Even forgetting what happened last year, can’t overlook this team. They played Wake Forest reasonably tough - losing by 14 on the road.  And they beat Penn today behind 25 points from a freshman off the bench.  And we know they will try to slow the game to a crawl and make it a grind.

Need to bring the same energy and intensity we had vs USF, and impose our will.

Free Quebec wrote:

Even forgetting what happened last year, can’t overlook this team. <!!!!!>

And they beat Penn today behind 25 points from a freshman off the bench. And we know they will try to slow the game to a crawl and make it a grind. <!!!>

Just saw this, It is 7 AM Monday and I was just texting to  a writer that this game will come down to Simpkins  being able to control the pace of the game. He was saying that  AU's Achilles heel is that their inside players are young and not that big.

i think the game will comedown to our bigs limiting the turnovers and using their size to receive the ball cleanly in  the paint. As we;; as not committing careless TOs in fastbreaks. Hunger has to go get the ball when is receiving a pass.

The game will also be won if GW's rotation of guards can dominate AU's guards We have to control AU on pick plays and al ways keeping the ball in front of us with good Ice off picks.

I would extend the GW bigs by using a lot of 3 guard in the first half. Platoon Castro and Hunger. Look for Bubu and Tyrone teaming in the pant for a couple minutes. 

Jean has exposed the ball on the bounce and that is just a matter of practice. Same with his entry pass. It is OK to reset and not try a risky pass. .I am thinking Caputo is eating up the tape and sharing in  the meetings. Don't yell on the sidelines... Teach between games or on the bench..Our staff seems to do a lot of this- and it is feeding the player development.

Jean got stripped at the end of the sFla game and this would have saved him. in fact, both Treys did a version of this to ice the game.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zw-iu0fAicI

I used to coach a version in soccer. The move used the tendencies of the defender against him in a predictable way.

.

Last edited by russianthistle (11/10/2025 9:35 pm)

BM wrote:

Looking forward to seeing Antxon Iturbe's nephew on the court. He's starting and averaging 11/5.

https://aueagles.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/julen-iturbe/7046

Don't expect anyone to believe this but I have absolutely no reason to make it up.  I actually thought about Antxon Iturbe while watching Tyrone Marshall play on Saturday.  Woo is clearly a bit bigger and stronger but the similarities stem from each being: a) forwards who are exceptionally good passers (with great court vision) and b) glue guys who really seem to have a knack for making the right play at the right time (though Woo's sample size is very small).  Anyway, this comparison actually crossed my mind.  Maybe Julen and Tyrone will guard one another.
 

American Eagles

Date: Wednesday November 12th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Charles E. Smith Center (Washington, DC)
TV: ESPN+
Ranks: 285th (KenPom), 287th (Bart Torvik), 248th (Haslametrics), 270th (EvanMiya), 267th (Sports Illustrated)
2024-25 Record: 22-13, 13-5 (T-1st in Patriot)
2025-26 Projected Record: 15-16, 9-9 (T-5th in Patriot)

Head-to-Head: 21-27. Yeah, American has had our number over the years. That has especially been the case lately, as the Eagles are on a three game winning streak in the series. Back in 2019, it was Sa'eed Nelson to hit a buzzer beater to give the Eagles a two point win, wasting a 24 rebound performance from Arnaldo Toro. In 2022, GW had a number of chances to close the gap in the final minute of a two-possession game. Amir Harris had multiple steals, but both plays resulted in empty offensive possessions. Then of course last year Colin Smalls hit the game-tying three because the ball took a crazy bounce and Jacoi couldn't get a good angle to foul him (glad CC learned his lesson on Saturday against USF). American would win that game at Bender in overtime. Granted, it was pretty incredible that GW had a chance of winning a game where they shot 15% from 3 and 48% from the line, but that was the case. AU also somehow won the rebounding battle, although it was basically even. Jun led the way with 24 points and 9 rebounds, but he also committed half of GW's 14 turnovers and went a grotesque 10/21 form the charity stripe. Jacoi was the only other scorer in double figures, with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.

