George Washington University Athletics
Colonials Meet Georgetown in Season Opener
11/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC - District rivals meet to tip off the women's college basketball season as George Washington (0-0) takes on Big East foe Georgetown (0-0) on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at McDonough Arena. It is the second consecutive year the Colonials have opened the season versus the Hoyas.
GW finished 22-8 overall last year and is expected to contend for the Atlantic 10 title again this season. The Colonials were picked to finish second in the A-10's West Division behind Richmond in a poll of the league's head coaches and media on Nov. 4. On the national level, the Colonials received votes in both the preseason Associated Press top 25 poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll.
Colonials' head coach Joe McKeown begins his 16th year at the helm of the program and is the Atlantic 10's career leader in coaching victories with 340 overall and 198 versus conference opponents. He earned his 400th career triumph last season and owns an overall mark of 408-145 (.738) in 18 seasons.
All-America candidate and preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection Anna Montañana is GW's top returning scorer (12.0 ppg). She also led the Colonials in rebounding (228) and assists (161) last season, becoming the first player to achieve that feat since Kristin McArdle in 1991-92. Senior Liz Dancause is GW's only other returning starter. Dancause averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds last season..
Georgetown is coming off a 13-15 campaign in 2003-04 and has a new head coach in Penn State alumnae Terry Williams-Flournoy. The Hoyas' top player from last season, Rebekkah Brunson, graduated in May and has taken her game to the WNBA, but the Hoyas return senior guard Mary Lisicky, who averaged 12.6 points per game last season. Also back for her final campaign in a Georgetown uniform is Bethany LeSueur (8.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg).
The Colonials own a 16-13 edge in the all-time series versus Georgetown and won 10 straight meetings between the two schools from 1983-91. The Hoyas have had the edge in the series recently, winning the last three pairings, including a 67-62 victory last season. In that match-up, former GW star Cathy Joens tallied a game-high 25 points, but Brunson scored 15 points and grabbed 19 boards to lead the Hoyas to the victory.
Tickets for Friday night's game are $5 for adults and $2 for Georgetown students and youths. Fans can also listen to the contest live on GW's student radio station (WRGW Radio) at www.gwradio.com.
