Riding high after its biggest and most surprising win of the year, the University of Massachusetts basketball team will try to keep riding the surge Sunday at Duquesne.
The Dukes are better than most will give them credit for are and won't be a walk in the park for coach Derek Kellogg's squad. In fact, the Dukes could end up giving UMass the type of challenge everyone expected from VCU.
Tipoff for is set for 3 p.m. at the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh. Let's take a look at the matchup.
Duquesne
Record: 15-9 (5-6 Atlantic 10)
Last year's record: 12-19
Last five: 3-2
Last game: L, 76-74 at Dayton
Points scored: 79.3
Points allowed: 75.8
Kenpom rating: 130th
Three things to know
Better than you might remember: Fans might see Duquesne on the schedule and come away with the impression that Sunday's game will be easily-winnable for the Minutemen. Frankly, it's not true. Duquesne averaged just 11 wins per season over the first three years of coach Jim Ferry's tenure, but this year's Dukes are high scoring and a very tough out, especially at home.
Led by senior point guard Derrick Colter (18.4 points) and senior 3-point sharpshooter Micah Mason (16.8), Duquesne deserves more respect in the Atlantic 10.
"They're very good," Kellogg said. "This is the team that Jimmy built his program around when he took over, this being his fourth year. They have really, really good guards. Colter and Mason might be one of the better backcourt combos in the league. They've struggled to win games recently, but they were up 12 at Dayton and have beaten some really good teams.
"They're 10-2 at home and we're at their place. That's a really good record."
High tempo: The Dukes are the second-highest scoring team in the Atlantic 10 and a lot of it has to do with how much they push tempo. According to Kenpom, they rank 13th in the nation in adjusted tempo and 10th in possession length (15.0 seconds). UMass likes to get out and run, too, but those numbers will make just about any team look a little slow.
"They actually might push the tempo as fast as anybody in our league," Kellogg said. "I'm not sure exactly where the numbers put them, but watching them on tape, they get up and down the court faster than just about anybody. They'll get the ball up to the rim a little quicker than most. So I think our transition defense and not giving up easy ones even when we score will be big things."
Building momentum: Thursday's win over VCU was big in that it takes more of the weight off the team's shoulders following a rough stretch. Maybe it'll help facilitate a little run through to the end of the season, but Kellogg wasn't sure what the carryover effect would be against the Dukes.
"It's hard to tell. I think we need to just keep worrying about UMass and getting better and playing more like the team we can be if everything is clicking on all cylinders," Kellogg said. "We don't have a ton of room for error. We need a lot of guys playing well at the same time. The VCU game was good for us. I'm hoping that can carry over to the Duquesne game."
Opponent spotlight
G Micah Mason: Two years ago, Mason shot an incredible 56.0 percent from 3-point range. He's not at the level in 2015-16, but his 42.2 percentage still ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10. Mason was especially on point last time out, making 7 of 8 attempts from 3 in a 2-point loss at Dayton.
2015-16 averages: 16.8 PPG | 4.5 APG | 3.1 RPG | 42.4 3PT%
Other leaders: G Derrick Colter (18.4 PPG, 4.2 APG), F L.G. Gill (9.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG), G Eric James (8.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG), F Darius Lewis (6.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG), F TySean Powell (6.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG)
They said it
Kellogg on Duquesne's shooters: "You've got to be aware of Colter, Mason and even Gill, at times, and where they are on the floor. Mason's shooting 42 percent from 3 and a lot of those are deep ones that are contested. Those guys are really good and they've been through the battles and wars of the Atlantic 10 for a couple years."
UMass wins if...
... it can keep up with Duquesne's pace and play the type of transition defense it did Thursday against VCU. UMass kept VCU off balance for a full 20 minutes and will need to keep Duquesne from settling into a scoring rhythm, too.
UMass loses if...
... Mason has another 7-for-8 type of 3-point shooting performance and the lack of Seth Berger (concussion symptoms) spreads the UMass bench too thin. The Minutemen better be ready to score a ton of points.
Prediction
Kenpom: Duquesne 82, UMass 74
UMass' Seth Berger doesn't travel due to concussion symptoms, will miss Sunday's game at Duquesne.
