8:17 p.m. Charlotte makes a meaningless basket with less than a second left and GW holds on for a 75-70 win. The Colonials now move back into ninth place with a 6-8 A-10 record. Check back for more later and thank you for reading.
8:15 p.m. Opoku gets the pass and Green fouls him, earning his fifth and heading to the bench. With 7.6 seconds left, Opoku goes to the line for two shots and makes one.
8:14 p.m. Charlotte’s Gokhan Sirin banks in a three then comes up with a steal when Conward is stripped and hits another three. GW’s lead is down to six with 9.1 seconds to go and the walk-ons have been removed. Taylor, Kromah, and Hollis take their place.
8:13 p.m. The 49ers miss a couple threes and Taylor gets a rebound and is fouled. Walk-ons Michael Conward and J.P. Cotton take the floor to much applause, then Jeff Alston replaces Taylor after he makes both shots.
8:11 p.m. Charlotte misses its shot and GW gets the ball in to Bynes, who is fouled again with 33.6 seconds to go. Bynes goes to the line amid a “it’s all over” chant. He misses the first and hits the second. GW by 10.
8:10 p.m. More fouling. Bynes gets sent to the line for two shots with 42.3 seconds to go. He misses both.
8:09 p.m. Opoku fouls Harris. Harris takes two shots and makes one. GW leads by nine with 43.1 seconds to go.
8:08 p.m. Hollis gets fouled quickly and goes to the line. He hits both shots. GW is up 71-61 with 50.2 seconds remaining.
8:07 p.m. Green takes his two shots and makes both. GW leads by eight..
8:06 p.m. Green fouls Hollis a half second after the ball is inbounded to him. Fans start jangling their keys and then Hollis misses the free throw. Katuka collides with Green on the other end and fouls out, but receives hearty applause on his way to the bench with 51.6 seconds left and GW still up 10.
8:04 p.m. Taylor grabs a long defensive rebound then dribbles all around Andersen and finds Ware for two points under the basket. Charlotte responds with a bucket of their own. GW leads 69-59 with 58.7 seconds left. Charlotte has called a timeout.
8:02 p.m. Charlotte’s Charles Dewhurst fouls Taylor and sends him to the line for a one-and-one. Taylor makes the first but misses the second. GW leads by 10 with two minutes left.
8:02 p.m. Jones hits a three for Charlotte and GW’s lead is back down to single digits. The Colonials lead 66-57 with 2:20 to go.
7:57 p.m. Hollis misses a three and it bounces over the backboard and out of bounds, sending the game into an official timeout with 3:49 to play. GW still leads 66-54.
7:55 p.m. Pellom swats a shot off the glass in transition and then Opoku scores on a put-back the other way. Barnett answers with a three. GW leads 66-54 with 4:44 to go.
7:55 p.m. Braswell posts up and rolls in a layup and GW’s lead is back down to 13 points with 5:45 left.
7:52 p.m. Taylor had been at the scorer’s table before the last break, but did not actually sub in after it. Bynes stayed in at the point and just had a very nice transition basket just now. GW leads 64-59 with 7:22 to go.
7:49 p.m. The game heads into an official timeout when Opoku breaks up a pass and the ball goes out of bounds. Taylor will re-enter the game for GW with four fouls on the other end of the break. The Colonials lead 62-49 with 7:57 to play.
7:49 p.m. A Barnett three cuts GW’s lead to 13 points with 8:20 to go.
7:47 p.m. Spears hits a fadeaway jumper along the baseline as Edwards extends his hand on defense, then picks up his third personal foul on the other end.
7:45 p.m. Edwards picks up a huge block on defense that draws an Ooohhhhh from the crowd, then Taylor is fouled in transition. Taylor misses both shots, then picks up his fourth personal foul and is replaced by Johnson. Taylor and Katuka both have four fouls for GW.
7:44 p.m. Jones picks up his fourth personal foul and sends Taylor to the line for two shots in the process. The sophomore from Sleepy Hollow makes both shots and GW is up 62-44 with 10:26 to play.