Offensive Efficiency: 291st (KenPom), 286th (Bart Torvik), 237th (Haslametrics), 239th (EvanMiya)
Defensive Efficiency: 259th (KenPom), 275th (Bart Torvik), 302nd (Haslametrics), 294th (EvanMiya)
Pace: 264th (KenPom), 230th (Bart Torvik), 318th (Haslametrics), 269th (EvanMiya)
Offensive Shot Quality Rank: 242nd
Defensive Shot Quality Rank: 247th
Rim & 3 Rate: 84% (150th)

Strengths (2024-25 Season):
Scoring Defense: 67.7 PPG (53rd; 1st in Pat)
Free Throw Percentage: 75.4% (58th; 1st in Pat)
Three Pointers Per Game: 8.5 3PM/G (85th; 3rd in Pat)
Winning Percentage: 62.9% (92nd; 1st in Pat)
Three Point Attempts Per Game: 24.5 3PA (98th; 2nd in Pat)

Weaknesses (2024-25 Season):
Fouls Per Game: 17.9 PF/G (265th; 10th in Pat)
Free Throws Made Per Game: 12.2 FTM (276th; 3rd in Pat)
Rebound Margin: -2.1 RPG (283rd; 8th in Pat)
Field Goal Percentage Defense: 45.7% (286th; 7th in Pat)
Bench Points Per Game: 15.74 PPG (293rd; 8th in Pat)
Scoring Offense: 68.7 PPG (301st; 8th in Pat)
Free Throw Attempts Per Game: 16.2 FTA (320th; 7th in Pat)
Defensive Rebounds Per Game: 22.49 DRPG (325th; 10th in Pat)
Offensive Rebounds Per Game: 7.71 ORPG (334th; 8th in Pat)
Blocks Per Game: 1.9 BPG (345th; 10th in Pat)
Rebounds Per Game: 30.2 RPG (346th; 10th in Pat)

Projected Starting Lineup:
#12 G Geoff Sprouse (Senior; Pembroke Pines, FL) - 6.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 apg; 35% FG, 37% 3-PT, 50% FT per 23.1 mpg/20 GP at American last season
#7 G Wyatt Nausadis (Sophomore; Traverse City, MI) - 3.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg; 32% FG, 26% 3-PT, 67% FT per 12.3 mpg/35 GP at American last season
#23 F Greg Jones (Junior; Alexandria, VA) - 10.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1 apg; 50% FG, 44% 3-PT, 85% FT per 26.8 mpg/33 GP at American last season
#33 F Matt Mayock (Junior; Berwyn, PA) - 7.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg; 41% FG, 35% 3-PT, 85% FT per 24.5 mpg/35 GP at American last season
#32 F Julen Iturbe (Sophomore; Greenville, SC) - 2.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg; 41% FG, 34% 3-PT, 60% FT per 7.8 mpg/26 GP at American last season

Key Bench Players:
#2 G Madden Collins (Freshman; Columbia, SC)
#13 F Carson McDonald (Freshman; Denver, CO)
#4 G Kade Sebastian (Freshman; Fairfax, VA)
#35 F Chris Eagan (Freshman; Charlotte, NC)

Key Losses:
Matt Rogers (Graduated; Knoxville, MD) - 16.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 apg; 56% FG, 40% 3-PT, 75% FT per 26.5 mpg/35 GP
Elijah Stephens (Graduated; Waco, TX) - 10.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.6 spg; 43% FG, 35% 3-PT, 84% FT per 30.4 mpg/31 GP
Colin Smalls (Graduated; Upper Marlboro, MD) - 9.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.2 apg; 41% FG, 33% 3-PT, 82% FT per 26.4 mpg/33 GP

Preview:
When a new coach comes into a program, sometimes the gut reaction is to go in and completely reinvent the team's identity on both sides of the ball. That's not always the best idea though, especially for a team in the Patriot League where you're not able to bring in your guys from the transfer portal right away. Success in the PL is still based on continuity, and when you have an experienced roster, you have to take advantage of your window to contend. That's exactly what second year coach Duane Simpkins did with last year's senior-laden squad. When he took over the Eagle program two years ago, he maintained previous coach Mike Brennan's methodical pace that looks for the best possible shot. That's not the worst idea in the world, considering Brennan still notched 17 wins in his final campaign as HC. It's also a style that helps minimize possessions and bridge the gap against teams that have a sizable talent advantage over them in OOC play.