The Dukes are better than most will give them credit for are and won't be a walk in the park for coach Derek Kellogg's squad. In fact, the Dukes could end up giving UMass the type of challenge everyone expected from VCU.
Tipoff for is set for 3 p.m. at the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh. Let's take a look at the matchup.
Duquesne
Record: 15-9 (5-6 Atlantic 10)
Last year's record: 12-19
Last five: 3-2
Last game: L, 76-74 at Dayton
Points scored: 79.3
Points allowed: 75.8
Kenpom rating: 130th
Three things to know
Better than you might remember: Fans might see Duquesne on the schedule and come away with the impression that Sunday's game will be easily-winnable for the Minutemen. Frankly, it's not true. Duquesne averaged just 11 wins per season over the first three years of coach Jim Ferry's tenure, but this year's Dukes are high scoring and a very tough out, especially at home.
Led by senior point guard Derrick Colter (18.4 points) and senior 3-point sharpshooter Micah Mason (16.8), Duquesne deserves more respect in the Atlantic 10.
"They're very good," Kellogg said. "This is the team that Jimmy built his program around when he took over, this being his fourth year. They have really, really good guards. Colter and Mason might be one of the better backcourt combos in the league. They've struggled to win games recently, but they were up 12 at Dayton and have beaten some really good teams.
"They're 10-2 at home and we're at their place. That's a really good record."
High tempo: The Dukes are the second-highest scoring team in the Atlantic 10 and a lot of it has to do with how much they push tempo. According to Kenpom, they rank 13th in the nation in adjusted tempo and 10th in possession length (15.0 seconds). UMass likes to get out and run, too, but those numbers will make just about any team look a little slow.
"They actually might push the tempo as fast as anybody in our league," Kellogg said. "I'm not sure exactly where the numbers put them, but watching them on tape, they get up and down the court faster than just about anybody. They'll get the ball up to the rim a little quicker than most. So I think our transition defense and not giving up easy ones even when we score will be big things."
Building momentum: Thursday's win over VCU was big in that it takes more of the weight off the team's shoulders following a rough stretch. Maybe it'll help facilitate a little run through to the end of the season, but Kellogg wasn't sure what the carryover effect would be against the Dukes.
"It's hard to tell. I think we need to just keep worrying about UMass and getting better and playing more like the team we can be if everything is clicking on all cylinders," Kellogg said. "We don't have a ton of room for error. We need a lot of guys playing well at the same time. The VCU game was good for us. I'm hoping that can carry over to the Duquesne game."
Opponent spotlight
G Micah Mason: Two years ago, Mason shot an incredible 56.0 percent from 3-point range. He's not at the level in 2015-16, but his 42.2 percentage still ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10. Mason was especially on point last time out, making 7 of 8 attempts from 3 in a 2-point loss at Dayton.
2015-16 averages: 16.8 PPG | 4.5 APG | 3.1 RPG | 42.4 3PT%
Other leaders: G Derrick Colter (18.4 PPG, 4.2 APG), F L.G. Gill (9.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG), G Eric James (8.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG), F Darius Lewis (6.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG), F TySean Powell (6.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG)
They said it
Kellogg on Duquesne's shooters: "You've got to be aware of Colter, Mason and even Gill, at times, and where they are on the floor. Mason's shooting 42 percent from 3 and a lot of those are deep ones that are contested. Those guys are really good and they've been through the battles and wars of the Atlantic 10 for a couple years."
UMass wins if...
... it can keep up with Duquesne's pace and play the type of transition defense it did Thursday against VCU. UMass kept VCU off balance for a full 20 minutes and will need to keep Duquesne from settling into a scoring rhythm, too.
UMass loses if...
... Mason has another 7-for-8 type of 3-point shooting performance and the lack of Seth Berger (concussion symptoms) spreads the UMass bench too thin. The Minutemen better be ready to score a ton of points.
Prediction
Kenpom: Duquesne 82, UMass 74
UMass' Seth Berger doesn't travel due to concussion symptoms, will miss Sunday's game at Duquesne.
