There’s no place like home for the Colonials. Even during a blizzard, down 18 points.
After trailing Rhode Island Friday afternoon by that margin, GW pulled off a 62–58 comeback victory to go with the return of senior guard Joe McDonald and to maintain a perfect, 11-0 record at home this season.
“We came out soft to start, and [Rhode Island] came out really aggressive and we just had to respond,” McDonald said. “Once we did that and we settled down, I think it turned into the dogfight everyone expected it to be.”
Despite shooting 37.5 percent from the field and just 1-for-7 from three-point range, GW (15-4, 4-2 A-10) scored 25 points at the free-throw line in the four-point win in which six Colonials contributed seven points or more.
Securing his fifth double-double on the year, redshirt junior forward Tyler Cavanaugh led with a team-high 13 points and 10 rebounds. Senior swingman Patricio Garino added 10 points, and senior forward Kevin Larsen posted nine points and eight boards in front of a sizeable, noisy audience that gathered despite the weather.
“I’m so thankful our students and the Colonial Army came today,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “Even though it wasn’t a huge crowd I thought it was very loud. Our guys hung in there, finally went inside and didn’t settle for jumpers and got them in foul trouble. [Rhode Island] is tough and they battle and their hard to guard. It was a grind-it-out, tough battle.”
As the first flurries of the storm began to fall outside the Smith Center, GW came out ice cold.
More than midway through the first half, the Colonials were 6-for-18 from the field, looking out of sync and uninspired on the attacking end.
Meanwhile the Rams (11-8, 3-3 A-10) through smart, quick passing and a number of missed assignments on defense for GW, were red-hot out of the gate. The visitors knocked down 12 of their first 16 attempts from the field, four of which came from beyond the three-point line.
Suddenly, Rhode Island had opened up a staggering 30–12 lead. Sophomore guard Jarvis Garrett led the Rams with 10 points in the first half, while junior forward Kuran Iverson added eight points and three rebounds.
GW needed a spark, and in his return from an eye injury that sidelined him for two games, McDonald provided it. Down 18, a spectacular drive and finish at the rim by the veteran, who also drew a foul, enlivened the crowd and his team.
From there the Colonials embarked on a 15–2 run, helped along by a 13-of-15 clip at the free-throw line, that put them right back in it.
“It was huge [to have Joe back],” Cavanaugh said. “Especially against this team. Joe brings our toughness, he’s the heart and soul of our team so with him out we did what we had to do, but having him back is crucial for this run through conference. The way he controls the tempo and battles inside, outside and defensively is key.”
Cavanaugh led GW with nine points and six boards, followed by McDonald with seven points and the team’s lone assist of the first half. Rhode Island eventually stopped the bleeding, maintaining a 34–29 edge into halftime.
The Rams knocked down four more three-pointers in the second half and racked up 10 assists to GW’s four on the day, but the Colonials answered on both ends of the court, which Lonergan says was a product of an improved energy level.
“I thought we got some help defense that we haven’t gotten a lot this year,” Lonergan said. “Tyler and other guys came over and blocked shots and we played defense like a team. We’re not the most athletic team but when we play as unit on defense we’re really good.”
GW improved to 43.5 percent from the field in the second frame to Rhode Island’s 32. Larsen, finally looking comfortable and aggressive under the rim, scored all of his points in the second half, while Garino added eight, including a quick jumper that would give GW a 57–55 lead with 1:23 to play.
GW’s bench, led by sophomore guard Paul Jorgensen who put up seven points, also added 15.
“We just had to keep plugging away. I mean they punched us in the mouth first, but that shows the maturity of our team to bounce back,” Cavanaugh said. “We just made the right decisions down the stretch.”
The Colonials return to action Thursday at 9 p.m. when they host Richmond.
