Tiana Myers just wanted to get it over with.
And so, during the very first possession of the Colonials game against St. Bonaventure Saturday, the senior guard drove in from the perimeter and knocked down a jumper from the elbow, becoming the 26th player in GW women’s basketball history to score 1,000 points.
“It was a huge sigh of relief,” Myers said. “Before the game, we were joking saying lets just get this point so we can get on with the game, but really, it was amazing.”
During the next whistle, the referee handed Myers the ball to keep as a memento of her outstanding feat. It was a tangible reminder of her hard work that Myers said she always knew she could obtain.
“I have a lot of determination both on the court and in the classroom,” Myers said. “I think it just comes with my personality and always trying to be aggressive.”
Though this achievement will fall strictly under Myers name, she was persistent in thanking her fellow teammates. Perhaps thinking of the hard screens and perfect passes along the way, Myers knew that her point total wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of the GW roster.
It’s an outlook familiar to those who watch the women’s basketball program closely. They’re a tight-knit group, one that plays for each other and continues to draw together, even in the face of an 80-69 loss to the Bonnies.
“I’m just really grateful to my teammates,” Myers said. “If I have to dedicate this to anyone, it would be them. They’ve been with me every step of the way.”
Coming into this season, the team’s primary goal centered around the postseason. The Colonials wanted to return to the A-10 tournament, and then hopefully advance on to the NCAA tournament.
Personal accomplishments weren’t at the forefront of Myers’ mind. Instead, she wanted to use her final season as a Colonial in a way befitting the program’s team-first identity.
“I wanted to finish off my career with my teammates strong and build a better relationship with them,” Myers said. “I told myself that if we could do that, everything else would take care of itself.”
Through the ups and downs of the past few seasons, Myers has been a key player for GW since she first took the court as a freshman. Over her first three seasons as a Colonial, Myers averaged 9.7 points per game while shooting .370 from the floor. She improved each year from behind the arc and at the free throw line, bringing her averages up to .301 and .802, respectively.
Through seasons characterized by injury and disappointing early exits from postseason play, Myers remained a solid force for the team. With her consistent contributions and seasoned experience, she naturally transitioned into a leadership position with the Colonials. Still, Myers said, it’s a role that draws its strength from team unity.
“For me, I try to lead by action, but at the same time its very important learning to follow,” Myers said. “My teammates bring things to the team that I don’t and they help me become a better player. We just pick each other up.”
Head coach Mike Bozeman, who took the reins of the program when Myers was a freshman, has watched the guard grow into the highly-esteemed position she holds among GW’s ranks today. The source of her accomplishments, Bozeman stressed, is her mental toughness.
One thousand points is a stand-alone accomplishment for any player. But Myers, Bozeman emphasized, brings a whole lot more to the court than her point total.
“Her substance is second to none and I really admire her for that,” Bozeman said. “She came to GW wanting to have a great career. When things got tough, you didn’t hear her cry, or pout, or moan. She would just say, ‘Coach, we can do it. ”