7:43 p.m. Edwards clears out the post with a low screen that Bynes dribbles around for two points, pushing GW’s lead to a game-high 18 points. Spears answers on the other end with a bucket to cut it back to 16.
7:40 p.m. Bynes buries a long two with his feet on the three-point line to push GW’s lead back to 16, then Charlotte loses control of the ball and Spears steps out of bounds while trying to save it. GW leads 58-42 during an official timeout at the 11:26 mark. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the state’s former governor and a 1977 GW alumnus, is in attendance and was just acknowledged on the video screen. He’s sitting with University President Steven Knapp.
7:38 p.m. Green rolls in an impressive layup while drawing some contact from Bynes and Taylor, then officials stop play to talk to Edwards for some reason. Maybe he just needed tuck in his shirt, but Hobbs wasn’t happy about whatever was going on.
7:37 p.m. Spears and Edwards trade baskets and GW’s lead remains at 16.
7:35 p.m. Taylor hits a three and then Bynes comes up with a steal and breaks away for a basket while being fouled. Bynes misses the shot, but GW’s lead is 16 points, the largest of the game.
7:34 p.m. Redshirt sophomore Jabari Edwards buys into a pump fake from Charlotte’s Andersen and, um, ends up sitting on his head as he tries to duck under the leaping Edwards. Andersen goes to the line for a one-and-one and makes both shots. GW leads 49-38 with 14:39 to go.
7:33 p.m. Smith is called for a charge. GW has picked up six personal fouls this half. Charlotte has been called for zero.
7:31 p.m. It’s Pita Pit Dance Contest time. A group of about 10 young boys take off their shirts, swing them around their heads, and walk away with the title of Pita Pit Dance Champions. How they will divide those five pitas is not known at this time.
7:30 p.m. Spears uses his right hand to put back a shot that rolls off the rim and scores for two. Ware answers with a short jumper. GW leads 49-36 heading into an official timeout with 15:05 to play.
7:29 p.m. Charlotte has turned up the defensive pressure and GW inbounds it to Katuka, who has the ball stripped from him. He tries to get it back and picks up his fourth foul. Opoku replaces him.
7:28 p.m. Spears is fouled and gets two shots, which he makes to cut GW’s lead to 13.
7:26 p.m. Ware takes it from the perimeter to the hoop for two points that push GW’s lead to 15. Charlotte has called another timeout with 16:25 to go.
7:26 p.m. Taylor fires a pass inside to Opoku, who softly lays it in for two. Opoku then grabs a defensive rebound on the other end.
7:25 p.m. Spears scores after grabbing an offensive rebound to cut GW’s lead to 11. Charlotte’s bench is quite fired up about it.
7:24 p.m. Spotted: Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade. Taylor just picked up his third personal foul.
7:23 p.m. Your 2010 Mr. and Miss GW: Nicky Sampogna and Eden Sutley.
7:22 p.m. Ware pushes GW’s lead to a baker’s dozen with an arching under-handed layup after a nifty jump-step-type move in the paint. Charlotte calls a timeout with 17:57 to play and the Colonials up 43-30.
7:21 p.m. Katuka just flat out swatted an inbound pass and then secured the loose ball for a steal. Taylor misses the shot on the ensuing possession, however.
7:21 p.m. Hollis picks up his third personal foul on the floor and is replaced by Pellom, who also has three fouls.
7:20 p.m. Katuka puts back his own miss for two and GW leads by 11.
7:19 p.m. Katuka fouls Wilderness on the first play of the second half, which is Katuka’s second personal foul. Wilderness goes to the line and misses both shots, then Hollis grabs the rebound.
7:13 p.m. GW has to be fairly happy with a nine-point lead at halftime, especially since its leading scorer, Hollis, has been limited in minutes (10) and effectiveness by foul trouble. Charlotte’s top scorer, Shamari Spears, has also spent a lot of time on the bench after picking up two quick fouls – Spears played just three minutes – so both teams have been hurt by the ample whistles in the first half.
