This year’s GW women’s basketball team brings a lot to the table: energy, speed, toughness, to name a few. Yet there is one key characteristic they lack: experience, as was exemplified in the team’s up-and-down two-game weekend split.
Sunday at Ohio, the Colonials (2-1) endured a rough first half, shooting just 10-for-35 from the field en route to heading into halftime trailing by 10.
“It’s part of the maturation process. Sometimes we’re taking quick, rushed shots, as opposed to shots that are a part of our offense,” head coach Bozeman said. “I’m counting on them shortening the learning curve in that process.”
While the learning curve may eventually be shortened and GW’s shooting did improve to 13-of-28 after halftime, it was not enough to salvage Sunday’s game, as the Colonials were dealt their first loss of the season, 70-58.
Sophomore Tiana Myers did all she could to keep GW in the game, eclipsing the career-best scoring mark she had set three days earlier by scoring 20 in the loss to the Bobcats. The guard made eight of her 15 shots from the field while adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Classmate Tara Booker came off the bench for the third time in as many games to add 10 points and six rebounds while freshman Danni Jackson led the team in assists with five.
The loss was marked by a large disparity in free throws, as Ohio attempted 35 while GW took only nine.
“I’m not trying to blame the refs,” Bozeman said. “But how can they make 25 free throws while we only attempt nine?”
It was a far cry from GW’s home-opening 68-64 win over Coppin State Thursday, in which the Colonials went to the line 26 times compared to the Eagles’ 10.
In that game, the Colonials came out strong, applying full-court pressure from the start of the game and forcing Coppin State to turn the ball over on each of its first three possessions. GW opened up a comfortable lead that stretched to 14 at one point before settling at nine at halftime.
The Colonials eventually allowed the Eagles to climb back into the game, trading leads with them over the final nine minutes, eventually securing it for good on a jumper from freshman Megan Nipe with 1:23 to play in the game.
Bozeman said GW’s large lead and the game’s eventual close outcome were examples of the team’s talent and inexperience, but that he was glad the learning experience came in victory.
“You’d rather learn your lessons through winning than learn lessons in losses, so I’ll take this close win,” he said.
The Colonials will next travel to Grand Bahama Island to participate in the Junkanoo Jam, beginning with a 1:15 p.m. game against Michigan State Friday. They will then play either Oklahoma State or Marist Saturday evening.
