George Washington University Athletics
Men's Basketball in Steeltown to Face Duquesne Saturday
1/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2005
#24/25 George Washington (9-2, 1-0) at Duquesne (4-10, 1-0)Game 12 • Atlantic 10 Conference gameDate: Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005 • Time: 7:05 pmLocation: A.J. Palumbo Center (6,200) • Pittsburgh, PARadio: WMET 1160 AM, WAGE 1200 AM (Larry Michael)TV: noneSeries: GW leads, 38-23(GW is 10-5 vs. DU at the Palumbo Center)
Tonight's Game: George Washington (No. 24 AP/No. 25 ESPN/USA Today) plays its first A-10 road game of the season tonight at Duquesne in the first of at least two meetings this season between the A-10 West Division teams. GW is looking for its second straight conference victory after defeating La Salle, 71-42, in the A-10 opener Wednesday night in Washington.
Duquesne is coming off a 94-93 double-overtime victory at Dayton also Wednesday in Ohio. DU junior Bryant McAllister paced the Dukes with 26 points in that game while Kieron Achara added 23 points and 11 rebounds. As a team, the Dukes rank second nationally in free throw shooting with a 78.8 team percentage and DU senior Martin Osimani ranks second in the A-10 with nearly five assists per game.
GW has won 10 of 15 games over Duquesne at Palumbo Center since the building opened in 1988. The Dukes are 44-100 all-time against AP Top 25 teams and 2-12 against ranked teams at Palumbo Center. GW is 2-2 on the road this season while Duquesne is 2-3 at home this year. GW and DU have had one common opponent this season: West Virginia. Both lost close games to the Mountaineers, GW by six at Morgantown and Duquesne by three at Palumbo Center.
GW Head Coach Karl Hobbs, 43, 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 4-2 record against Duquesne and DU coach Danny Nee.
Next Game: GW travels to Olean, NY, Wednesday, Jan. 12, to face St. Bonaventure at 7:00 p.m. at Reilly Center. The game is not televised but will air live in the Washington area on WMET 1160 AM and WAGE 1200 AM as well as via www.GWsports.com.
