This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Nora Princiotti.
Is the hype for Megan Nipe real?
The Atlantic 10 thinks so.
After her 31-point game on Saturday, Nipe was named the conference’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Monday.
The career performance against then-No.10 California came off of 11-20 shooting from the field, including 4-9 from beyond the arc and a 5-6 mark from the foul line. Nipe also added seven rebounds en route to GW’s 75-72 underdog victory.
Down by seven at halftime, Nipe helped ignite the offense, scoring seven straight points in the Colonials’ 9-2 run that opened up the second period. She would later ice the game with a free throw in the final seconds, after getting two huge charge calls on the defensive end.
No GW player had topped 30 points since 2004. She currently leads the conference with an average 25.5 points per game on 48.6 shooting.
The statement win over Cal gave the Colonials national recognition, as the team earned the fifth-most points of a non-ranked team, 16, in Monday’s Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Colonials have not cracked the Top 25 since 2008, when they rose to 20th in the nation after a second consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16.
The last undefeated team in the A-10, GW will need another big night from Nipe to take down its second top-10 opponent in a row, facing No. 8 Maryland on the road Tuesday.
