By Paul Gotham
Friday
No. 16 VCU (15-3/5-0) at Saint Louis (9-9/1-4) 7 pm ESPN2
VCU’s leading scorer, Treveon Graham, is questionable after spraining his ankle last week. It might not make a difference. SLU’s inexperienced back court should struggle against VCU’s defense which is fourth in the nation creating 17.5 turnovers per game. Milik Yarbrough has scored double figures in each of SLU’s last four games. VCU’s Briante Weber is averaging better than four assists a game in A-10 play.
Saturday
Duquesne (6-11/1-4) at George Washington (15-4/5-1) 2 pm
Quick turnaround for Duquesne coming off a heart-breaking loss Thursday night to St. Bonaventure in overtime – a game which the Dukes led by 11 with less than three minutes to go in regulation. George Washington will show little pity. The Colonials have won three straight and haven’t lost at home this year. Patricio Garino (13.3 ppg/5.5 rpg/ 1.3 apg) leads GW. Derrick Colter scores 12.8 and hands out 3.2 assists a game for Duquesne.
Richmond (10-8/3-2) at No. 22 Dayton (15-3/5-1) 7 pm WHIO/SNY
Dayton returns home after having their eight-game win streak snapped by Davidson. They make the transition from a potent Wildcats’ offense (82 ppg leads conference) to Richmond’s match-up zone which is fourth in the A-10 holding opponents to 59.9 points per game. The Flyers struggled recently with La Salle’s half-court defense which switches on ball screens. The Spiders should present an equal challenge. Jordan Sibert (16.1 ppg) leads UD. UR’s Kendall Anthony is hitting 40 percent (36 of 90) from long range.
Sunday�
St. Bonaventure (11-6/4-2) at Rhode Island (12-5/4-2) 2 pm OSN
Two teams caught in a fourth-place log jam. The Bonnies have won three straight. URI is looking to put together two straight wins. SBU’s Marcus Posley leads the A-1o tallying 18.5 points a game. URI’s Hassan Martin‘s defensive rating (points allowed per 110 possessions) of 80.4 tops the conference. URI leads the A-10 holding opposing offenses to 57.4 points a game.
Others on tap:
Davidson (13-4/4-2) at George Mason (6-11/1-4)
Saint Joseph’s (8-9/2-4) at Penn (4-10/ 0-1 Ivy League)
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