This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Nora Princiotti.
WHO: GW (13-6, 4-2) vs. La Salle (9-9, 4-2)
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.
Where: Smith Center
Case for La Salle:
The high powered Colonials offense will run up against a staunch Explorers defense Saturday afternoon; La Salle has held conference opponents to a paltry 52.5 points per game so far this season.
Recent history is on the side of the Explorers, who have taken two of their last three matchups against the Colonials, the last coming two years ago. If GW is without the strong inside presence of Jonquel Jones, that trend could continue.
Jones was missed by the Colonials against Saint Joseph’s Wednesday due to a foot injury. She is still listed as day-to-day, but if the Colonials are forced to go without her they may struggle having to score from outside; La Salle holds opponents to just over 20 percent on three point shooting.
6-foot-4 center Leeza Burdgess ranks sixth in the Atlantic-10 conference in rebounds, averaging almost nine per game. She recorded her sixth double-double Sunday against Saint Joseph’s, with 12 points and 10 boards, and her 4.3 offensive boards per game are an A-10 second best. The Colonials will have to pay special attention to her down low, again, especially if Jones does not play.
Freshman Micahya Owens leads the Explorers in scoring at 12.9 ppg and will have extra motivation to produce, coming off a bad day against Saint Joe’s, scoring just five points on 4-17 shooting.
Case for GW:
La Salle will be coming into the Smith Center after suffering back-to-back losses to St. Bonaventure and Saint Joe’s. The Explorers, on the other hand, have won their first four conference games, though albeit, against opponents with a collective 5-20 record.
The Explorers are managing to score just 57.2 ppg, with only Owens and Alicia Cropper scoring in double digits. The Colonials combat that well with a fire power offense that has four players in double digits –Megan Nipe, Danni Jackson, Caira Washington and Jones. Jackson leads the A-10 in assists during conference games with 8 apg, helpful when going up against a La Salle team that barely tops that collectively, dishing it out less than 10 times per contest.
GW is the only team in the A-10 who has an edge on La Salle in rebounding, leading the conference with 48.5 rpg to La Salle’s 43. Washington pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds on Wednesday against Saint Joe’s, and should be tough to stop again off the glass.
Both teams are coming off losses to Saint Joe’s, though GW hung with last year’s league champs a bit longer than La Salle, falling 75-69 as opposed to the Explorers’ 64-52 defeat.
