George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
Massachusetts
Women's Basketball Loses Regular Season Finale, 62-53
2/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
AMHERST, MA (Feb. 24, 2002) - George Washington women's basketball fell just shy of going undefeated in conference play, suffering a loss to Massachusetts in a defensive struggle, 62-53.
The Colonials (20-7, 15-1) committed 23 turnovers and shot 35% from the field as they were unable to overcome a 13-point, second-half deficit.
UMass and GW battled back and forth through most of the first half, with neither team gaining a significant advantage, until the Minutewomen used a 9-1 run with 9:36 left in the half to take a seven-point lead, 22-15.
GW would respond on defense, holding UMass to just two field goals for the remainder of the half and clawing their way back to narrow the Minutewomen's lead to two points, 28-26 at the break.
UMass came out of the half firing on all cylinders, and putting together a 14-6 run to extend their lead to a game-high 13 points, 45-32. After trading baskets, the Colonials pieced together a 14-4 run to pull within one point, 49-48 with 2:57 remaining in the contest.
GW would go cold from the field in the final three minutes, and converted only two more field goals, while the Minutewomen marched to the free throw line, converting 9 of 11 attempts to pull away from the Colonials, 62-53.
Sophomore center Ugo Oha scored a game-high 16 points and led three Colonials in double figures, with junior guards Lindsey Davidson and Cathy Joens adding 13 points apiece.
GW, the Atlantic 10 regular season champions, enter the conference tournament this weekend (March 1-4) as the No. 1 seed in the West Division and will receive a first-round bye. The Colonials will face the winner of the Rhode Island and Xavier game on Friday, March 1, in a noon match-up on Saturday, March 2.