Ultimately, the Eagles were able to use their experience to make the dance by defeating Navy in convincing fashion (22 points), just two weeks after falling to the Midshipmen in the regular season. It didn't hurt that Colgate, the dominant program in the league in recent years, had a down year. American not only won the conference tournament, but they also earned a share of the regular season title with Bucknell with a 13-5 league record. AU would fall to Mount St. Mary's in the first four, but the Eagles did not have the services of Matt Rogers for the last 25 minutes of the contest due to a right knee injury. Losing Rogers, who led American in scoring 20 times last season, was a crushing blow and ultimately there was just not enough firepower to mount a comeback (pun not intended). Rogers ranked top 40 nationally in both field goals made and field goal percentage, a tough combination to replace. Aside from the graduation of Rogers, American loses three other vital starters, including Patriot League third-team selection Elijah Stephens who set the table, Colin Smalls, who delivered that dagger in last season's game to send the contest to overtime, and of course former GW player Lincoln Ball, who did all the little things well. Ball also led the team in rebounding.

This season marks an inflection point under Simpkins. American graduated their sturdy seniors, so this will be the first real chance at seeing what a squad looks like under the former DeMatha grad and Maryland Terrapin. Does that come with a change in tempo? Simpkins previously served under Wes Miller at UNC Greensboro and Dave Paulsen at George Mason. During his years as assistant at UNCG, the Spartans were a very uptempo team, while the Paulsen teams at GMU were more mid-tempo. AU does have many guards on their roster that could probably push the pace a bit more, but they are also a young team so minimizing the turnovers and possessions might be a better idea.

Under Simpkins, the Eagles have been a relatively efficient offensive team from most areas of the court. One thing that did change from the Brennan years is a commitment to taking threes, as AU was a borderline top 50 team last year in three point attempt percentage (and even higher the year before). I would expect that trait to continue, but AU may have more consistency game-to-game if they can be somewhat less jumper reliant. They have been a good FT shooting team the last few seasons, but they simply do not get there enough, and that problem is further compounded by the fact that they completely ignore the offensive glass, resulting in one-and-done offensive trips if the initial shot does not go in. They do hold down the glass on the defensive end (top 70 in defensive rebound percentage in 2024 and 2025) but it would not be surprising to see a slight step back on that front with the graduation of Rogers. Additionally, they have had no semblance of rim protection since Simpkins took over and I wouldn't be surprised to see zone looks on Wednesday, especially if GW has an off night shooting a la Maine.

The strength of this year's AU roster is at the forward/wing positions. Greg Jones, the Patriot League preseason defensive player of the year, is back after averaging double figures and starting every game that he appeared in last season. A one-time GW recruit, Jones saw his numbers improve across the board. What's more impressive is that his efficiency also improved despite taking on a larger role for the Eagles. The Alexandria native posted 50/44/85 splits, not too shabby. Can he keep the efficiency up in what will likely be an even larger role this year? With Rogers and Ball out of the fold, look for Jones to take on a bigger role as a rebounder. American probably needs him to be somewhat of a point forward as well with the lack of experience from the ball-handlers on the roster following the graduation of Stephens. Maybe he can lead the charge with AU committing more to getting to the line. Jones ranked 66th in the country in FT percentage (second in the Patriot) but needs to get there more like the rest of the team. He had a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) in last year's matchup, but hasn't had a great start shooting the ball through two games.