With Hollis on the bench, three Colonials (Kromah, Katuka, and Taylor) have tied for the team lead with eight points while Ware has chipped in five points and five boards. Katuka is second on the team with four rebounds. If GW is going to hold on in its bid to dash (or at least significantly wound) Charlotte’s NCAA tournament hopes, it will need to continue winning the turnover battle and hope to limit Spears’ impact when he gets back on the court. A second-half contribution from Hollis would go a long way to helping the Colonials’ chances, but there’s a lot of basketball left to be played and this game could take any number of shapes the rest of the way.
Also, the men’s basketball alumni were all individually introduced as they walked on the court during a halftime ceremony. I’d say current assistant coach Greg Collucci received the second loudest applause, with 2009 alumnus Rob Diggs taking the top honors. The crowd really popped for him.
7:03 p.m. Charlotte can’t score in the closing seconds of the half and GW takes a 39-30 lead into halftime.
7:02 p.m. Harris trips up Taylor with 10.9 seconds left in the half and Taylor will get two shots. He makes both shots and GW holds its largest lead of the game: nine points.
7:00 p.m. Taylor gets called for a foul as Ware grabs a defensive rebound, sending Barnett to the line for two shots for Charlotte. He misses both and Ware grabs the rebound.
6:59 p.m. Ware is fouled as he drives into traffic and heads to the line. Ware hits both shots and GW’s lead is seven points with 1:02 to go before halftime.
6:57 p.m. Jones returns the favor and fouls Opoku on the next possession. Opoku misses the first free throw off the back iron then misses the second as well.
6:56 p.m. Opoku is called for his second foul at the other end and Jones hits two free throws for Charlotte. It’s 35-30 GW.
6:56 p.m. Taylor rescues an errant pass near midcourt with a very fast turnaround move to spin past a defender then passes it to Kromah, who finds Taylor in the corner for a three. GW leads by seven with about two minutes left in the half.
6:53 p.m. The game heads into an official timeout – the last one was a Charlotte timeout – after nine seconds of play when the ball goes out of bounds. Same score.
6:51 p.m. After grabbing an offensive rebound under the hoop and kicking it back out to restart the possession, Ware hits a three to push GW’s lead to four points. The game enters a timeout with 2:40 to go in the half and GW up 32-28.
6:48 p.m. Barnett hits a three to cut GW’s lead to one.
6:47 p.m. Katuka pins Sherrill’s shot against the glass and starts a possession heading the other way that ends with Kromah being fouled on a layup attempt. Kromah makes one of two, then Opoku puts back the miss. GW leads by four with five minutes left in the first.
6:45 p.m. Harris gets two shots and makes both. GW’s lead is one.
6:42 p.m. Katuka responds with a short turnaround hook that rolls in. GW leads 26-23 with 6:37 to play in the first. The game goes into an official timeout when Bynes is called for a foul away from the ball. Charlotte will get two shots on the other end of the break.
6:42 p.m. Green drains a fairly deep three with Bynes right on him to cut GW’s lead to one.
6:41 p.m. Smith gives it to Taylor, who hits a three to push GW’s lead to four points with 7:45 to go in the first.
6:39 p.m. Johnson grabs an offensive rebound off of a Katuka miss, then gets fouled as he goes back up with the shot. Johnson goes to the line for two shots and makes both shots. GW leads 21-20 with 8:34 to go in the half.
6:39 p.m. Bynes turns it over for GW, then Johnson grabs a steal and sends it up court to Smith for a huge dunk. Derrio Green answers with a three for Charlotte and the 49ers lead 20-19.
6:38 p.m. Opoku picks up a foul and sends K.J. Sherrill to the line, who misses the front end of a one-and-one.
6:37 p.m. Charlotte’s Javarris Barnett hits a three to give the 49ers a two-point lead, then Kromah scores while being fouled on the other end. Kromah goes to the line and misses the shot off the front of the rim, but the game is still tied as it nears the 10-minute mark of the first half.
