The Nevada men’s basketball team is set to host Duquesne on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Lawlor Events Center, looking to improve their season record to 8-3. The game promises to be an exciting match-up, as both teams bring their unique styles to the court.
Duquesne, currently standing at 6-4, has a strong offensive presence near the rim, averaging a notable 24.9 free throw attempts per game. However, they’ve struggled in converting these attempts, connecting on only 68.8 percent of their free throws, compared to Nevada’s more solid 74.2 percent. With Duquesne’s strength relying on scoring close to the basket—evidenced by their 62.5 percent shooting on two-point attempts—Nevada will need to defend the interior effectively without falling into foul trouble.
Transition defense will be crucial for Nevada as Duquesne plays at a high tempo, ranking 24th among 365 Division I schools. This fast-paced approach has resulted in challenges for Duquesne, as they average 15.7 turnovers per game, placing them among the bottom 25 nationally in this category. Nevada’s ability to create turnovers and capitalize on them in transition will be a focal point, requiring disciplined on-ball defense to counter Duquesne’s rapid offensive movements.
Interestingly, Nevada has found success with a reduced focus on three-point shooting. Initially averaging 23 attempts per game with a dismal 26.5 percent success rate, they have shifted to an average of 16 attempts, raising their shooting percentage to an impressive 42.7 percent. This adjustment has allowed Nevada to maintain a balanced offensive attack, emphasizing ball movement and aggression towards the basket to create open shots from beyond the arc. They currently rank 68th nationally with a 36.8 percent shooting rate from three.
Chris Murray predicts that Nevada will secure a convincing victory against Duquesne, forecasting a final score of 80-66. Having shown improvement in their play over the latter part of the non-conference schedule, Nevada aims to build on their recent momentum, especially given Duquesne’s recent struggles against teams with winning records. With both teams facing off in what is expected to be a competitive game, Nevada’s solid overall play could lead them to a strong finish in non-conference competition.