George Washington University Athletics
Colonials Attempt to Cage Wildcats on Wednesday Night
11/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC - The GW women's basketball team (2-1) will take on its second consecutive ranked opponent when they meet Big East foe Villanova (3-1) on Wednesday, Dec. 1 in the Smith Center at 6:00 p.m. The contest is the first half of basketball doubleheader that also features the GW men's team, which will host Mount St. Mary's immediately following the conclusion of the women's game.
The Wildcats are ranked 24th in the latest Associated Press poll released on Nov. 29 and are receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. The last time the Colonials faced ranked teams in back-to-back games was last season when GW knocked of No. 23 Boston College and No. 21 Oregon in consecutive outings.
The Colonials will be looking to rebound from its first loss of the season versus Tennessee on Nov. 23. Senior All-America candidate Anna Montañana leads GW in scoring at 11.7 points per game and senior Jessica Simmonds is not far behind, averaging 11.3 points per outing. Both players paced the Colonials with 12 points each against the Lady Vols.
GW is one of the top defensive teams in the Atlantic 10. The Colonials are forcing just over 20 turnovers per game, the third-best total in the conference. GW has also limited its opponents to 55.7 points per game. Simmonds currently leads the league in blocked shots per game (2.0) and senior Liz Dancause is tied for third in the A-10 at 1.33 rejections per contest.
The Wildcats' only loss of the season came on Nov. 27 against fifth-ranked North Carolina in the opening round of the Lady Rebel Shootout. Villanova is known for its three-point shooting and has attempted the most triples in the Big East so far this season (71). The Wildcats are shooting .394 from behind the arc, connecting on 28 of its 71 attempts. Liad Suez is Villanova's top threat from three-point range with 10 trifectas. She is averaging 14.5 points per game leads the club with 15 assists. Jackie Adamshick is the Wildcats' top scorer and rebounder at 16.0 points per contest and 5.0 rebounds per outing.
Villanova leads the all-time series with the Colonials, 2-1. GW won the first meeting of the series, 60-47, in 1999, but the Wildcats have won the last two, including a 70-57 triumph over GW in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
Fans can listen to the contest live over the Internet on GW's student radio station (WRGW Radio) at www.gwradio.com.
