WHO: GW (7-4) vs. American (7-3)
WHEN: Saturday at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Smith Center
Case for American: 
Despite being under the leadership of a first-year coach in Megan Gebbia, the Eagles are proving themselves as a formidable opponent this season in the Patriot League. Led by senior guard Alexis Dobbs, American has won four of its last five games and is looking to close out their non-conference schedule on a high note.
Leading her team and ranked sixth in the Patriot League at 15.6 points per game, Dobbs is an all-around offensive threat that will undoubtedly keep the Colonials defense busy. She is lights out from beyond-the-arc, shooting 44 percent on the season, and is just as clutch at the free- throw line, shooting 93 percent. In addition to scoring points herself, Dobbs ranks first in the Patriot league with 5.9 assists per game.
Facing a Colonials team that averages 73.2 points per game, the Eagles will hope that their conference-best defense can stifle GW’s scoring. American ranks first in the Patriot League, allowing just 54.8 points per game, while forcing 15.1 turnovers.
GW currently leads the all-time series, 12-10, but American will hope to make it three wins out of the last four years with a victory Saturday.
Case for GW:
Coming off three-straight wins, the Colonials will look to make it four straight by getting revenge for last year’s 57-54 loss to the Eagles.
Unlike American, GW has multiple scoring threats, both on the perimeter and now in the paint. Graduate guard Megan Nipe currently ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 18.5 points per game, while her backcourt counterpart – Danni Jackson – ranks third on the team with 11. Jackson additionally sits sixth in the A-10 with 4.6 assists per game, coming off a seven-assist night in which she topped 400 assists for her career. Nipe will look to remain hot against an American team that she has averaged 16 points against in her career.
On the inside, head coach Jonathan Tsipis now has a dominate duo of freshman Caira Washington and sophomore transfer Jonquel Jones. In Jones’ absence, Washington has stepped up, averaging almost a double-double at 10 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Making her debut against North Carolina A&T, Jones lived up to all the hype she had been getting, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 boards in the win.
Whichever duo gets hot first will look to grab the attention of the Eagles defense in hopes of creating open looks for the other pair down the stretch.
On defense, junior Chakecia Miller and freshman Hannah Schaible will likely have the responsibility of containing Dobbs. The two have combined for 40 steals on the season and have been the standouts in a Colonials defense that gives up 68.1 points per game. Head coach Jonathan Tsipis will need lock down efforts from the two in order to keep this one close.