Matt Mayock also returns for a third year with the program. He was a part-time starter last year after starting every contest his freshman campaign. That did not hurt his efficiency too much, as Mayock still shot 35% from three and 85% from the line. He went 6/10 from deep in the month of March, possibly a sign of things to come. Mayock is certainly capable of big outings, as seen against Virginia last year when he put up 16 points on four made triples. Like Jones, he will likely need to be a much bigger presence as a rebounder. He had 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in last year's contest, but has been a lower usage option thus far this year.

While roughly the same height as Jones and Mayock, rising sophomore Julen Iturbe has a bit more girth on his frame (225 lbs) to absorb contact and likely starts at the 5. Iturbe did see some run in his first year as a stretch forward, knocking down 34% of his threes. He will be looked to provide a source of rebounding, much like the aforementioned duo. Iturbe flashed some playmaking in AU's last game against Fran McCaffrey's Penn squad, dishing out four assists in the contest. By all accounts, he could be in store for a breakout in year two after seeing just three minutes in last year's contest.

Additional size comes by way of freshmen Carson McDonald and Chris Eagan. AU was set to also have sophomore Eric Michaels as well (who actually saw more action than Iturbe last year), but he is out for the season with a right knee injury. McDonald is a Colorado native who played at The Newman School in Massachusetts, a very successful HS program. He comes from good pedigree, as his grandfather played for the Eagles in the 70s, his dad played soccer, his mother played volleyball and basketball, and his sister plays soccer. He has been very efficient so far (8/11) inside the arc to start the year. Eagan, a 1,000 pt HS scorer, averaged 15 ppg and 7 rpg in his senior year of HS, with his team in North Carolina going 20-7. He will likely go through some growing pains early on in college, but he has a bright future long term with the Eagles. Local  product Gibraltar Coleman is a deeper option, as he rode the bench last year and only played nine minutes across four games back in 2023-24.

In the backcourt, Florida native Geoff Sprouse is the old man of the group and will be tasked with bringing along a bevy of underclassmen on this year's roster while providing a source of scoring in the backcourt (he's scored 10 ppg in both games this year). He's a career 36% three point shooter and has averaged roughly 50 three point makes a year in three years at AU (he's eighth all-time in career three-point field goals in program history). Sprouse has largely struggled to finish inside the arc over his career though, and no stat speaks to his reliance on jump shooting more than the fact that he attempted just FOUR free throws in 20 games last year. That's right - 462 minutes played, four attempted free throws. That feels impossible. Sprouse started most of his freshman year under Brennan, but has largely come off the bench under Simpkins. He probably regains a starting role this season.

Wyatt Nausadis likely occupies the final spot in the starting lineup, almost by default given the youth of the roster. The Michigan native was a consistent figure in the rotation last season, but he shot poorly (sub-40) from the field. He seems to be off to a much better start offensively this season (5/12 from three, had 22 against Wake in the opener) and has the positional size to be impactful defensively. Nausadis had 4 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the game at AU, but had a rough shooting night, going just 1/5 from the field. Adrian Samuels, a rare transfer who began his career at Vanderbilt, is the only other experienced piece on the roster and will help Sprouse out with leadership duties but on the court he is nothing more than a minutes eater. Samuels has appeared in 26 games for American over the past two years.

As a result, expect Simpkins to give plenty of minutes to a quartet of freshmen guards. Kamran Prince averaged 16 ppg and 7 apg in his final year of HS and has familiarity with Iturbe on the roster, as they played AAU ball together. He also played football in HS, so he will definitely bring a certain level of toughness. Prince has been sidelined due to injury thus far, but will certainly see run in the backcourt once healthy. He will be responsible for ball-handling duties when Jones rests/plays some off-ball. Fellow Carolina native Madden Collins, a three-time state champion, has been the most impactful through two games for AU, as he has led the team in scoring at 15 ppg with some good on-ball defense. Both of his parents played college ball at Temple, with his dad Mardy Collins a former first-round pick for the Knicks back in 2006. As a senior in HS, Collins stuffed the stat sheet, posting nearly 14 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg, and 3 spg. He could very well end up being one of the best rookies in the Patriot League this year. Fairfax native Kade Sebastian played at DeMatha like Simpkins and was on the All-WCAC second team his senior year. His dad Eric is currently the DOBO here at GW so that will provide extra motivation in the minutes he sees on the court. He rebounds well for his height. Finally, Dean Hogans is another long-term bucket-getter with size from The Hotchkiss School.

