George Washington University Athletics
Women's Basketball Releases 2008-09 Schedule
9/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 10, 2008
2008-09 Schedule (HTML) | 2008-09 Schedule (PDF Format) 
WASHINGTON, DC - George Washington women's basketball first-year head coach Mike Bozeman has released the program's 2008-09 schedule, which features 17 home games and match-ups against 13 teams that qualified for the postseason last year. The Colonials host the GW Thanksgiving Classic for the second straight year and welcome two-time defending national champion Tennessee to Charles E. Smith Center for the fourth time since 2001.
"This year's schedule is in the usual GW tradition, with a number of national powers and heavy hitters," said Bozeman. "It's a very challenging schedule which gives our team the opportunity to gauge where it is on the national scene and prepare for the Atlantic 10."
GW finished 27-7 overall, advanced to the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and ranked No. 14 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll in 2007-08. Two starters and eight letterwinners return to the Colonials roster, led by All-America candidate Jessica Adair (Washington, DC/Anacostia).
Nine of 13 opponents which reached the postseason last year participated in the NCAA Tournament, including three teams - Tennessee, Texas A&M and Rutgers - which reached the regional finals.
The 17 home dates are the most since the 1996-97 season and mark the third most in program history. GW set new program records in total home attendance (27,723) and average home attendance (1,848) last season.
Bozeman makes his head-coaching debut when GW opens the season against Maryland-Baltimore County, Nov. 15, at Smith Center. This marks the third year-in-a-row the Colonials begin their season against the Retrievers. GW closes the opening two-game homestand against NCAA Tournament participant Coppin State, Nov. 17.
GW visits Western Kentucky, Nov. 21, and Kentucky, Nov. 23, in return games from the 2007-08 season. The Hilltoppers, who fell to the Colonials, 80-63, in last year's GW Thanksgiving Classic, earned the Sun Belt Conference's automatic NCAA bid in 2008. The Wildcats advanced to the quarterfinals of the Postseason WNIT for the second straight year in 2008 despite an early season loss to the Colonials at Smith Center.
The second annual GW Thanksgiving Classic tips-off Nov. 28 with NCAA qualifiers Hartford and Liberty at 3:00 pm, followed by the Colonials and South Alabama at 5:30 pm. The Classic turns to a tournament format this year with consolation and championship games played Nov. 29 at 3:00 and 5:30 pm, respectively.
The Colonials' seven-game home stand continues Dec. 2 against Tennessee's Lady Volunteers. The previous three Smith Center meetings between GW and Tennessee are among the Top 7 largest women's basketball crowds in the facility's history, including a record 5,252 fans in Nov. 2001. The Colonials break for two weeks before restarting the home stand against first-time opponent Troy, Dec. 16.
GW hosts Auburn in the two programs' fourth meeting in just over 24 months on Dec. 19. After defeating the Tigers at Smith Center in Dec. 2006, the Colonials beat the Southeastern Conference program twice during the 2007-08 season - a buzzer-beating 68-66 triumph on the road Jan. 3 and a 66-56 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Stanford, CA, March 22.
The Colonials close the home stretch with Princeton, Dec. 21, and Loyola (MD), Dec. 27, before embarking on a difficult three-game road swing which includes NCAA regional finalists Rutgers, Dec. 29, and Texas A&M, Jan. 3. GW ends its trip to Texas at Rice, Jan. 5, and wraps its non-conference schedule at home against Postseason WNIT participant Villanova, Jan. 21.
The 14-game Atlantic 10 schedule features a home-and-home series with Richmond, as well as three road games and one home contest against the league's other four postseason qualifiers. GW hosts Saint Joseph's, Duquesne, Richmond, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, St. Bonaventure and NCAA Tournament participant Temple, which visits the District in both teams' regular-season finale March 1. The Colonials visit two-time defending A-10 champion Xavier and WNIT participants Charlotte and Dayton, as well as Richmond, Fordham, La Salle and Saint Louis.
Season tickets can be purchased by contacting the GW Athletics Ticket Office at 202-994-6050 or by email to: gwcoltix@gwu.edu. Individual game tickets can be purchased at GW's Marvin Center TicketMaster (located on the lower level), through TicketMaster outlets at 202-397-SEAT (7328), or by visiting TicketMaster.com. For group tickets (10 or more), contact Devin McCalla in GW Athletics at 202-994-7325 or email at: dmccalla@gwu.edu.
