Men’s basketball heads to Kansas State
The Colonials play in Manhattan, Kan. Thursday to face Kansas State.
Riding the momentum of a three-game winning streak, tip is slated for 8 p.m.
GW faces the Wildcats for the first time in 71 years, traveling to the Bramlage Coliseum for the first time in program history. The teams’ last meeting, Dec. 28, 1940, ended in a 43-25 victory for the Colonials.
First year head coach Mike Lonergan earned more recent competition against Kansas State, when he took Vermont to Manhattan for the Postseason NIT in 2007. The Wildcats narrowly defeated the visiting Catamounts 59-57.
The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Kansas City, MASN, ESPN Full Court, ESPN3 and Watch ESPN networks.
The Colonials’ perimeter shooting could be an important factor against the Wildcats, who boast a strong frontcourt. GW enters the match as the leading three-point percentage shooting team in the country at 48.6 percent (35-of-72). The Colonials shot 56.8 percent (25-of-44) from behind the arc in their three victories at the Progressive CBE Classic’s Bowling Green Subregional, where they unofficially claimed the subregional title. GW defeated Detroit 86-73, Austin Peay 54-52 and host Bowling Green 77-56 over three days by an average of 12 points.
GW opened the last portion practice Tuesday afternoon in anticipation of the Kansas State match, beginning with a free throw shooting drill in pairs, with the coaches rotating around the court. From there, the Colonials moved into practicing that looked to be based off scouting reports, working on fast breaks and beating presses.
“As you practice is how you play,” Lonergan told the team, while emphasizing the importance of catching the ball cleanly. GW ran through getting around a zone, working to leave the perimeter open for three attempts, including a few baskets from beyond the arc by junior guard Bryan Bynes.
After practice, senior guard Tony Taylor, named the MVP of the Bowling Green subregional, emphasized the importance of looking ahead to the challenging Kansas State match and alluded to the team’s drive in practices leading up to competition. He echoed Lonergan’s statements at the end of play, stressing the need to constantly “get after it in practice” and compete, and the growing relationship between the new coach and his players was on full display, joking and laughing together at the end of practice.
It was also the first open practice with junior Dwayne Smith participating, and the forward appeared to be returning to form, presenting a formidable (and trash-talking) presence in the paint against his teammates.
Number Crunch: 17
The number of points and rebounds posted by senior forward Tara Booker Wednesday – GW’s first double-double of the season.
