What: GW (3-2) vs. UMBC (0-6)
Where: Smith Center
When: Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
Head coach Mike Lonergan said the Colonials will look to “take out [their] frustration” against UMBC on Thursday, following a four-point loss to Seton Hall over the weekend.
The Retrievers remain winless through six games, dropping their most recent contest 65-52 to Maryland-Eastern on Tuesday. Expect UMBC to have a tough time scoring against a more rested GW squad that comes into the contest ranked 21st nationally in scoring defense at 55.2 points allowed per game.
Much like last week’s game against Longwood, Thursday will serve as an opportunity for the struggling Colonials to regain confidence. Junior forward Kevin Larsen, who scored just three points against Seton Hall, will especially need to bounce back to ease concerns about the GW frontcourt.
The case for UMBC:
Senior guard Wayne Sparrow, who leads the Retrievers with 11.7 points per game, and senior forward Cody Joyce, who’s second in scoring and leading the team with five rebounds per game, will each need huge nights against a stifling GW defense for UMBC to pull off an upset.
The duo has tried to make up for the significant offensive loss of sophomore guard Rodney Elliott, the reigning America East Rookie of the Year who averaged 15 points per game in his first season and is out indefinitely this year due to a shoulder injury.
As a team, the Retrievers will need to drastically improve both facets of their game to take down the Colonials. A dismal 53 points per game puts them at 347th out of 351 Division I teams in scoring, and a 305th ranking in rebounding, compared to GW’s 67th, means some colossal individual performances will be required to secure the team’s first win.
The case for GW:
The Colonials are averaging 16.8 more points per game than UMBC and shooting about 45 percent from the field, compared to the Retriever’s 38 percent. If the Colonials can hit their shots and improve their inside play, they will dominate the game.
Look for the GW defense to force turnovers easily against a UMBC team that has already totaled 96 on the season, while the Colonials have only tallied 63. Also expect the Colonials to be more aggressive on the boards and most likely out-rebound the Retrievers by a wide margin, following a game against Seton Hall in which Lonergan said his team was “out-toughed.”
It will also prove to be another game where GW’s bench sees substantial minutes. Expect all five rookies and sophomore Nick Griffin to have significant playing time once the Colonials secure a lead.
