George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
Duquesne
Men’s Basketball Hosts Duquesne for Homecoming
1/18/2019 4:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tip set for 4 p.m. on Sunday; free tailgate for fans starts at 2:30 inside Lerner Health & Wellness Center
TIPPING OFF: After splitting its first four games of the conference season, with both wins coming on the road, the GW men's basketball team looks to return to its winning ways inside Smith Center on Homecoming Weekend as it plays host to the Duquesne Dukes on Sunday at 4 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by NBC Sports Network.
LAST TIME OUT: GW got its second consecutive conference road victory on Wednesday in Philadelphia, coming back from a double-digit deficit to defeat La Salle 59-56. After a rough-and-tumble first half that looked more like an NFC East defensive slugfest than A-10 basketball, the Colonials trailed 23-14. In the final 20 minutes, though, they more closely resembled the high-flying offense of the Kansas City Chiefs, scoring 45 points (26 in the paint) on 68 percent shooting. Defensively, GW held the Explorers to just 34.4 percent shooting for the game, making its case that defense still wins as the Colonials are now 5-2 this season and 21-5 under Maurice Joseph when holding the opponent under 40 percent shooting.
SERIES HISTORY: GW dropped both meetings with Duquesne last season and had a four-game home winning streak over the Dukes snapped with a 75-73 defeat. The Colonials still lead the all-time series 51-30, including a 28-8 mark at home.
MAKING HIS MARK: Since cementing his place in the starting lineup in December, Maceo Jack has turned into GW's most consistent scorer. The sophomore from New York exploded for a career-high 23 points (8-11 FG) vs. Valparaiso (Dec. 8) and has scored in double figures eight straight games, the longest streak by a Colonial this season, and his 13.1 ppg during that span is second only to classmate Terry Nolan Jr. (13.3 ppg). Jack has also hit at least one 3-pointer in 16 consecutive games, including multiple triples in nine straight, which are both the longest streaks on the team.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: For the last nine games GW has used a starting lineup featuring its entire sophomore class of Nolan, Jack, Justin Mazzulla and Javier Langarica, with redshirt junior DJ Williams the lone upperclassmen among the starting five. First years and sophomores have accounted for 73 percent of GW's scoring over that stretch, and the Colonials as a whole rank as the 301st (out of 353) least experienced team in NCAA Division I (according to KenPom).
FILLING THE VOID: Since starting forward and junior tri-captain Arnaldo Toro was lost for the season due to a hip injury, the Colonials have seen the majority of production come from the guard position. In a span of 10 games, guards have accounted for 85 percent of scoring and led the team in rebounding nine times. At just 6-foot-1, Nolan has provided the biggest boost on the glass, averaging a team-best 5.3 rpg, including three double-figure rebounding games in conference play. GW has also utilized a four-guard lineup in 16 of 17 games.
TIP-INS: Mazzulla is the only Colonial to start in all 17 games this season and leads the team in assists and steals … the undersized Colonials finished with a positive margin on the glass for the fourth time this season (3-1 record) with a 39-35 edge over La Salle (also outrebounded Manhattan (W), Vermont (L) and Saint Joseph's (W)) … GW's 45 points in the second half vs. La Salle matched a season-high (also vs. Saint Joseph's).
