George Washington University Athletics
No. 8 Colonials Host Dayton Tonight at 7:30
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2006
Dayton (11-12, 3-6) at #8/8 George Washington (18-1, 8-0)
Game 20 • Atlantic 10 Conference game
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006 • Time: 7:30 pm (EST)
Location: Smith Center (5,000) • Washington, DC
Radio: WMET 1160, WAGE 1200 AM (Byron Kerr)
TV: none
Series: GW leads, 12-8
The Coaches:
GW COACH: Karl Hobbs (Connecticut `85)
Record at GW: 82-54 (.603) 5th season
Atlantic 10 Record: 40-32 (.556) 5th season
Career Record: 82-54 (.603) 5th season
Hobbs' Record vs. Dayton: 3-5
DAYTON COACH: Brian Gregory (Oakland `90)
Record at UD: 53-32 (.624) 3rd season
Atlantic 10 Record: 25-16 (.610) 3rd season
Career Record: 53-32 (.624) 3rd season
Gregory's Record vs. GW: 1-3
The first-place Colonials (18-1, 8-0 A-10) aim to make program history tonight when they host Dayton (11-12, 3-6) in the only regular-season meeting and the 21st time in the series. With a victory tonight, GW would improve to 19-1 equaling its best start in the 89-season history of the program.
• GW is coming off its 10th straight victory, an 80-55 win over Richmond Sunday at Smith Center. In that game, three Colonials scored in double figures led by Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Danilo Pinnock with 16 points each. Mike Hall added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds as the Colonials shot 52 percent and forced 22 turnovers.
• At 18-1, GW is off to its second-best start in program history. The Colonials would need to win tonight against Dayton to equal the best start at 19-1 (in 1953-54).
• At 8-0 in league play, GW is off to its best A-10 start in the 30-year history of the league.
• Dayton is coming off a 62-49 loss to Charlotte Saturday in North Carolina. UD sophomore Brian Roberts led Dayton with 22 points but the Flyers shot just 30.5 percent and were outrebounded, 48-38, by the 49ers.
• Dayton has won three of its last five games. The Flyers are 1-6 on the road this season and 2-7 (.222) all-time at Smith Center.
A Closer Look at Dayton: Dayton comes to Smith Center tonight for the only regular-season meeting of the year. The Flyers, under third-year coach Brian Gregory, are a young team led by 6-2 sophomore G Brian Roberts' 16.9 ppg (4th in the A-10). Roberts has knocked down 63 three-pointers this season at a .424 clip. Junior F Monty Scott is the Flyers' second-leading scorer but has missed the last four games with a stress fracture in his foot. Scott was named to the A-10 preseason All-Conference first team. Dayton's starting lineup has consisted of a senior and four sophomores in the last three games. Gaithersburg's Warren Williams, a DeMatha High grad, has started at point guard for UD in 14 contests. The Flyers are leading the A-10 in 3-point FG defense allowing opponents to convert at a .286 percentage and rank second in rebound margin at +5.3. Sophomore F Norman Plummer does the dirty work with a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game. UD is 1-6 on the road this season while GW is 11-0 at Smith Center. Dayton is 22-67 against teams ranked in the top 10 (0-1 under Brian Gregory).
• GW jumped two spots to No. 8 in both the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll (released Feb. 6) and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. GW's No. 8 ranking is GW's highest since the week of Jan. 3, 1956 when the Colonials were ranked 7th.
Next Game: GW travels to Philadelphia Saturday to face Saint Joseph's at 2:00 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and will air live in the Washington area on WMET 1160, WAGE 1200 AM as well as via www.GWsports.com.
