The Memories Remain

March 17, 2005

As the Colonials prepare to face #8 Mississippi in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship on Sunday, March 20, the coaching staff took time out to reflect on previous NCAA Tournaments and shared their most vivid memories.

Lisa Cermignano
Player, 1994-97; Assistant Coach, 2002-Present

#6 George Washington 83, #11 Maine 67
NCAA First Round
March 15, 1996
Charlottesville, VA

"It was 1996 and we played Maine in the first round. They had a great player named Cindy Blodgett and I had to guard her. I had the flu the whole weekend and had a 103-degree fever. I was in quarantine in my room the whole time we were there. I was only allowed to go from my room to the bus. I slept the rest of the time. Colleen (McCrea) would come by every once in a while and peak in my room to make sure I was OK, then just shut the door."

"During the game I had to keep moving. I couldn't come out because if I stopped moving I felt like I was going to throw up, so during media timeouts I ran up and down the sideline."

Cermignano finished with 15 points, including four three's in the victory.

Tajama (Abraham) Ngongba
Player, 1994-97; Administrative Assistant, 1999-2001; Assistant Coach, 2004-Present

#5 George Washington 55, #1 North Carolina 46
NCAA Regional Semifinal
March 22, 1997
Columbia, SC

#4 George Washington 96, #5 Drake 93
NCAA Second Round
March 19, 1995
Washington, DC

"Upsetting North Carolina in 1997 to get to the Elite Eight. They were the No. 1 seed that year and came into the game ranked fourth in the county. That's not really why it stands it out though. It stands out because it was one of the few times when we were standing in that huddle and you knew everyone else was thinking the same thing and feeling the same thing you were. I could just look at my teammates and knew we were going win."

"When we came out after halftime. You could feel it. Our scout was just really working, and I'll never forget our scouting report. It was make them shoot it, don't let them beat you off the dribble, and then rebound. One of our assistants called it "chuck and chase" and we made them chuck and then boxed out, so they couldn't get the rebound. That might have been the first time that we heard a scout and actually executed it properly. It was good to see it all come together. As a coach looking back on it, it really means a lot now trying to get the players to execute and believe in what you're telling them."

"That was really the best moment. We knew that we had that game and did what we had to do. On paper they were definitely the better team, but it came down to execution. The only game I could compare it to was in 1995 against Drake here at the Smith Center."

"We were down 17 with less than five minutes to go and people were getting up and leaving. Coach (McKeown) was like `This game is not over! We're going to win this game!' and we went to Diamond, which was one of our presses and they just couldn't get the ball over half court. The just couldn't and it was a great feeling to come back and win that game in overtime."

"The people that left early to this day probably don't believe how that could have happened. It was a great feeling because you come out of a timeout and you're doing what you're supposed to and its working. I think that's the best when you're an athlete and there's that moment in the game when everyone is really a team; the players, the coaches and you're just all one team. That is the best."

Joe McKeown
Head Coach, 1990-Present

#5 George Washington 55, #1 North Carolina 46
NCAA Regional Semifinal
March 22, 1997
Columbia, SC

#6 Notre Dame 62, #5 George Washington 52
NCAA Regional Final
March 24, 1997
Columbia, SC

"We played the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 1997 here (at the Smith Center) and beat Northwestern, which had won the Big Ten and beat Tulane, which had an outstanding team. We got to the regional in Columbia, SC to play North Carolina."

"What made that weekend so special was that we played great against a terrific team. They were a No. 1seed and had Marion Jones and Tracy Reid. They were just an outstanding program - still are. After the game, I just remember we were so excited because we felt like we had a chance to get to the Final Four. We were in the regional final against Notre Dame, which had upset Alabama. I watched that game and Alabama was up 20 and I'm thinking `Wow.' All of a sudden Notre Dame goes on a 20-2 run."

"I'll never forget this. We were ready Monday afternoon and the winner goes to the Final Four in Cincinnati. Notre Dame just played really well, but Lisa Cermignano hit a three and we actually took the lead with five or six minutes to go and I'll never forget it. I'm thinking `All right' and we stopped them and got the ball back, but we couldn't score again and then they went on a run. I give them a lot of credit, but I'll never forget that Monday thinking `If we beat Notre Dame we're gonna play Tennessee in the Final Four.' It was probably the best and worst weekend I've ever had."

Eran Horodniceanu
Team Manager, 1996-98; Dir. of Basketball Operations, 2002-Present

#7 George Washington 71, #10 Oklahoma 61
NCAA First Round
March 25, 2003
Norman, OK

"We were on a huge run and we were in transition, it was a 3-on-2 break, and Anna (Montañana) was coming down on the break and she throws a behind-the-back pass ... that sailed completely out of bounds. But it was great because it showed how much fun they were having. It's an awkward moment to try and describe, but just to see the joy on their faces when that pass went out of bounds. No one was upset because you knew it was great play and that's a pass she's gonna complete more often than not."

"The team was just playing so well from CJ (Cathy Joens) to Marsheik (Witherspoon) and Ugo (Oha) and Anna. To beat Oklahoma on their home floor in front of their fans was just an unforgettable feeling."