Men’s basketball earned its first win of the year against Howard in front of a packed Smith Center crowd. GW topped Howard 76-62. The Colonials and Bison traded points in the first half before Howard broke away, leading for nearly 10 minutes. The squad netted six three-pointers in the first frame on 19 chances. GW, assisted by perfect free throw shooting, battled back to take a 10-point lead heading into the half.

In the second half, the Colonials derived 20 points in the paint, thanks in part to a monstrous effort by senior forward Arnaldo Toro. Toro led all players with 22 points and 18 rebounds on the night. The squad held Howard’s big men to less than a combined 10 points, but senior guard Charles Williams netted a team-leading 21 points for the Bison. GW created opportunity after opportunity throughout the game, shooting from behind the arc 32 times and from the field 61 times.

The Colonials return to action Tuesday at 7 p.m. against American for the second of their three-game homestand.