Where: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Ill., FS1 (TV)
When: Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 9 p.m. ET
The Colonials head to the Chicago area for their penultimate non-conference game against the Blue Demons, and run into an old demon of their own: road games.
DePaul has lost three-straight games while GW has won four in a row and the Colonials are the much better team on paper. Still, the challenge of winning on the road will likely keep this one close and a solid win would affirm GW’s place among the nation’s best.
Here’s what to expect from the game:
The Case for the Colonials:
GW’s offense should have the upper hand in this one against a DePaul defense that forces few turnovers and fouls often. The battle will likely be on the defensive end for the Colonials as DePaul is a good shooting team that is also skilled at getting to the line.
GW did not play well in the 1-3-1 in its last game, a win over Saint Peter’s where they went to it at the beginning of the second half but quickly gave it up after allowing a series of buckets, but could go to it a good amount against the Blue Demons in order to force turnovers. DePaul is giving up the basketball 14 times per game, with an assist-turnover ratio below one, and GW is generating 6.8 steals per game.
Head coach Mike Lonergan will have to balance trying to create turnovers with trying to take away drives, as DePaul is a team with a big drop-off from beyond the arc. The Blue Demons are hitting 45 percent of their shots overall, but just 33 percent from three-point range. GW’s opponents have only hit 29.6 percent of their three-point attempts.
GW should also have the edge off the glass, outrebounding opponents 38.6 to 34.4. DePaul is narrowly outrebounding opponents with 35.2 per game and has been beaten off the offensive boards, 120-103, on the season.
The Case for the Blue Demons:
The game represents a huge opportunity for the Blue Demons, a team that lost in overtime to Northwestern, with the now-ranked Colonials coming to town. That, and having lost to GW last year, should mean no shortage of motivation for DePaul in this game.
Meanwhile GW, a team that struggled on the road last season, has only played one true road game so far this season so has yet to prove that anything has changed.
6-foot-6 senior forward Myke Henry, DePaul’s leading scorer at 14.2 points per game, and 6-foot-6 junior guard Billy Garrett Jr., who follows Henry with 13.5, are the biggest producers for the Blue Demons.
When Henry – who has taken 24 threes this season, behind just Garrett and starting point guard Aaron Simpson – steps outside, it will be interesting to see how GW covers him in man. Patricio Garino’s length and skill could go a long way against Henry, who also leads DePaul in turnovers at 25 on the season, and has not been hitting his threes.
Henry led the Blue Demons with 22 points last year in DePaul’s loss to GW in the BB&T Classic and GW will have to do a better job preventing him from getting a step ahead on drives to stop him from taking over this year at his place.
DePaul also has plenty of balance, with no player averaging more than Henry’s 27.8 minutes per game. Foul trouble could hurt GW, especially to either one of forwards Tyler Cavanaugh and Kevin Larsen. 6-foot-11 junior center Tommy Hamilton IV isn’t a big presence off the offensive glass, is DePaul’s leading rebounder at 7.1 per game.
Bottom Line: If the Colonials look like the team they have been through 11 games this season, they should pick up a nice road win at DePaul that could lower the blood-pressure of many fans in subsequent games away from Foggy Bottom.
