No.13 St. Bonaventure Bonnies (16-16, 4-14 A-10) and the No.5 George Mason Patriots (23-8, 11-7 A-10) will face each other in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship on Thursday at PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh. This is the third matchup between the two sides this season, with George Mason leading with a commanding 2-0 record.
Will the Bonnies be able to pull an upset to keep their season hopes alive? Let’s find out.
St. Bonaventure vs. George Mason Prediction
George Mason enters the tournament with a talented and well-rounded roster that ranks highly in several statistical categories across the A-10. The Patriots recently finished their regular season with a 29-point victory over St. Louis and are expected to follow through with the same momentum. Kory Mincy leads the Patriots in scoring at 14.2 points per game while shooting 39.1% from deep. When healthy, Mincy acts like the Patriots’ main offensive engine and adds a completely different potential to the team altogether.
This doesn’t mean St. Bonaventure doesn’t have any weapons of their own. Frank Mitchell leads the Bonnies with 16.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, while Buddy Simmons II is averaging 16.2 points on a 42.4% shooting from beyond the arc. Junior guard Darryl Simmons II was the one adding 21 points in the Bonnies’ first-round win over La Salle. However, the team hasn’t been able to sustain the level of play against George Mason, falling both times the two teams met this season.
In the last regular-season matchup, George Mason held St. Bonaventure to just 37.5% shooting from the field, which was one of the lowest marks any opponent has shot against them all season. Usually, George Mason holds teams to 41.7% shooting from the field. However, their defense against the Bonnies has been commendable. If Mitchell and the Bonnies find a way to get stops and score efficiently in the half-court, there doesn’t seem to be an easy win for St. Bonaventure. ESPN’s matchup predictor estimates a 69.6% chance for George Mason to win this matchup.
St. Bonaventure vs. George Mason Lineups
St. Bonnaventure Lineup
- Darryl Simmons II
- Dasonte Bowen
- Buddy Simmons II
- Cayden Charles
- Frank Mitchell
George Mason Lineup
- Kory Mincy
- Jahari Long
- Masai Troutman
- Riley Allenspach
- Nick Ellington
St. Bonaventure vs. George Mason Injury Report
For the Bonnies, Daniel Egbuniwe’s status is worth monitoring as he has dealt with a lower-body injury, which has cost him multiple games this season. Outside of Egbuniwe, no other player is on St. Bonaventure’s injury report, and the team is expected to be healthy for the upcoming matchup.
For the Patriots, Brayden O’Connor remains out for the season after a foot injury on the very first day of the season. Senior guard Fratt Hill also remains out with an ankle injury and is not expected to be available for the tournament. Despite some crucial losses, George Mason has managed their injury situation and depth well throughout this season.
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