George Washington University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts UMass Saturday at Noon
1/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2005
Massachusetts (7-6, 1-2) at #21/22 GW (11-2, 3-0)
Game 14 • Atlantic 10 Conference game
Date: Saturday, Jan. 15, 2005 • Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Smith Center (5,000) • Washington, DC
Radio: WMET 1160 AM, WAGE 1200 AM (Larry Michael)
TV: A-10 TV, Comcast SportsNet (Dave Weekley/John Spencer)
Series: GW leads, 33-22 (GW is 18-5 vs. UMass at Smith Center)
George Washington (No. 21 AP/No. 22 ESPN/USA Today), winners of 11 of its last 12 games, plays it second A-10 home game of the season today against Massachusetts in the only regular-season meeting this season. GW has won 18 of 23 games over UMass at Smith Center since 1977 although the Minutemen have won the last two meetings in Foggy Bottom.
UMass has won six of the last eight meetings overall including two games in the A-10 Tournament. GW's last victory over UMass at Smith Center came six years ago on Feb. 17, 1999. GW is 5-0 at home this season while UMass is 0-2 on the road this year. The Colonials come into today's contest looking for their fourth straight conference victory after defeating St. Bonaventure, 85-59, Wednesday in Olean, NY. Pops Mensah-Bonsu led six different Colonials in double figures with 14 points against the Bonnies. UMass is coming off a 59-52 loss to Saint Joseph's also Wednesday in Philadelphia. UMass junior guard Rashaun Freeman, a two-time A-10 Player of the Week, leads the Minutemen with 14.1 points per game. UMass's seven victories includes a 61-59 upset of then-No. 7/6 Connecticut on Dec. 9 in Amherst.
GW's 11-2 start is the best since the Colonials began the 1997-98 season with a 13-2 record.
GW Head Coach Karl Hobbs is in his fourth season at the helm of the Colonials program. Considered by many as one of the hot, up-and-coming head coaches in the country, the NABC recognized Hobb's efforts by naming him the District 4 Coach of the Year last Mar. 11. GW is his first head coaching position. Prior to coming to GW, Hobbs spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at Connecticut which included the 1998-99 national championship season. He is credited with recruiting the likes of Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton and Emeka Okafor among others. He was hired by GW in June, 2001. Hobbs has recruited a total of 13 new players in his brief tenure at GW and enjoyed his most successful season as a head coach last year with an 18-12 record and a postseason N.I.T. appearance. Hobbs orchestrated the two biggest wins of his head coaching career with this season's victories over then-#9 Michigan State and then-#12 Maryland. Hobbs has an 2-3 record against UMass and coach Steve Lappas.
Next Game: GW travels to Philadelphia Wednesday to face La Salle in a 7:00 pm game at Tom Gola Arena. The game will not be televised but it will air live in the Washington area on WMET 1160 AM and WAGE 1200 AM as well as via www.GWsports.com.
