The GW women’s basketball team earned its ninth 20-win season in the past 10 years as the Colonials rammed through Atlantic 10 opponents St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island this weekend.
The first-place Colonials (20-3, 11-1 Atlantic 10) increased their current winning streak to six games and improved their conference road record to 5-1. The high-flying Colonials have won 18 of their last 19 games and will look to add another to the win column when they travel to UMass Thursday.
GW returns home for next Sunday’s crucial match-up against Xavier. GW stands a half game ahead of Xavier in a competitive race for the A-10 West Division.
GW 85, St. Bonaventure 44
Sunday, February 13
GW won its 20th game of the season Sunday in an 85-44 blowout of host St. Bonaventure at the Reilly Center as GW senior Elisa Aguilar scored 20 points to lead all scorers.
Aguilar scored seven of those points in a 17-2 run to start the game, and the GW defense overwhelmed St. Bonaventure (8-15, 4-8 A-10). The Bonnies were unable to score a field goal for the first seven minutes of the contest.
You have to credit GW for taking us out of the game, St. Bonaventure Coach Marti Whitmore said, according to GW Sports Information. Their defense is swarming, and it is hard to execute a play when you’re just thinking about keeping the ball. Against a great team, we needed an A-plus effort from everyone. We just didn’t get that.
The Colonials’ defense held the Bonnies to a dismal 16-of-57 shooting from the field (.280) and for the second time in as many games, GW forced 30 turnovers.
GW’s commanding double-digit lead late in the first half became insurmountable when the Colonials went on a 12-2 run to lead 49-22 at halftime.
GW juniors Starr Jefferson (14 points) and Petra Dubovcova (13 points) scored in double digits for the Colonials, and freshman Cathy Joens added 11 points. The Colonials out-rebounded the Bonnies by a 49-38 margin, led by Joens’ seven rebounds.
Sophomore center Angela Scott scored a team-high 16 points for the Bonnies. Melissa Fazio returned to the lineup for the Bonnies after missing five games with mononucleosis and scored 14 points.
The win over St. Bonaventure was the 19th straight for GW. The Colonials lead the all-time series 24-1.
GW 60, URI 48
Friday, February, 11
Last-place Rhode Island tried its best to pull off a huge upset of GW by playing its five starters the entire game, but the Colonials’ inside domination led the way to Friday’s 60-48 victory over the host Rams at Keaney Gymnasium.
GW junior guard Kristeena Alexander scored a game-high 16 points and shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field (3-of-3 from three-point range) to lead the Colonials.
Despite being out-rebounded 29-23 in the game, GW was able to outscore Rhode Island 34-14 in the paint. The Colonials forced 30 turnovers and outscored the Rams 30-7 in points off turnovers.
Junior Leslie Carlson scored nine points and made four of GW’s 14 steals in 17 minutes of action. Elisa Aguilar was GW’s only other player in double figures with 12 points, shooting 4-of-9 from behind the arc. Forwards Dubovcova and freshman Erica Lawrence each scored six points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Colonials.
Rhode Island only suited up six players in the game and was led by Shannon Boor (15 points) and Yatar Kuyateh (13 points). The Rams only made 14-of-36 field goal attempts (.389) but stayed close in the contest by outscoring GW 16-3 from the foul line.
GW’s fourth-straight victory over Rhode Island gave the Colonials a 23-4 all-time record against the Rams.
