George Washington University Athletics
Men's Basketball Runs With the Bulls, 88-76
11/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 27, 1999) GW basketball coach Tom Penders finally earned his 500th career victory but it wasn't easy. His Colonials overcame a slow start and an 11- point first-half deficit to defeat South Florida, 88-76, at GW's Charles E. Smith Center Saturday night. The victory also kept alive the Colonials' 14-game home winning streak at Smith Center dating back to the 1997-98 season.
I'm very, very pleased to do it at George Washington because these people believed in me and I can't say enough about the support people have given me since I've been here, Penders said about winning his 500th game. I hope to get them at least a hundred more.
After shooting just 40 percent in the first half and a miserable 47 percent (8-17) from the line, the Colonials were faced with 41-34 deficit at halftime. GW came out strong after the break and opened the second half with a 12-5 run to tie the game at 46 at the 16:39 mark. With the game tied at 48 with 15:07 left, GW made its move. A pair of layups by Patrick Ngongba and a runner by Bernard Barrow suddenly pushed GW up by six, 54-48 with just over 12 minutes left. The Bulls cut the lead to four on a breakaway dunk by Altron Jackson but that was as close as the Bulls would get the rest of the way. The Colonials led by as much as 18 before settling for the 12-point triumph.
GW's freshman sensation, SirValiant Brown struggled through the first half on 2-11 shooting including just 1-8 from three-point range, exploded for 22 second-half points en route to his career-high 33 points. Sixteen of Brown's points came at the free throw line where he converted 16 of 19. The 16 free throws tied the Smith Center record held by Mike Brown who also sank 16 against Rutgers in 1985. It marked the second 30-point game for the Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Week in the last six days. Brown was coming off a 31- point performance against Houston Nov. 21 at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, AK.
Nearly overshadowed was the performance by GW junior Mike King who poured in 20 points on 7-11 shooting to go with six steals and four assists.
South Florida (0-1) was led by Jackson's 25 points on 11-for-17 shooting from the field including 3-4 from three-point range. Reggie Kohn added 14 points with four long treys for the Bulls who shot 39 percent for the game and committed 25 turnovers.
GW evened its season record at 2-2. They play at Ohio Nov. 30 in Athens, OH, while South Florida will travel to Knoxville to face Tennessee Nov. 29.
