George Washington University Athletics
Colonials Back on the Road at La Salle
2/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2005
WASHINGTON, DC - After knocking off Rhode Island at the Smith Center, the GW women's basketball team (13-6, 6-2 Atlantic 10) goes back on the road when it plays La Salle (8-11, 2-6 Atlantic 10) at Tom Gola Arena on Friday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, PA.
The Colonials are third in the Atlantic 10 West Divison standings behind Xavier and Richmond, and own a 6-2 mark in conference play.
GW has won three of its last four with its only loss in that stretch coming at Temple on Jan. 27. Senior All-America candidate Anna Montañana needs one more assist to reach 400 helpers for her career. She is currently tied with assistant coach Lisa Cermignano for fifth all-time with 399. Montañana is tied for fifth in the Atlantic 10 in scoring (15.7 ppg) and has scored 10-or-more points in 17 of GW's 19 games this season.
Sophomore Whitney Allen has stepped up on offense recently. She has scored at least seven points in six of GW's last nine outings and is averaging 5.2 points per game on the season. Freshman Kimberly Beck has also provided the Colonials with more point production. Her scoring average has climbed to 8.1 points per game and she tallied 16 points against Rhode Island on Jan. 29, one short of her career high. Beck continues to lead the A-10 in assists average at 5.2 apg and garnered her fourth Rookie of the Week nod on Jan. 30.
La Salle is 8-11 overall under first-year head coach Tom Lochner and the Explorers own a 2-6 record in league play. The Explorers have lost four of their last five and are tied for sixth in the West Divsion.
Crista Ricketts is tied with Montanana for fifth in the league in scoring average (15.7 ppg) and is the squad's top rebounder at 6.1 boards per outing. Jill Marano is also scoring in double figures for La Salle with an 11.8 points per game average. Four of La Salle's five starters are averaging more than 30 minutes per game and the Explorers are the second-best free-throw shooting team in the Atlantic 10 (225-310, .726).
The Colonials are 24-1 all-time against La Salle. GW's only loss to the Explorers came on Dec. 28, 1981, the first time the two teams met. Since then GW has won 24 straight pairings between the two clubs. Last season the Colonials routed the Explorers, 81-64, at the Smith Center on Jan. 31, 2004. The night was one of the most memorable in team history. Montañana notched GW's second-ever triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists. It was also Coach Joe McKeown's 400th career victory.
Fans can listen to Friday night's game live over the Internet on GW's student radio station (WRGW Radio) at www.gwradio.com.
