George Washington University Athletics
GW Hosts Hawks In A-10 Home Opener Wednesday
1/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2009
GW vs. Saint Joseph's Notes 
| | GW All-Access
WASHINGTON, DC - George Washington makes its Atlantic 10 home debut at Charles E. Smith Center Wednesday night at 7:30 pm against long-time rival Saint Joseph's. The Colonials, who have won five of their last six meetings against the Hawks, will seek to snap a four-game losing streak and avoid their longest skid since 1988.
GW had a streak of 10 consecutive victories in league openers broken with a 66-65 final seconds loss at Richmond Saturday night. Senior Jazmine Adair put the Colonials ahead 65-64 with a putback with 10.8 seconds remaining, but Danielle Bell banked in a 15-footer from the wing with 1.5 ticks left to lift the Spiders to the one-point win. Seniors Jessica Adair and Antelia Parrish each scored 15 points to lead GW.
It was the first loss in an A-10 opener for GW - which hasn't started 0-2 in league play in 21 seasons - since a 63-58 home loss to Xavier in Jan. 1998.
While GW has struggled with an 0-6 start on the road this season, it continues to enjoy the comforts of Smith Center, where it has won 35 of its last 38 games overall, 15 straight against A-10 opponents and is 75-3 versus league foes during the regular season the past decade.
GW's offense fairs better at home (65.1 ppg, 41.8% FG) than on the road (58.5 ppg, 38.7% FG), but the major difference is on the defensive end where the Colonials limit opponents to 56.0 ppg on 31.7 percent shooting from the field, including a dismal 28.5 percent from three-point range.
Saint Joseph's (8-8, 0-1 A-10) seeks its first conference victory of the season following a 58-53 loss against Temple Sunday. The Hawks led by two at the half, but managed just 18 points on 7-of-28 shooting in the second half of their Big 5 loss to the Owls. The loss marked just the third time in program history SJU dropped its conference opener and the team will look to avoid its first-ever 0-2 start in league play Wednesday night.
SJU has played all but four minutes of this season without returning leading scorer and rebounder Sarah Acker, an A-10 All-Rookie Team and third team All-Conference selection last season. Acker, who averaged 11.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a freshman, played four minutes in the Hawks' season opener at Rutgers, but has been sidelined with a hip injury since. Forward Brittany Ford and transfer guard Mariame Djouara have stepped up, combining for 25.2 ppg, while senior guard Mary Kate McDade leads the A-10 with 91 assists.
