This post was written by Hatchet Reporter Max Feinblatt.
The GW women’s basketball team lost their eighth straight game Monday night when they fell to Western Kentucky, 74-65, Monday at Smith Center.
Following an announcement before the game that sophomore forward Tara Booker would likely be out for the rest of the season due to meniscus problems, the Colonials went into the game with only eight players active.
Western Kentucky raced out to an early 20-6 lead that the Colonials (2-8) could not touch throughout the rest of the way. GW cut the lead to nine at the half, but the Colonials’ deficit stretched to 22 in the second half with seven minutes to go.
The Lady Toppers finished with four starters that finished in double figures, led by senior Arnika Brown’s 17 points. She also led all players with 14 rebounds.
GW managed to get three players in double figures, including sophomore center Sara Mostafa, who scored 18 points and shot 10-of-11 from the free0throw line. Sophomore guard Tiana Myers scored 12 points while freshman forward Megan Nipe came off the bench to score 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
As a team, the Colonials made 19 of 22 free throws and shot better than Western Kentucky from the field, finishing the game at a 43.1-percent clip. But GW amassed 26 turnovers compared to the Lady Toppers’ 18 as it dug itself into a hole that it could not crawl out of.
Bozeman recognizes his team is at a disadvantage because of its injuries, but does not want to make excuses for the fact that his players “do not have the time or the luxury to be typical freshmen and sophomores.”
“I’m encouraged by the spirit of the girls today and how hard they fought,” he said. “We’ve just got to get one win and the confidence is going to soar for the girls because the confidence is definitely high in the midst of all this.”
This was the first of four home games in a row for the Colonials, offering what Bozeman said is an important opportunity to play on their own turf.
“It’s crucial simply because we are so young,” he said. “The comfort of home and the familiarity of it, being able to just walk from your dorm room over to the gym – that should give us a better advantage.”
GW’s next opponent will be Rutgers, a team that has seemingly had the Colonials’ number in recent years. The Scarlet Knights are having a relative down year after several strong seasons in a row and Bozeman said he thinks they could offer a favorable matchup for his team.
“Every opponent offers a different challenge and Rutgers doesn’t score an awful lot,” he said. “So if we keep the score low, we have the ability to hang in there with them.”
Rutgers will travel to the Smith Center Wednesday. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
