George Washington University Athletics
Milestones Within Reach Sunday
1/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - Coach Joe McKeown will attempt to notch his 200th Atlantic 10 win when the Colonials (8-4, 1-0 Atlantic 10) host A-10 Eastern Division opponent Massachusetts (8-5, 1-1 Atlantic 10) at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9 at the Smith Center.
McKeown has 199 triumphs against league foes since taking over the GW women's basketball program in 1989-90. His conference victory total is the highest of any women's basketball mentor. Rutgers' Theresa Grentz is second in league history with 156 A-10 wins. In addition to his conference success, McKeown owns the 15th-highest career winning percentage in Division I women's basketball at .736 (416-149).
Another Colonial could reach an impressive milestone against the Minutewomen on Sunday. All-America candidate Anna Montañana scored 18 points in GW's victory against Yale on Jan. 7 and needs just 11 points to reach the 1,000 career-point plateau. She would become the 22nd player in team history to join the exclusive 1,000-point club and become just the second Colonial to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 300 assists in her career. The only other player to achieve the feat at GW sits down at the end of the bench, current assistant coach Lisa Cermignano (1,278 pts., 514 rebs., and 399 assts.).
GW has won its last two games, including a 90-50 throttling of Yale on Jan. 7. The Colonials' 90 points were a season-high and all 13 players on the roster saw time in the contest with 11 finishing in the scoring column. Senior Jessica Simmonds tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the year, while freshman Sarah-Jo Lawrence scored in double digits for the second time this season with 11 points.
Massachusetts enters the pairing on a high note, having defeated La Salle, 67-60, on Jan. 7. The Minutewomen lost their A-10 season-opener at Temple, 59-43, on Jan. 4. Earlier this season, Massachusetts won five consecutive games before having that winning streak snapped against Maryland on Dec. 29.
The Minutewomen are a stingy unit when it comes to allowing points. They lead the conference in field goal percentage defense (.355, 260-773) and are second in the league in points allowed per game at 55.4.
Pam Rosanio is the team's leading scorer. She is averaging 10.4 points per game, while Brooke Campbell is fourth in the A-10 in rebounding at 8.9 boards per outing. As a team the Minutewomen have outrebounded their opponents, 516-452, this season.
GW owns a 30-7 advantage in the all-time series and is 16-1 versus Massachusetts at home. The Colonials hold the longest winning streak in the series, winning 12 straight matchups from 1987-93. The Buff and Blue have also won the two most recent meetings, including a 70-51 triumph last year.
