By Sean Kennedy
Yesterday’s Action
Towson 80, Drexel 68
With three starters missing Tuesday’s contest for Drexel, you knew it was going to be an uphill battle. Jerrelle Benimon and the rest of the Tigers made sure the Dragons never reached the crest of that hill. The Towson star took advantage of an undermanned Drexel frontcourt, going off for 27 points on 10-14 shooting, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. When the Dragons threw multiple guys at Benimon, the ball would eventually find an open Marcus Damas, who hit 4 of 5 threes and 8 of 10 shots overall to tie a career-high with 26 points.
The remaining starters for Drexel, Chris Fouch and Frantz Massenat, did their best to keep their team within striking distance with 28 and 21 points, respectively. However, their shooting percentages suffered as the Tigers defense was able to key in on them as the only remaining weapons in the Drexel attack. Try as they might, with the amount of injuries the Dragons are dealing with at the moment, they’ll be hard-pressed to beat any decent team on a given night. They need some of their players to return to the court in a hurry before too much of the conference campaign slips away.
Cincinnati 69, Temple 58
Never let it be said that Temple rolled over easily in the face of adversity. With Will Cummings missingthe game, reportedly due to a need for rest, and not due to the concussion he suffered two games ago, freshman Josh Brown was the only remaining point guard on the roster. Brown was one of three Owls to play all 40 minutes against the Bearcats, in a game Temple was leading with as few as 6 minutes remaining in the game. However, Cincinnati hit their next 3 three-pointers as part of a 12-0 run to finally pull away from the undermanned and gassed Owls squad.
Dalton Pepper was once again the offensive star for Temple with 21 points behind 4-7 shooting behind the arc, marking the third straight game the Pennsbury graduate hit four threes. Quenton DeCosey chipped in with 17 points, while Anthony Lee recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but shot just 5-16 from the floor while struggling against the shot-blocking prowess of the Bearcats’ Justin Jackson. One of the nation’s leading shot blockers, Jackson finished with a double-double of his own (15 points, 10 rebounds) while adding a game-changing 6 blocks. He and leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick (23 points on 6-13 from downtown) were enough to handle an Owls team playing without a full deck. It was an inspired effort for Temple, but effort alone won’t earn them their first conference win. The Owls will step away from the AAC momentarily this weekend to take on city rival La Salle.
Today’s Action
7:00 PM: La Salle (9-6, 2-0 A-10) vs. Rhode Island (9-8, 0-2 A-10)
The Explorers have discovered new territory with a season-best 3-game winning streak and will look to make it four when they face a Rams team still in search of their first conference victory. Although they’ve lost to two tough A-10 opponents in St. Louis and George Washington, Rhode Island hasn’t done themselves any favors with an inconsistent offense that has shot under 43% from the field and just 30% from three. The team’s top two leading scorers, senior Xavier Munford and freshman E.C. Matthews, are each shooting under 40% on the year.
However, while the scoring has come and gone, the defensive end has kept the Rams in a lot of games this season. While they can’t shoot the three particularly well, they can defend it with the best of them, as opponents have shot under 29% from three (21st in NCAA). Tyreek Duren and Sam Mills will have their work cut out for them to get open on the perimeter. However, ultimately, with home court and the way they’ve been shooting the ball lately, the Explorers should prevail.
7:00 PM: Saint Joseph’s (10-5, 1-1 A-10) vs. Duquesne (8-6, 1-1 A-10)
After evening up their record in conference play with a solid road win against George Mason, the Hawks return home to face a Duquesne team that Philly fans just watched fall to La Salle over the weekend. Despite their lopsided loss to the Explorers, the Dukes are no pushover and one would expect them not to have two off nights in a row against City 6 competition. They’ll be contending with a couple of Duquesne big men who could make life difficult for the Hawks, especially if Ronald Roberts, Jr. misses the contest (game-time decision – back).
6’8″ Ovie Soko, a transfer from UAB, leads the Dukes in both scoring and rebounding, averaging over 18 and 8 per game. He’ll look to bounce back from his poor game against the Explorers that saw him shoot just 3-15 and commit 7 turnovers. Teammate 6’8″ Dominique McKoy leads the nation in field goal percentage and should be a priority to keep off the offensive glass. The Dukes get to the free throw line a lot (top-40 in free throws made), which could be a concern if Roberts isn’t able to go and the big man rotation gets that much smaller. Whether or not Roberts suits up, Duquesne has the tools to potentially take down St. Joe’s. However, with the exception of the last 5 minutes against UMass, the Hawks have played outstanding ball the last three weeks and I see no reason for that to stop tonight.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
