GW traveled to Richmond Saturday a shaken squad, leaving behind a devastating loss to Temple Wednesday that was the worst in program history. The Colonials were looking to regain their confidence against the Spiders, but despite a stronger effort on the court, GW was ultimately overpowered 70-62 by Richmond.
Despite the loss, GW still clinched a berth to the Atlantic 10 Championship after both Saint Louis and Rhode Island fell Saturday, ensuring the Colonials will travel to Lowell, Mass., in March for the conference tournament.
The Colonials started strong against Richmond, opening the game with a 5-0 run. The Spiders caught up later in the first half though, seizing the lead heading into halftime. The Colonials (8-18, 3-9 A-10) made a solid second-half comeback, at one point cutting Richmond’s lead to a single point at the 10:21 mark in the second. In the end though, it wasn’t enough, and the Spiders claimed their victory on the strength of a late 12-5 run.
“I was proud of the way the team bounced back from the Temple game,” head coach Mike Bozeman said. “I thought it was a complete game that we played. We actually won every statistical category.”
GW outrebounded and outshot the Spiders, ending the night with a shooting percentage of 36.2. The glaring discrepancy in the game came in the two teams’ performances at the free throw line. Richmond went 22 of 28 from the charity stripe, while the Colonials converted 7 of 11 shots from the line.
“I think [we] gave a great effort but came up short from the free throw line,” Bozeman said.
The Colonials had four players score in double digits Saturday night. Junior forward Sara Mostafa, who came off the bench for GW, registered a team-high 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Junior guard Tiana Myers earned her second double-double of the season, with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomores Danni Jackson and Brooke Wilson scored 14 and 10 points, respectively, but even the dominant offensive effort ultimately wasn’t enough to overcome Richmond’s drive.
“I just thought the girls really, really fought,” Bozeman said, “and in the end Richmond came out on top.”
Bozeman seemed heartened by the effort his team showed, as it now turns its attention to championship play.
“I think tonight they wanted to come out and demonstrate that they were capable of playing the type of basketball that is expected of them,” Bozeman said.
The Colonials play their last road game of the regular season Wednesday, traveling to Cincinnati to take on Xavier. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
