In the upcoming Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament second-round clash, the ninth-seeded Saint Joseph’s Hawks are set to take on the eighth-seeded George Mason Patriots in what promises to be a closely contested battle. The Hawks (19-12, 9-9 Atlantic 10) head into the matchup with momentum, having secured victories in three of their last five games, including an impressive 89-71 win over Davidson in their regular-season finale. Meanwhile, the Patriots (20-11, 9-9 Atlantic 10) are riding a two-game winning streak, having triumphed over co-regular-season champion Richmond with a commanding 64-46 victory.
Saint Joseph’s
The winner of this encounter will advance to face top-seeded Richmond in the quarterfinals on Thursday, adding an extra layer of significance to this pivotal matchup. Although George Mason holds a historical advantage in the all-time series with a 10-7 lead, Saint Joseph’s claimed a hard-fought 75-73 victory on Jan. 31 in their lone regular-season meeting.
Scheduled to tip off at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., the Patriots enter the game as slim 1-point favorites, with the over/under set at 137 points according to the latest Saint Joseph’s vs. George Mason odds from the SportsLine consensus. The model utilized by SportsLine, which has been on a remarkable 145-104 run for top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, has also established an impressive 28-18 (+820) record on top-rated spread picks this season.
George Mason’s leading scorer, sophomore guard Keyshawn Hill, has been sidelined for the last three games due to injury. However, senior guard Darius Maddox has stepped up admirably, averaging 20.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and one steal in Hill’s absence. Maddox, in his first season with the Patriots after three years at Virginia Tech, boasts season averages of 14.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 33.8 minutes.
Senior forward Amari Kelly adds significant firepower to the Patriots’ lineup, having recently contributed 14 points in the win over Richmond. Kelly’s versatility was showcased in the first meeting with Saint Joseph’s, where he notched 18 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. Over 30 games, all as a starter, Kelly is averaging 12.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 assists in 28.4 minutes.
Saint Joseph’s, on the other hand, relies on the scoring prowess of junior guard Erik Reynolds II, who has been in excellent form with double-figure scoring in the last five games. Reynolds II, who scored 14 points in the previous matchup against George Mason, boasts season averages of 16.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.2 minutes.
Freshman guard Xzayvier Brown also contributes to the Hawks’ scoring efforts, having reached double-digit scoring in five consecutive games. Brown had 16 points against George Mason on Jan. 31 and recorded a season-high 29 points in a matchup against Loyola Chicago on Feb. 14. Over 31 games, including nine starts, Brown is averaging 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in 30.1 minutes.
As the two teams prepare to square off, the clash promises a showcase of talent and a fierce battle for a coveted spot in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. For detailed picks and predictions, interested parties can refer to the insights provided by the SportsLine Projection Model.
