St. Bonaventure vs. Duquesne Odds
| St. Bonaventure Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6 -115 | 136 -110o / -110u | -260 |
| Duquesne Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6 -105 | 136 -110o / -110u | +205 |
The Duquesne Dukes will host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in clash of Atlantic 10 foes in Pittsburgh on Friday.
The Dukes (1-2) have had a rough start to A-10 play, but the Bonnies (2-1) have been far more disappointing. The once A-10 favorites have now fallen behind multiple other teams in the standings after dropping a road game to Dayton.
The Bonnies don't look like they're on the same tier as Davidson at the moment, as the Wildcats have an ongoing 14-game win streak.
Although the Dukes are not a stalwart and are steep road underdogs, the Bonnies are not playing up to their potential. That means the Dukes have a strong chance to cover at home.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
The Bonnies have a weak defense. They only turn opponents over 16.9% of the time and allow 35.5% of 3s to fall.
This is Duquesne’s specialty, as it averages 33.4% from beyond the arc. Kevin Easley, Jackie Johnson III and Tyson Acuff all boast efficiency from downtown, hitting over 40% of their 3-pointers on the season.
Given this versatility, the Bonnies may have their hands full. Jaren Holmes, Kyle Lofton and the like do not usually permit many 3s, but if the Dukes find themselves open, they will knock down their treys.
On the flip side, the Bonnies only turn the ball at a 16.2% clip. They also hit 77.7% of free throws, so this contributes to their 51st-ranked offensive efficiency, via KenPom.
Otherwise, they do not have much going for them. They rank 158th in 2-point percentage (50.2%) and 237th in 3-point shooting (32.1%).
Now, Duquesne struggles guarding the arc, as well. Dominick Welch and Jalen Adaway are far and away the most efficient outside shooters for the Bonnies, so they will need to contribute with some jumpers to overcome this road test.
Adaway and Osun Osunniyi are both strong on the glass, but Osunniyi is the Bonnies' only true post. Both average over seven boards per outing.
Meanwhile, Tre Williams and Easley are the Dukes' posts tasked with handling the dominant inside presence. They both average around 6.5 boards per game, so this should cut into the rebounding production of Osunniyi.
Duquesne Dukes
On the defensive end, Osunniyi will have trouble matching up with both Duquesne posts. Yes, he is far taller at 6-foot-10 versus Williams and Easley (both at 6-foot-7), but the Duquesne big men average in the double digits from a scoring standpoint.
This will be a weakness the Dukes can exploit.
In addition, St. Bonaventure is relatively efficient at defensive rebounding, even from the guard position. The Bonnies will need this because offensive rebounding is the Dukes’ strongest attribute.
Duquesne's Toby Okani is another role player who presents a mismatch at 6-foot-8.
If the Dukes can limit Adaway and Osunniyi on the glass, they could eliminate second scoring chances. Duquesne struggles on the defensive glass, so this could give Osunniyi his own second opportunities offensively, too.
Finally, Duquesne maintains control of the ball on the offensive end. It only has a 16.5% turnover mark, so it will handle the ball well. This is comparable to the Bonnies, but they do turn over opponents at a wider mark (19.1%).
This could cause some havoc for Lofton and Holmes on the road, who are the usual St. Bonaventure suspects with the ball in their hands.
St. Bonaventure vs. Duquesne Betting Pick
Duquesne is not as bad as this spread indicates. The Dukes aren't flashy, but they rebound at a similar clip to the Bonnies. They can put pressure on the ball, and even if the Bonnies get outside shot opportunities, they have not yet proven they can take advantage.
Take Duquesne as underdogs at +5, and play it to +2.5.
