George Washington University Athletics
Commodores Sink George Washington, 81-57
11/19/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NASHVILLE, TN (Nov. 19) -- Senior Chavonne Hammond tallied 19 points on 9-13 shooting to lead Vanderbilt over George Washington, 81-57, tonight in Memorial Gym in Nashville in both teams' season opener.
Sophomore forward Zuzi Klimesova scored 16 points and freshman center Chantelle Anderson added 14 points as Vanderbilt exploited a decided size advantage over the perimeter-oriented Colonials. The Commodores shot 59.6% (31-52) from the field, largely on the strength of their frontcourt. Anderson and Hammond pulled down seven rebounds apiece, and forward Jillian Danker added six boards as the Commodores posted a 42-30 advantage on the glass. Anderson also issued three blocks and Hammond tallied two blocks.
Freshman forward Erica Lawrence tallied 16 points to lead GW, and was the Colonial to score in double figures. Junior guard Kristeena Alexander and freshman forward Cathy Joens scored eight points apiece.
Preseason all-American guard Elisa Aguilar had a miserable game, shooting just 1-10 from the field, and scored four points. Aguilar averaged 15.4 points per game last year as a junior.
"They're much more offensive minded in the post now," said GW Head Coach Joe McKeown. "Storey and Anderson really hurt us inside. We justed didn't guard them very well in the post, and I think that's the big difference."
Vanderbilt ran out to a 15-2 lead when Danker drained a three-pointer with 14:54 remaining in the first half. Lawrence and freshman guard Lyndsey Davidson keyed a late first half surge by GW which cut the Vanderbilt lead to 29-24 on a Lawrence jumper with 3:55 remaining in the half. Lawrence tallied 10 points in the half, while Davidson scored four points and dished three assists.
GW shot themselves in the foot late in the half, however, with three turnovers, a foul and two missed jumpers as Vanderbilt pushed the lead back to double-figures, 39-28, at halftime.
While GW stayed in the game in the first half with a swarming defense that denied the Commodores easy entry passes into their size-advantaged frontcourt, the GW defense collapsed in the second half. After Lawrence hit a jumper at 13:29 to cut the deficit to 51-38, Hammond hit a free throw and a pair of buckets and Storey hit a jumper to push the lead to 58-38 with 10:15 remaining in the game.
With GW's defense not causing the usual turmoil and GW's offense flat and lacking rhythm, the Colonials never challenged down the stretch.
The Colonials return to action Monday night when Howard visits Smith Center for a 7:00 pm contest.
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