It feels like GW is due for a win in the series, although I have admittedly said that the last three times. American's entire bench is comprised of freshmen and GW has the experience edge by a significant margin this time around, something that wasn't as definitive the previous three meetings. AU could very well shoot the ball better than either Maine or USF did, but the key will be whether GW can dictate the pace on Wednesday. Maine successfully limited GW's transition opportunities, and I'm sure American will try to do the same. It wouldn't be entirely surprising to see the game remain close for three quarters as GW cannot make a three with AU in a zone but eventually see the Revs wear down the Eagles over the course of 40 minutes with a more seasoned roster much like the season opener. The main thing I am watching for is offensive turnovers, specifically whether GW can avoid the ones that could be avoided. On the other end, can the team take advantage of AU's youth and ramp up the defensive pressure along the perimeter?

Projected Score: GW 86, American 68. 94% chance to win (KenPom). Bart Torvik forecasts a 95% chance at a W. ESPN predicts a 90.5% chance for GW to move to 3-0.
 

districthoops wrote:

I would not expect Garrett to suit up until MTE at the earliest.

Starting to wonder if Garrett will ever really play?  Obviously hoping so. Any update on Bevins? And why hasn’t Moss played at all?

The last thing that any GW fan ought to do is to poke the bear that is AU.  We've lost three straight games and I believe 4 of 5 in the series.  What gets overlooked last year was that the Eagles lost Elijah Stephens, their starting point guard and arguably second best player, to a first half injury.  GW overcame a 13 point second half deficit, and was then either exhausted, thoroughly outplayed, or both of these things in the overtime session.

If it's not close this year, it's because of the added talent that GW is playing with, along with the fact that AU does not seem to have a Nelson or Rogers who could carry the team during big moments.  (Maybe the freshman Madden Collins becomes this guy but I'm not willing to anoint just yet based on one 25 point game.) Oh, and the fact that CC must be very tired of losing to this team.

If it's close this year, it will be because AU plays another smart, confident, under control game.  Is this AU's Super Bowl?  Well, it's probably us or Bucknell.  And, if GW sleepwalks through the game after expending so much energy on Saturday.  I personally don't see that happening, but it's also not out of the question.

My prediction lies somewhere in the middle.  A solid win but by no means a blowout.  74-61 GW sounds about right.

I truly think we are going to BLOW THEM OUT. The hammer will come down HARD early in the 2nd half.

Classic GW trap game, but this will be a good opportunity to set the standard early into the season that we can't let up on the gas. We definitely tend to play up or down to our opponents, and while AU might have the upper hand in this series, this is a team we would let ourselves get sloppy against. I lack any level of ball knowledge, but let me tell you, nothing gets me more excited than GW ball. 

 

Not sure about Garrett going tonight, but I'm told he practiced fully Monday. Wouldn't expect Bevins tonight -- seems like the back injury he got could be something to monitor for the next week or two.

I think this is going to be a hard fought game since both teams go 8 deep.  As always it comes down to execution.  AU with an assist/t.o. ratio of 11.5/15.5 vs GW 14/18.5 both need to fix a few things.  USF imposed their physical will on us and created 12 t.o's by our bench alone.  This and inbounding on a press needs to be cleaned up.  Also, stay at home on the pump fakes without being shot block crazy.  Hoping a Rev or 2 goes off from 3 tonight with a team total of 10 or more