing George Washington”.
“Duquesne is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing George Washington”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Duquesne’s last 7 games when playing George Washington”.
“Duquesne is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against George Washington”.
“Duquesne is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against George Washington”.
Duquesne is 5-7 against its conference rivals, while George Washington is 7-5.
George Washington has allowed an average of 68.2 points per away game this season. Duquesne averages 84.8 points per home game, ranking 23rd in scoring.
The Duquesne Dukes average 74.2 possessions per game and 1.079 points per possession, while the George Washington Colonials earn fewer possessions (67.0) but more points per possession (1.114).
The Duquesne Dukes average an effective field goal percentage of 53.4% this season. The George Washington Colonials have split their games this season (3-3) when opponents have an eFG% of 53.4% or greater.
The Duquesne Dukes average 25.0 three point attempts per game, while the George Washington Colonials attempt 18.0. When attempting 20 or more three pointers in a game, Duquesne has a solid record of 14-9, while George Washington is an even 5-5.
George Washington ranks 87th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.21. Duquesne is ranked lower at 118th with an A/TO of 1.15.
The Duquesne Dukes average the most defensive rebounds per game this season, while the George Washington Colonials are the 221st-ranked offensive rebounding team in the nation.
On average, Duquesne forces a turnover rate of 16.1%. When George Washington turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 8-5 record.
