By Steven DiMiceli
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Let me make one thing clear, I don't want the Dukes to look past this St Bonaventure team. We just became their biggest home game of the year and they already don't like us. Their fans and players alike will be up for this game. That being said and in spite of their best efforts, I don't think the Bonnies have what it takes to beat the Dukes.
1. Many would argue that St Bonaventure beat us twice in the span of a week at the Reilly center last year and because of that they are still of a threat this year. I would like to point out that our season was already in a free fall by that point. I don't want to discredit what the Bonnies did, but I do want to acknowledge that this years version of the Dukes has a trajectory pointed in the opposite direction.
2. This is also a much better, more disciplined Duquesne team. We've shown that in spite of our lack of size that we can make life difficult for the opposition big players. Ask Chris Wright. All of our players work very hard on the defensive side of the ball to overcome the size disadvantage.
3. Last years Duquesne team had a short bench and was tired. This year, the Bonnies are the ones with the depth problems.
4. A lot of people talk a lot about Nicholson and how he'll eat us alive. I say that even if he scores 35 points, I'm not sure the rest of the Bonnies will be able to produce the remaining 40 it will take to beat us. Take their game against Dayton into consideration. Andrew drops 35, the rest of the team can only muster 26. That will not get the job done against the Dukes
5. While we're discussing the Nicholson factor, I think many have forgotten that the absurd shooting of Chris Matthews is what buried us in the second and third game. He was unbelievable. They don't have anyone but Nicholson who can take the game into his own hands this year.
6. The Dukes have been strong on the road. The Dayton Flyers have not been. I think it's hard to believe that the Dukes can't beat a team that was beaten at home by a bad road team who that the Dukes beat by 18. *Fair comments by the St Bonaventure fans on this one. I blew this point. Consider it retracted.
7. The Bonnies only have two guys in their rotation that average more assists than they do turnovers. Adegboye, their "PG" averages 2.7 a game. Their 3 other players averaging double digit points all turn the ball over more than 2.5 times per game. As a team, they average the third highest amount in the league.
I'm not sure what this game will look like in the end. It could be our first single digit win of the season. It could be another blow out. Either way, I suspect the Dukes will win this one.
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