A healthy Megan Nipe beat then-No. 10 California earlier this season. An active Jonquel Jones beat last year’s Atlantic 10 Champion Saint Joseph’s on the road. But Nipe’s recent knee injury has prevented the two from playing meaningful minutes together.
The right knee brace Nipe is wearing won’t be going anywhere, but the injury will no longer sideline her. The team’s current leading scorer has been slowly working toward regaining her top form from the beginning of the year.
“I know it’s going to take a while to get back to that role I had before. I got hurt and that’s a personal thing that I have to say ‘I’m frustrated with myself,’ and realize that game by game it’s going to take some time,” Nipe said.
In her first game back last week, Nipe was limited to 10 minutes of play – stunted by re-aggravating her knee when diving for a loose ball. Her grit was on full display in an eventual 21-point loss to A-10 powerhouse Dayton.
In her second game back at George Mason Saturday night, she finished with eight points in 19 minutes – one more point and nine more minutes than her first game.
She nailed a three at the close of the first half to give GW a seven-point lead, but on her follow-through a Patriots defender knocked into her legs. No call and hopefully no extra worries as Nipe limped into the locker room for halftime.
Throughout the past two games, Nipe has struggled getting up and down the court as quickly as she once did. When Mason scored an uncontested layup on a fastbreak, Nipe trailed far behind. Opponents have rebounded over and around her while Nipe spends much of her time away from contact on the three-point line.
Nipe said she also needs to get comfortable with the brace on her right knee. Her brace isn’t slowing her down, she said, but it certainly adds some weight to her leg. She wore one in high school on the opposite knee, but said there is no timetable to getting over the distraction or returning to the starting lineup.
“That’s something that’s here to stay. It’s my new friend,” Nipe joked.
The team’s offensive strategy has changed since Nipe’s return to the court, though, as the Colonials have transitioned from a team that swings the ball around the arc to one that constantly looks for chances inside.
In her absence, the Colonials have been thriving on the inside with sophomore transfer Jones in the post, hoping to establish the perfect weapon for a legitimate inside-outside offensive threat.
Graduate student Danni Jackson compared the state of the offense to that of the “Lob City” affair put on by the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.
“We don’t want to be the Clippers, we want to be better than the Clippers,” Jackson said. “We like the [Chris Paul] and Blake Griffin we have now.”
Nipe, along with Jackson, can provide the experienced leadership GW needs. But the team will not be its most dangerous until Jackson has the ability to distribute to both Jones and a healthy Nipe.
There were times against the Patriots Saturday when the floor was completely spread: Jackson dribbling the ball at the top of the key with Jones on the right block and Nipe behind the arc on the left side. It looked like a complete and intimidating offense.
When they are all on the floor at the same time Wednesday in a rematch against the Lady Hawks, the combination will be on display. GW will just need a hobbling Nipe to continue her production alongside Jones and Jackson.
“I know [Nipe’s] doing a tough thing and she’s out there battling for us and the team. So seeing her out there playing with us makes me want to work harder and do more stuff for the team,” Jones said.
