The A-10 is back with a triple header on Saturday starting at 12:30 on NBCSN. Aside from Rhode Island, none of the other four teams playing have better than two wins, and would like to grab a win today in order to avoid being buried at the bottom of standings before the season even takes off.
Fordham vs UMass |12:30 ET | NBCSN
It’s been a long time since Fordham has had as big a win as they had on Wednesday. The same team that lost by 40 to East Tennessee State in the beginning of the season managed to pull of a buzzer-beating overtime victory against VCU. Go figure. Senior Javontae Hawkins has lead the way with 14 points and 5 rebounds per game, while freshman guard Antoine Anderson has provided some much needed scoring in his first season. Fordham heads to Amherst trying to string together two in a row. In their path is a UMass team playing their best basketball of the season, beating Dayton and St Joseph’s, and their 6’11, 320 pound center Rashaan Holloway. In only his sophomore season, Holloway is averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per game. Aided by star freshman Dejon Jarreau, the Minutemen are starting to work their way back from a 0-3 start. They’ll need a win against Fordham if they want to keep climbing.
Prediction
Holloway powers the Minutemen past Fordham in a slugfest, 62-56.
Rhode Island vs Duquesne |2:30 ET | NBCSN
After narrowly escaping a loss at home to UMass, Rhode Island heads to Duquesne, in a game they really cannot afford to lose. Duquesne has not been very surprising thus far in league play, beating Fordham and St. Louis, and losing to VCU, La Salle, Dayton, and GW. Rhody, the preseason pick to win the conference, is in danger of losing sight of the top of the league with a loss. In Joe Lunardi’s most recent bracketology, the Rams are on the cusp of an at-large bid in the “First Four Out,” section, but a loss to Duquesne would probably knock them out of at-large contention.
Prediction
Rams take care of business in Pittsburgh, 75-63.
Saint Joseph’s vs Penn |7 ET
In a rare January non-conference game, St. Joseph’s heads to the Palestra, “The Cathedral of Basketball,” to take on UPenn in their annual Big 5 game. The Quakers have only had one good win this season, by nine points at UCF, and have started the Ivy League season 0-3. Although this won’t help the Hawks in the A-10 standings, it’s important for them to gain some momentum heading into two tough matchups at St. Bonaventure, and against La Salle.
Prediction
Hawks fly in the Palestra 70-58.
1 Comment
Stop underestimating my Fordham rams. They da truth. smh