George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
<b>WESTERN KENTUCKY</b>
Short-Handed GW Falls to Western Kentucky, 74-65
12/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2009
WASHINGTON - Despite its best offensive output in eight games, the short-handed George Washington women's basketball team dropped its eighth straight with a 74-65 loss to Western Kentucky at Charles E. Smith Center Monday evening.
GW (2-8) got career efforts from sophomore Sara Mostafa, who led all scorers with 18 points, and freshman Megan Nipe, who added 13 off the bench, but WKU (6-6) had four players reach double figures, paced by Arnika Brown's 17-point, 14-rebound double-double, to snap its two-game skid.
The Colonials shot better than 40 percent (22-51, 43.1 percent) and scored at least 60 points for the first time in eight games. However, the Lady Toppers turned 26 turnovers into 27 points and finished 31-of-74 from the field to earn their first win at Smith Center in three tries and grab a 3-2 series lead.
GW played without sophomore Tara Booker for the second straight game and dressed just eight players. Booker will likely miss the remainder of the season due to chronic knee pain stemming from offseason meniscus surgery.
The Colonials turned the ball over on five of its first six possessions amid heavy full-court pressure and the Lady Toppers used a 14-0 run to open an early 17-2 lead just three minutes into the game. GW settled and responded with a 14-5 run to close to 22-16. WKU reopened a 13-point cushion, but GW again answered back with three pointers from Myers and Nipe during an 8-0 spurt to make it 31-26 with 4:28 left in the half.
WKU went on to grab a 37-28 halftime lead and looked to be pulling away after surging ahead 60-40 with 10:59 remaining. The Lady Toppers' lead peaked at 22 points, 66-44, at the 7:00 mark, but the Colonials again clawed back. A late 11-0 run got GW within seven, 72-65, with 24 seconds left, but WKU managed to keep possession without being fouled until less than a second remained.
Kenzie Rich and Hope Brown chipped in 16 points apiece for the Lady Toppers, while Amy McNear totaled 10 points, six rebounds, six assists and six steals.
Sophomore Tiana Myers also reached double digits with 12 points for the Colonials. Redshirt freshman Brooke Wilson grabbed a career-high 12 boards while adding six points, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
WKU outrebounded GW 40-37, including a 20-10 advantage on the offensive glass for a 15-4 edge in second-chance points.
The loss was the eighth straight for GW, eclipsing the program's previous longest streak of seven set during the 1981-82 season.
GW returns to action in less than 48 hours when it hosts Rutgers at Charles E. Smith Center Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
