George Washington University Athletics
No. 21 GW Visits Villanova Saturday at 1:00 pm
12/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 7, 2007
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Nationally ranked George Washington wraps up a four-game road swing against a resurgent 7-1 Villanova Wildcats team in head coach Joe McKeown's hometown of Philadelphia on Saturday at 1:00 pm.
Fans can follow live stats via or can watch a live stream of the game by subscribing to Villanova's All-Access package at Villanova.com.
McKeown is 45-15 all-time in his hometown of Philadelphia in 18-plus seasons at GW, including a 1-1 mark against the Wildcats and 13-7 record in A-10 Championship play at various venues throughout the city.
GW handled Villanova, 73-47, at Smith Center last November behind Jessica Adair's 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. Kimberly Beck also had 18 points, while Sarah-Jo Lawrence added 10 and eight assists as the Colonials led by 17 at the half.
No. 21 GW (6-3) rebounded from its first back-to-back losses since 2004 with a 64-57 victory over Samford at the Four Points by Sheraton Lady Privateer Invitational hosted by the University of New Orleans last Saturday.
Playing without starters Whitney Allen and Antelia Parrish, then No. 16/14 GW was upset by UNLV, 62-61, in the first game of the Four Points by Sheraton Lady Privateer Invitational in New Orleans last Friday. The Colonials squandered a 24-point halftime lead to the hot-shooting Lady Rebels, who were led by tourney MVP Sequoia Holmes' 22 second-half points.
GW bounced back the next day against Samford thanks to All-Tournament team selections Jessica Adair (19p/8r) and Kimberly Beck (21p/6r/4a). Senior Sarah-Jo Lawrence averaged a team-best 16.0 points and 6.0 assists in the two games. Allen and Parrish both remain questionable for Saturday's road tilt.
A pair of former Philadelphia high school stars in GW's Joe McKeown and Villanova's Harry Perretta meet as opposing coaches for the seventh time Saturday afternoon. McKeown played his high school ball at Father Judge High in Philadelphia, while Perretta played at rival Monsignor Bonner in nearby Drexel Hill. McKeown went on to Mercer Junior College in Trenton, NJ, before transferring to Kent State for the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons and graduation in 1979. Perretta moved on to Lycoming College where he graduated in 1978, but got into coaching because his playing career was cut short due to an ankle injury.
Villanova is off to one of its best starts at 7-1 following its 71-47 dismantling of Big Five foe Saint Joseph's on Wednesday. After posting its worst record under 30-year head coach Harry Perretta (8-21) last year, the Wildcats have cruised through their first eight games, outscoring opponents by an average of 14.5 points. Villanova has been getting it done on both ends of the court, shooting 44.0 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from three-point range, while limiting opponents to just 49.0 points per game on 35.5 percent shooting.
While senior Stacie Witman leads the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game, the Wildcats have been infused by junior Laura Kurz, a transfer from Duke who is averaging 14.9 points and 7.4 boards in her first season at VU. Villanova was lights out in the first half against St. Joe's Wednesday, with nine of its 18 first-half field goals from deep and shooting 67 percent en route to a 20-point halftime cushion, 46-26.
