La Salle Explorers vs George Washington Colonials
Both teams are in two totally different predicaments. It’s a lost season for Dr. Giannini and his Explorers. On the other hand, the Colonials are sitting on the bubble clinging to their NCAA tournament hopes. With all the pressure on the Colonials, an upset could be brewing in the nation’s capital.
The Explorers are riding high after an upset win over St. Bonaventure. They also racked up an impressive win at Dayton earlier this year. La Salle is led by Jordan Price, who is averaging 19.0 PPG along with 5.5 rebounds. He will need to show up for the Explorers to even have a chance. The Explorers love to slow the pace down and use up all the shot clock. With all the pressure on the Colonials, don’t sleep on the Explorers.
GW is on the outside looking in, and a loss would kill their NCAA chances. The Colonials are coming off a win against Duquesne that ended a two game losing streak. Mike Lonergan’s squad is led by a frontcourt tandem of Tyler Cavanaugh and Kevin Larsen. One of my personal favorites in the conference is Yuta Watanabe. The 6’7 sophomore from Japan is averaging 8.1 PPG. The Colonials will look to push to tempo early and pound the ball inside. GW has been pretty inconsistent this year, but I can’t see them losing this one.
Something we’ve learned this year in the A10, expect the unexpected. The Explorers have nothing to lose, while the Colonials have everything to lose. This is an intriguing matchup because of GW’s up and down play all year. I feel like the Explorers will hang around for a while, but eventually the Colonials will wear them down.
Elsewhere in A10 Action
George Mason vs Massachusetts Minutemen
Both teams look lost in a very competitive A10. For UMass, there had been a bright spot. Guard Trey Davis has blossomed this year, averaging 19.2 PPG and 4.0 rebounds. For Mason, guards Marquise Moore and Otis Livingston II carry the scoring load. Both teams are in rebuilding mode, and a win won’t do much for either teams.