6:35 p.m. Kromah pokes the ball loose near midcourt and is fouled while trying to put back his own missed layup. He hits both shots to give GW a one-point lead.
6:34 p.m. Kromah drives to the hoop through traffic and is fouled as he tries to roll the ball in with his right hand. The shot misses and he heads to the line, where he misses the first shot but hits the second.
6:33 p.m. Freshman Tim Johnson picks up a foul on defense two seconds after the ball is passed in, sending DiJuan Harris to the line for a one-and-one already. There have been 14 total fouls called in the game’s first eight and a half minutes. Harris hits both shots and Charlotte leads 14-12.
6:30 p.m. Katuka tries in vain to post up and after a few seconds kicks the ball out to Kromah. Katuka stays in the key, however, and is called for a three-second violation. The game heads into an official timeout still tied at 12 with 11:27 to go in the first.
6:29 p.m. Charlotte’s Ian Andersen hits a three from the corner to tie the game at 12 with 11:45 left in the half. Hobbs calls a timeout again. The 49ers are on a 10-0 run.
6:28 p.m. Pellom collides with Jones inside and falls to the floor. He’s called for a foul and heads to the bench with three to his name. Considering he and Hollis usually rotate with one another, GW’s normal on-court composition will probably be a bit different this half. Jones makes both free throws and GW’s lead is down to three.
6:26 p.m. Jones gets position on Katuka for two, then Kromah steps out while dribbling along the baseline. Hobbs calls a timeout to talk things over with GW leading 12-7 and 12:31 left in the half.
6:24 p.m. Hollis picks up his second defensive foul as Braswell turns into him while shooting. Hollis heads to the bench and now both team’s top scorers already have two fouls. Braswell hits one of two shots and GW’s lead is 12-5 with 13:20 to go in the first.
6:22 p.m. Two quick defensive fouls on freshman David Pellom, the first coming as he went for a defensive rebound and the second coming defending his man away from the ball.
6:19 p.m. 2009 alumnus Noel Wilmore is doing the Jet Blue Airways Shootout. He’s a bit strong on the first and shoots it over the backboard. His second attempt hits glass but misses. Nice to see Noel back on the Smith Center floor.
6:17 p.m. Phil Jones collects Charlotte’s first basket in a few minutes as the 49ers beat the Colonials’ press. Smith misses a three and the ball goes out of bounds on the other end, sending the game into an official timeout with GW leading 12-4 and 15:15 left in the first.
6:16 p.m. After Smith leaps and fights for a rebound on defense, Taylor lobs up an alley-oop to Hollis, who barely misses it while being fouled. Hollis heads to the line and hits both shots. GW leads 12-2.
6:15 p.m. Senior Hermann Opoku replaces Katuka, who gets an ovation as he leaves the floor, and Opoku immediately makes an impact by picking off an inbound pass. Freshman Dwayne Smith gets fouled while shooting at the other end and makes both shots. GW leads 10-2 at the 16:28 mark in the first.
6:14 p.m. Katuka posts up for another lefty layup, giving GW an 8-2 lead with about 17 minutes left in the half.
6:13 p.m. Kromah goes up-and-under while drawing contact and scores on a layup, then Ware flies into the lane on the other end to grab a defensive rebound. Spears bumps him out of bounds and is called for a foul, his second of the game. Spears, Charlotte’s top scorer, heads to the bench.
6:12 p.m. Ware lobs a pass inside to Katuka, who turns around and bounces it off the glass for two. GW leads 4-2.
6:11 p.m. An’Juan Wilderness, the best-named player in the A-10, drives around Kromah and gets fouled by Katuka as Hollis blocks his shot. Wilderness misses both free throws.
6:10 p.m. Spears misses a turnaround jumper, then Hollis seems to tip the ball in off the glass when he goes for the layup. Maybe Braswell got a piece of it as he was nearby and went for the ball as well. On the other end, Katuka gets fouled while shooting and heads to the line. He makes both shots and the game is tied at two after a little over a minute of action.
