The GW women’s basketball team dominated the University of Latvia Select Team 80-50 in the Colonial women’s exhibition opener at the Smith Center Tuesday night.
The up-tempo game featured GW’s intense full-court press, which caused many of Latvia Select’s 29 turnovers. All 11 of head coach Joe McKeown’s eligible players saw double-digit minutes in the opener except for freshman Erica Lawrence, who rested an injured finger late in the second half.
Senior point guard Elisa Aguilar led GW with 19 points and five assists. The crowd of 1,372 saw Aguilar, an all-American candidate, open the game with a three-point basket 40 seconds in, receiving a loud cheer from last year’s Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, Noelia Gomez, who was in attendance.
GW jumped out to a 9-0 lead before Latvia Select scored its first point, a free throw from Ieva Tare at 14:15. GW’s first five field goal attempts were all from behind the three-point line, a result of Latvia Select’s lackluster defense.
GW’s full-court defense combination, sparked by starting guards Aguilar, senior Katarina Baskova and junior Kristeena Alexander made it difficult for Latvia Select’s guards, who committed eight first-half turnovers.
McKeown’s team received energetic play off the bench from senior guard Marlo Egleston and freshmen Cathy Joens and Lindsey Davidson. Joens hit her first GW basket, a 10-foot jump shot, with 12 minutes remaining in the first half to give her team a 16-6 advantage. She finished the contest with eight points. Despite shooting 1-of-7 from the field for five points, Davidson made two immediate steals upon entering the game in the first half, filling in confidently at the point guard position.
Lindsey is so advanced for someone who is a freshman, McKeown said. The three (freshmen) are gonna be fantastic.
Latvia Select closed the GW lead to 29-17 with six minutes remaining in the first half behind free-spirited three-point shooter Svetlana Zitane, who went 4-of-9 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes. Zitane’s 5-of-13 shooting for the game came on 13 three-point attempts. GW made a 14-5 run to end the half, sparked by a Starr Jefferson layup off an Aguilar steal. Jefferson finished the game with nine points and eight rebounds.
I’m proud of (Jefferson), McKeown said. She practices hard and the team respects her.
The start of the second half was controlled by Aguilar, who led a 12-0 run with 10 points over a four-minute span. GW’s 6-4 Leslie Carlson extended the lead to 77-40, the largest lead of the game, with back-to-back baskets. Carlson showed strong moves inside the paint and displayed her jump shot from the top of the key.
Leslie is getting better and better, McKeown said. She’s a good presence inside.
McKeown said that after years of a defensive-oriented system, his speedy team is looking to put up prolific offensive numbers this season.
Our goal tonight was to score 80 points and play for 40 minutes, McKeown said.
GW hit McKeown’s goal in the waning seconds. Ahead 77-50 with 20.6 seconds remaining, McKeown called a timeout. Off the in-bounds, Joens passed the ball to Davidson a few steps behind the three-point arc. Davidson passed it to Baskova on the right side and threw it cross-court to Joens. She ran baseline, cutting behind a screen for an open three-point shot. And with 13.3 seconds remaining the Joens drilled the shot to give GW 80 points.
