What to watch for: Bobcats look for revenge on SHU

What to watch for: Bobcats look for revenge on SHU

By Matthias Gausz, QBSN Co-Director

The Bobcats men’s basketball team (9-8, 2-4 NEC) travels down the Merritt Parkway to face instate rival, Sacred Heart University (8-11, 2-4 NEC) at the William Pitt Center in Fairfield, Conn. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Quinnipiac is coming off a rough loss at St. Francis (PA) on Saturday, 74-71. Ike Azotam (Boston, Mass.) led the Bobcats with 28 points, but only grabbed four rebounds. Dave Johnson (Jackson, N.J.) added 15 points to go along with seven assists and six rebounds. Overall, they just weren’t able to defend down the stretch and allowed a lowly Red Flash team to shoot over 50 percent from the field.

The Bobcats haven’t been able to defend up front and really miss Jamee Jackson’s (Newark, N.J.) presence. Freshman forward Justin Harris (Paterson, N.J.) has played more minutes off the bench as of late hoping to take some of Jackson’s role. QU has established their top two scorers in Azotam and James Johnson (Queens, N.Y.), but it is in desperate need of another body able to score and Dave Johnson might just be the answer. The pesky junior guard has played great in the last four games averaging twelve points, five assists and five rebounds per game. He needs to continue to play well in conference play if they want to make a run at a title.

Sacred Heart is coming off 70-67 loss to Robert Morris on Saturday, despite Shane Gibson’s 28 points. Gibson has been the bright spot on the Pioneer squad that has had struggles this season, playing defense. They have been able to score with everyone they’ve played but they have just allowed too many points. They also are a team that struggles on the glass. They’re best defensive performance may have been against Quinnipiac in the first meeting in December. The Pioneers held QU to just over 31 percent shooting and caused 14 turnovers.  Gibson has been efficient all year.  If he can get some help from the players around him, they can start piling up wins.

Key for the Bobcats:

The Bobcats must defend and pay attention to Gibson, who had 21 in the first meeting. They will out rebound the Pioneers; it’s just a matter of connecting on those second chance shots. If the top three of Dave Johnson, James Johnson and Azotam play to their abilities, they should take the victory. The big key will be the bench play; Quinnipiac will need to have production out of its six to nine guys. If they can play well as an all-around team, top to bottom, they can grab the W.

Key for the Pioneers:

The Pioneers will have to get Gibson to continue to play like he has, averaging over 20 points per game.  The defense that showed up in the first match-up has to be back as they force the Bobcats to take errant shots and cause havoc. If they can hit the glass, cause the Bobcats to become rattled and beat at their own game they might come away with a season sweep on the Bobcats.  

Last Meeting: December 1, 2011 in Hamden. Quinnipiac lost 68-55, despite Azotam’s 18 points and 16 rebounds. QU only shot 31 percent from the floor and missed eleven free throws. Gibson led Sacred Heart with 21 points and five rebounds.