6:09 p.m. Charlotte’s Shamari Spears picks up an offensive foul away from the ball and the Colonials get it back. Their possession ends with a travel by Ware. Odd start to the game.
6:08 p.m. The officials convene with both head coaches and talk to them about something. Not sure what. Charlotte gets the ball and no foul was called.
6:07 p.m. Katuka misses a turnaround layup and the refs blow the whistle after Charlotte grabs the defensive rebound. One of the officials is reviewing the game tape now for some reason. This might kill that energetic crowd right off the bat.
6:06 p.m. The crowd is pretty loud as Katuka tips the ball to Taylor to start the game.
6:05 p.m. They’ve got the “We Will Rock You” boom-boom-clap mashed up with “Run This Town” on the P.A. system right now between the starting lineups and the opening tip. Very nice.
6:02 p.m. GW’s starters: sophomore Tony Taylor and freshman Lasan Kromah at guard, sophomore Aaron Ware and senior Damian Hollis at forward, and junior Joseph Katuka at center.
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Good afternoon/evening/whatever you call this time of day and welcome to the live blog for today’s men’s basketball homecoming game against Charlotte. The Colonials seem to be in high spirits as they throw down dunks during pregame warmups, laughing and smiling as a group of young boys standing along the railing behind the basket yell and cheer on each slam. A few players have been screaming back, while a couple of the guys have been bobbing and nodding along to the tunes of the Colonials Brass. Freshman Dwayne Smith just did a little hop to the back of the line, classmate Bryan Bynes is clapping to the beat, David Pellom is smiling as much as ever – they look like they’re having fun. The 49ers seem pretty loose as well; I didn’t turn around in time to catch who it was, but as the team was ascending the basement steps behind me a few minutes ago, someone on their team was singing a song and had a pretty nice voice.
(Also, the Colonials Brass has added “Bad Romance” to their catalog. Yes.)
There are more than 40 men’s basketball alumni in the house – former Colonials like Vaughn Jones, Antoine Hart, Kwame Evans, Mike Zagardo, and recent graduates Rob Diggs and Noel Wilmore, to name a few – and they will be honored at halftime today. They took part in a dinner last night and a shootaround this afternoon. Look for more on that in Monday’s issue.
These two teams met in North Carolina at the beginning of the month, when the Colonials leaped out to an early lead but lost it in the final minutes and came up short in their upset attempt. The 49ers (19-8, 9-4 Atlantic 10) enter this game tied for fourth while GW (15-11, 5-8 A-10) has slipped into 10th place after St. Bonaventure’s surprise win over Rhode Island this afternoon. A win will push the Colonials back into a tie with the Bonnies for ninth while a loss will keep them in their current spot. They would then slip to 11th if UMass upsets Dayton tomorrow. There’s a lot of standing left to be determined over this final week of A-10 play.
Charlotte’s offense is led by junior forward Shamari Spears, who averages 16.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and scored 31 against GW Feb. 3. Frontcourt mate Chris Braswell, a freshman, is third in scoring (9.4 points per game) and tops in rebounding (8.7 boards) while sophomore guard Derrio Green averages 13.7 points per outing and has scored 20 or more points eight times this year. The 49ers are coming off of a 95-58 win at Saint Joseph’s that snapped a three-game losing streak during which they were blown out at Dayton and dropped home games to Duquesne and Xavier.
GW has won three of its last four games, most recently beating La Salle on Wednesday. Their lone loss in that span was a tight four-point loss at No. 23/24 Richmond (AP, ESPN/USA Today). Freshman Lasan Kromah, who is second on the team with 12.7 points per game this year, has scored 20 or more points in three straight games. Senior Damian Hollis still leads the team in scoring (13.7 points per game) and rebounding (4.9 per game) and sophomore Tony Taylor averages a team-best four assists.
We’re still about 15 minutes from game time and there is plenty of seating available for those thinking about coming. If you can’t make it, the game is airing locally on MASN, which is why the game is starting at 6 p.m., which is a bit abnormal. We’ll be back with starting lineups when they’re available and more updates before and throughout the game.
