Three years ago, the GW men’s basketball team needed a miracle to beat Charlotte in overtime and finish conference play undefeated. Wednesday night, the Colonials needed a similar comeback to beat Charlotte in overtime and preserve their small chance of finishing 12th in the conference and making the Atlantic 10 tournament.
The two games may have occurred in starkly different situations, but both ended the same way: with a GW victory, this time 92-88.
With just over a minute remaining in regulation of a pivotal game for both teams, the 49ers looked to be on their way to a hard-fought win. Up six, their odds of stiff-arming GW’s bid to catch them in the standings looked good.
But, recalling that hallowed 2005-2006 season, the Colonials (9-16, 3-10 A-10) forced a series of breaks in a frantic final minute, culminating with two free throw attempts by junior Damian Hollis with 21 seconds and GW down two. Neither hit anything but net.
Hollis led all players with 25 points and 13 rebounds in 40 minutes of play, despite being visibly sick during the post-game press conference.
GW took a five-point lead midway through overtime, but left the door open for a comeback by Charlotte -who beat GW by 18 points just 10 days before – when sophomore point guard Travis King missed a shot with GW up one and 17 seconds remaining.
The 49ers’ opportunity did not last long, however, as senior Rob Diggs caught the rebound and slammed it in, giving his team a large enough cushion to win the game.
“Any time you’re able to rebuild a program the first thing you really have to focus on is teaching your players how to compete. The most difficult thing when you’re rebuilding your program is teaching your players how to win,” GW head coach Karl Hobbs said.
Considering how many close games the team has lost this season, Hollis said winning a tight contest was “bound to happen.” It couldn’t have happened at a better time for the team, which gave itself what amounts to a stay of execution if it hopes to make an appearance in March’s Atlantic 10 tournament.
During his career, Hollis has been criticized for sometimes over-thinking during key situations. Now in his third year, he was the picture of cool, collected leader, confidently stepping to the line to hit the two tying free throws. Later, in overtime, he bounced the ball off the back of a Charlotte defender on a key inbounds play. Unsettled, he was not.
It wasn’t just Hollis who was clutch from the charity stripe. The team made 14 of 16 free throws in the second half and overtime.
“This was the first game down the stretch where we had to do all the right things to win this basketball game,” Hobbs said. “And we were able to do that. I’m very proud of the way the guys responded today.
The 6-foot-9 Diggs joined his teammate with a double-double of his own (22 points, 12 rebounds).
Hobbs praised Saturday’s opponent, Richmond, as the “best offensive team in the A-10” and said they play “with a great deal of swagger,” but added that he has two pretty good players of his own in Diggs and Hollis.
“These two gentleman sitting next to me if they put a performance like they did tonight, we’ll be in very good shape. We’re going to be very, very confident and execute our game plan and put ourselves right back in the race.
