GAME NOTES: A pair of teams struggling in Atlantic 10 Conference play meet at the A.J. Palumbo Center on Saturday night, as the Duquesne Dukes entertain the George Mason Patriots.

Duquesne, which has lost six in a row and is 1-7 in conference play, was throttled in an 86-55 final at Richmond on Wednesday.

George Mason, off to a 2-5 start in the A-10, snapped a five-game losing streak on Thursday by topping Saint Louis, 68-60.

The Patriots hold a 5-3 lead in the all-time series, but the Dukes pulled out an 81-69 victory on March 8, 2014 at George Mason to earn a split of the season set. Derrick Colter made five shots from beyond the arc, on the way to a 21-point performance for Duquesne in its win. In last season's other contest between the squads, George Mason picked up the first A-10 win in program history at Duquesne, defeating the Dukes, 74-68, on Feb. 8, 2014 to snap an eight-game losing streak.

Colter scored nine points and had four assists to lead the Dukes in their loss to the Spiders earlier this week. Colter (12.5 ppg), who leads the way in scoring for the Dukes, is shooting 50 percent (43-of-86) from 3-point range. He and Micah Mason (.438) are shooting a combined 46.5 percent from beyond the arc. Incredibly, the junior backcourt mates have made a combined 54 percent from 3-point land in 11 home games. Mason is a career 50.3 percent shooter from long distance. L.G. Gill, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, is the team's top 3-point shooter during conference play, hitting 13-of-29 attempts. Duquesne has received a boost from Dominque McKoy. The senior forward has started the last 10 games, and during that span he's connected on 55.9 percent of his shots from the field. Jordan Stevens (9.2 ppg) is the top contributor off the bench. Freshman TySean Powell (8.3 ppg, .612 FG percentage) is also a key factor as a reserve for a team that averages 70.8 ppg, which is the third- highest scoring average in the A-10.

Shevon Thompson registered a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds in George Mason's victory over the Billikens. Corey Edwards pitched in with 16 points and Marquise Moore 15. The Patriots forced 14 turnovers and held the visitors to just 4-of-16 shooting out on the perimeter, while outscoring the Billikens at the free-throw line, 28-16.

Thompson (13.5 ppg) leads the A-10 in rebounding (11.5 ppg). The 6-foot-11 junior center is shooting 56.1 percent from the field, but has proven a liability at the charity stripe (.600). Patrick Holloway (11.5 ppg) has missed the last two games due to illness. Moore (9.7 ppg) and Jalen Jenkins (7.7 ppg) are also part of the starting lineup for a team that ranks last in the league in assists (10.1 apg). Isaiah Jackson (7.0 ppg) is shooting only 31.5 percent from the floor. Edwards (4.6 ppg) has started only six of the 18 games he's appeared in this season.

Three of Duquesne's last four home games have come down to the wire. The Dukes beat Saint Joseph's, 71-68, on Jan. 7, lost to Rhode Island, 61-60, on Jan. 10, and fell to St. Bonaventure, 100-97, in overtime on Jan. 22. Expect this one to also be tight.