Amid the start of a new year, the GW women’s basketball team did something it has not done this season – beat a nationally ranked team. The Colonials’ win over Atlantic 10 rival Xavier (No. 22) Jan. 6 at the Smith Center launched GW to a 4-0 A-10 start, with conference wins over Duquesne, St. Joseph’s and La Salle.
During the holiday break, No. 12 North Carolina State snapped GW’s home winning streak of 24 consecutive games, a mark that ranked fifth-best in the nation. But, the Colonials have started a new home winning streak with a win over the Hawks.
A-10 Player of the Week Lindsey Davidson has stepped up lately and led the team against Xavier along with co-Rookie of the Week Ugo Oha. Sophomores Davidson and Dec. 24 Player of the Week Erica Lawrence both scored career highs over the break, leading the Colonials to a 4-0 A-10 mark and 10-6 overall record.
GW 57, La Salle 52
Monday, Jan. 15
Elena Vishniakova collected a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) and, along with Kristeena Alexander, accounted for most of GW’s offensive output Monday as the GW women’s basketball team pulled out a 57-52 victory over La Salle (8-7, 2-2) at the Tom Gola Arena.
The Colonials shot poorly in the first half (7-for-25) and entered halftime losing 23-18. In the second half, the Colonials took control with a 15-2 run led by Alexander. Down the stretch Alexander hit seven free throws and led GW with 18 points.
Villanova 65, GW 63
Saturday, Jan. 13
Kristeena Alexander’s desperation half-court shot with two seconds remaining fell short as the GW women’s basketball team lost 65-63 to host Villanova University Saturday at the Pavillion.
After a sleepy first-half performance (21-of-55 shooting with 16 turnovers), the Colonials went on a 6-0 run to take a 28-23 lead at the beginning of the second half.
But Villanova (12-3) stopped GW’s offensive revival. The Wildcats’ Trish Juhline buried five three-pointers, and Villanova led by eight points with just one minute remaining.
In the final minute, GW capitalized on Villanova’s missed free throws and cut that eight-point lead to two. With 2.1 seconds left, Alexander grabbed a rebound off Stephanie Baker’s missed free throw and launched a failed desperation shot.
GW 86, St. Joseph’s 76
Tuesday, Jan. 9
Lindsey Davidson led the GW women’s basketball team past A-10 rival St. Joseph’s (8-6, 2-1) 86-76 at the Smith Center. Davidson finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting including four three-pointers. The Colonials nailed 58 percent of shots and hit 10 three-pointers as a team, many coming in the midst of a red-hot second half start for GW.
The GW defense was strong all night, despite allowing 27 points to the A-10’s scoring leader Susan Moran. St. Joseph’s Angela Zampella added 25 points.
Alexander, who scored 15 points, notched her 1,000th point in the game, putting her in a class of only 17 GW women’s players.
GW 88, Xavier 74
Saturday, Jan. 6
The GW women’s basketball stunned No. 22 Xavier (10-2, 1-1), trouncing the A-10’s best team 88-74 at the Smith Center Jan. 6. The win gave the Colonials their first win over a nationally ranked team this season.
Davidson scored a career-high 26 points, shooting 11-for-12. The guard was flawless from three-point range, nailing all four attempts including a crucial three-pointer that silenced Xavier’s late comeback. The Colonials followed Davidson’s example with their best shooting performance of the season (37-of-63, .590).
Petra Dubovcova scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds while freshman Ugo Oha added 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Colonials took an 11-point lead into halftime, but soon found themselves neck-and-neck with the Musketeers, who had pulled to within three points with just over eight minutes to go. Davidson then hit a timely three-pointer, her final of the game, while Oha and Elena Vishniakova sealed the win combining for 10 points in the final four minutes remaining.
GW 77, Duquesne 58
Wednesday, Jan. 3
The GW women’s basketball team opened its Atlantic 10 season on the road Jan. 3 and easily defeated Duquesne 77-58. Dubovcova scored 17 points and Davidson added 15 to lead the Colonials to their seventh straight win at the Palumbo Arena. The game was won on turnovers as the Colonials forced 26 and surrendered only 16. GW’s starting guards, Davidson and senior Kristeena Alexander turned the ball over only three times. Duquesne’s (7-5, 0-1) starting guards, Khalihah Este-Shehu and Shiri Sharon combined for 13 turnovers.
The Colonials led 12-4 within the opening three minutes. After the Colonials held off a 9-2 Dukes’ scoring run, the Colonials entered halftime leading 41-34.
The Colonials pulled ahead in the second half after opening with a 21-9 run and that gave GW a commanding 62-46 lead with six minutes left. When the Dukes started to foul in the final three minutes, GW nailed 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.
N.C. State 70, GW 48
Thursday, Dec. 28
Twenty-seven turnovers plagued the GW women’s basketball in a 70-48 home loss to No. 12 N.C. State at the Smith Center. The loss snapped the team’s 24-game home winning streak.
The Wolfpack’s defense is one of the strongest in the nation and with the Colonials’ shooting game off track. GW had little firepower. Freshman center Ugo Oha led GW with 11 points. The Colonials trailed at halftime 30-17, the team’s lowest point total in one half this season. The team attempted only 19 shots in the first half.
In the second half the Colonials settled down some and only made seven turnovers. But the damage was done in the first half, and the Wolfpack showed no signs of weakening.
Carisse Moody’s 15 points led the Wolfpack (9-1), which entered the game with seven consecutive wins. Tynesha Lewis and Talisha Scates each added 12 points.
GW 91, Towson 47
Thursday, Dec. 21
Erica Lawrence collected her first career double-double with a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, leading the GW women’s basketball team past a winless Towson University team 91-47 at the Smith Center Dec. 21.
Lawrence, who leads the team in scoring, shot 12-for-15 (.800). But she is proving to be a strong overall player as well, playing tenacious defense and grabbing rebounds at both ends of the floor.
Four Colonials scored in double-digits and the defense forced 28 Towson turnovers. The only Tiger threat came in the game’s opening minutes when Towson led 4-2 – before the floodgates opened.
The Colonials went on a paralyzing 28-0 scoring run in the following six minutes. GW played solid defense and held the Tigers (0-9) to just 18 points at the half. The Towson offense could not fend off GW’s taller, pressing defense. In the second half, the Colonials went on 25-8 scoring streak and pulled ahead by as many as 45 points.
GW 100, Mount St. Mary’s 57
Sunday, Dec. 17
Davidson collected her first career double-double and led the GW women’s basketball team past a struggling Mount St. Mary’s team (1-7) 100-57 Dec. 17 at the Smith Center.
Five Colonials scored in double figures and Davidson scored career highs in points (21) and assists (12). Davidson was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double. The Colonials were playing with only 10 dressed players, as senior forward Dubovcova (sprained knee) and freshman guard Marsheik Witherspoon (sprained ankle) sat out.
After taking a 44-27 lead into halftime, the Colonials used their size and strength to break into a 20-9 run in the second half. The team shot 47 percent (35-for-76) from the floor. Lawrence scored 17 points while Vishniakova notched 15 points.
