Women’s basketball closed out 2014 with its ninth straight win, dominating Towson on the road 82-48 on Wednesday.
The Colonials (11-2) closed out the non-conference schedule on a high note against the Tigers, winning their final game heading into Atlantic 10 play Sunday.
GW controlled the game from the very beginning. The Colonials jumped out to a quick lead, recording 14 of the game’s first 16 points en route to a 48-21 lead at the half. GW scored the first basket of the game just nine seconds in, giving them a lead they would never relinquish. The team’s largest lead was 34 with nine minutes to go in the second half, and the win brought revenge for the squad that lost a tight game to the Tigers last season.
“Just stepping off the bus today, everybody was locked in,” junior Jonquel Jones said. “I felt like we had a lot to prove with what happened last year in terms of them coming into GW and stealing a win from us.”
Sophomore Caira Washington led all players with 21 points and added seven rebounds. Jones led the team with eight rebounds and scored 18 points. Sophomore Hannah Schaible led all players with six assists while scoring seven points and pulling in four rebounds.
GW used a familiar game plan to control the contest, scoring 50 of 82 points in the paint while holding Towson to only 16. The team also held a 47-32 rebounding advantage and scored 18 second-chance points, while Towson scored nine. The Colonials shot 54 percent from the field and held Towson to 34 percent.
“It was really the whole team that was able to get the ball in and help the post players,” Jones said. “We were able to capitalize, but I feel that it was the whole team that allowed that to happen.”
The GW defense also continued to excel, as the game marked the third time in the past four that the Colonials held their opponent to under 50 points. GW forced 21 turnovers in the game and turned them into 29 points.
“As a group, defense is something that means a lot to them,” Tsipis said. “If you said that to the group, they would say, ‘Well, the fourth team only had 52.’ They’re that competitive.”
In the first half, Washington led all players with 14 points in the first 20 minutes and added five rebounds. Jones scored 10 points and pulled in three boards.
GW had success in just about every aspect of the game in the first half. The team shot 56 percent from the field while holding Towson to 39 percent. The Colonials out-rebounded Towson 23-12 and outscored them 24-6 in the paint. GW held a 14-0 advantage on second-chance points and 17 points on 12 Towson turnovers.
With the win, GW now looks forward to conference play, wrapping up its road trip on Sunday against Dayton.
“The trip to Dayton is a good test to see how the team is and how the team stacks up against one of the better teams in the conference,” Jones said. “We played a non-conference schedule that prepared us for conference games, so we’re ready.”
