By PAUL GOTHAM
Three regular-season games remain, and three teams (Dayton, Saint Joseph’s and VCU) are deadlocked atop the Atlantic 10 standings. Two games separate five teams at the top. Here’s this weekend’s rundown:
Rhode Island (15-13/7-8) at No. 22 Dayton (22-5/12-3) Noon Saturday ESPN2
Dyshawn Pierre scored 17, and Scoochie Smith added 13 when Dayton beat Rhode Island, 68-66 earlier in the month. For UD, it was their first game without the services of Kendall Pollard who has been sidelined with an injury for four games. URI announced earlier this week that Hassan Martin will miss the remainder of the season with tendinitis in his knee. Jared Terrell (13.9 ppg) leads three healthy Rams scoring double figures. Charles Cooke paces Dayton with 15.7 points a game.
VCU (20-8/12-3) at George Washington (21-7/10-5) 12:30 p.m. Saturday NBCSN
Winners of three straight, George Washington is tied for the A-10’s longest streak. To make it four in a row, GW will need to hold back a VCU club coming off a loss and looking for revenge for a 72-69 setback in the first meeting. Patricio Garino netted 27 in that win on February sixth when the Colonials snapped VCU’s 12-game win streak. Korey Billbury has scored 12. 8 points over VCU’s last five. In four conference losses, GW’s opponents have limited them to 68 or fewer possessions (GW lost in two overtimes to Richmond). VCU averages 72.5 possessions.
UMass (12-15/5-10) at St. Bonaventure (19-7/11-4) 4 p.m. Saturday Live Video
Bona looks for its third straight, a regular season sweep of the Minutemen and a program mark for conference wins. Jaylen Adams, Marcus Posley and Dion Wright combine to score 52.9 points a game for the Bonnies. SBU has won seven of eight. UMass fell last time out, but prior to that the Minutemen had won three of four. Jabarie Hinds has scored 20.6 a game over the last five Minutmen contests.
Saint Louis (10-17/5-10) at Saint Joseph’s (23-5/12-3) 1 p.m. Sunday ASN
First meeting of the season between these two. Saint Joseph’s forces just 11 turnovers a game which could play into the Billikens’ hands. The young SLU club struggles with consistency and mishandles play a part. The Bills have held their last three and five of seven opponents under one point per possession. To reach that number again this weekend Saint Louis will need to keep DeAndre Bembry (16.9 ppg/4.4 apg) and Isaiah Miles (17.9 ppg/ 8.3 rpg) in check. Milik Yarbrough scored 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting in SLU’s loss to Dayton earlier this week. Prior to that, the sophomore forward had not scored in double figures since December 29th.
OTHER GAMES
Davidson (17-9/9-6) at Fordham (14-12/5-10) 2 p.m. Saturday Live Video
George Mason (10-18/4-11) at La Salle (6-20/2-13) 2 p.m. Saturday Live Video
Richmond (14-13/6-9) at Duquesne (15-13/5-10) 6 p.m. Saturday ASN
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