What: Men’s basketball (2-0) vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff (1-1) (CBE Hall of Fame Classic)
Where: Smith Center, Washington, D.C.
When: Thursday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
GW searches for its third consecutive win Thursday night at the Smith Center, taking on Arkansas Pine-Bluff in game two of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.
The Golden Lions were picked to finish second to last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and enter the contest coming off a 36-point win over Ecclesia College. They dropped their season-opener to UAB, however, 86-66.
Case for the Colonials:
Through two games, three Colonials are averaging 12.0 or more points per game. Graduate student forward Tyler Cavanaugh leads that effort with 18.0 , while junior guard Yuta Watanabe boasts 15.5 and a team-high 9.0 rebounds per game.
Redshirt junior guard Jaren Sina (12.0 ppg) exploded for 16 points in the second half of GW’s win over Siena on Tuesday and will continue to captain an offense that’s averaging just 76 points per game, but one that will likely overpower a less skilled UAPB defense.
The Colonials’ big bodies also hold the advantage on the glass. GW currently holds the 67th-best rebounding effort in the country with an average of 43.5 boards per game to the Golden Lions’ 39.0.
Free throw shooting, as it has in the season’s first two games, will also be crucial. GW is a combined 47-for-57 from the line (82.5 percent) and has done a good job thus far of drawing fouls against less experienced squads.
Also expect more big minutes from starting freshman center Collin Smith and some substantial bench production if the Colonials can jump to an early lead.
Case for the Golden Lions:
UAPB is led by senior guard Ghiavonni Robinson, who is averaging a team-high 16.0 points per game. Juniors Jo’Randle Toliver and Trent Steen add a team-best 3.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game, respectively.
The Golden Lions are averaging 66.0 points allowed per game to GW’s 73.0, although one of its two opponents this season has not been an NCAA Division I team.
The visitors also hold an edge over GW on the stat sheet in assists (16.0), steals (9.5) and three-point shooting percentage (32.7).
If UAPB can play fast, avoid fouls and frustrate the Colonials – who are still working out some kinks on both sides of the ball – it has a slim chance at pulling off an upset.
The Bottom Line:
Up against a SWAC team that went just 8-25 last year, GW should be able to grab their first double-digit victory of the season on Thursday. A dominant win and staying undefeated at home will only help the Colonials as they gear up for tougher competition in Kansas City next week.
