George Washington University Athletics
GW Looks to Rebound Against Stony Brook Saturday
12/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 10, 2010
GW Notes vs. Stony Brook 
| | Watch Live on GW All-Access! | Live Blog | Tickets
WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington women's basketball team concludes a stretch of five games in 11 days by hosting the Stony Brook Seawolves at Charles E. Smith Center Saturday. The Colonials have won each of their first four home games this season, while the Seawolves dropped their road opener at George Mason Thursday.
The Colonials will sign autographs for fans after the game as part of the Kids Day promotion.
Fans who cannot make it Saturday have a number of options for following the game:
• Watch Live on GW All-Access! - $9.95 monthly fee or $79.95 annual fee
• Follow live stats via
• Follow the action and submit questions via the Live Blog
GW (4-4) shot a season worst 26 percent, including 10 points on 4-of-23 shooting from its starting five, en route to a season-low 35 points in Wednesday's 60-35 loss at Old Dominion. The Colonials posted their worst half of the season with just 13 points on 21.7 percent shooting in the first period, but managed to trail by only nine at intermission, 22-13. GW scored on three consecutive possessions to prompt a Lady Monarchs' timeout and pull within four, 24-20, with 17:51 remaining, but went on to finish 5-of-23 from the field the remainder of the half as ODU surged ahead. It was just GW's second loss in its last six games.
GW has won both meetings in the two-game series with Stony Brook, the most recent a 68-55 victory on Long Island in Dec. 2006. Four players reached double-figures to help then No. 21/20 GW improve to 7-1 en route to a school-record tying 28 wins during the 2006-07 season. GW trailed by 11 points, 23-12, midway through the first half, but quickly snapped out of its sluggish start with a trio of three pointers to take a 31-29 lead at the break. SBU continued to stick with GW through the opening 10 minutes of the second half, but the Colonials eventually built a double-digit lead and led 66-50 with just over two minutes remaining.
Former high school teammates Danni Jackson and Gerda Gatling will square off Saturday afternoon. The duo teamed to lead Forest Park High in nearby Dale City, VA, to four consecutive state playoff appearances. After missing most of her rookie season due to injury, Jackson has rebounded to pace GW in scoring (10.9 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg), while Gatling provides the Seawolves with 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game off the bench.
The Colonials have been solid defensively in their four home victories this season, limiting opponents to 30.5 percent shooting overall and 21.9 percent shooting from three-point range. However, in four losses GW is allowing opponents to shoot 43.3 percent overall and 33.3 percent from deep. GW has not allowed more than 60 points in winning all four of its home games, but has surrendered at least 60 in losing all four away from home.
Stony Brook (3-5) has dropped two straight games and three of its last four to fall to 3-5 on the year. In their most recent outing on Thursday, the Seawolves were routed in the second half in a 74-48 loss at George Mason, their first true road contest of the season. The Patriots outscored the Seawolves, 44-25, over the final 20 minutes. SBU surrendered 30 points on 23 turnovers and committed 26 fouls that led to 24-of-38 free throw shooting for Mason.
Thursday's loss at Mason marked the first time this season that Stony Brook failed to score at least 60 points. The Seawolves entered the week 62nd in the nation in scoring offense, but ranked near the bottom of all Division I teams in scoring defense (285th), three-point percentage defense (301st) and fouls (304th).
Senior Kirsten Jeter, a preseason All-America East selection, paces Stony Brook with 12.4 points per game and is among the team's leaders in rebounding (7.3 rpg), assists (2.0 apg) and steals (1.8 spg).
Jeter is one of four starters returning from SBU's 10-20 team in 2009-10. The Seawolves did post a 7-9 mark in America East play last season for their best AE finish - fourth - since 2007. Stony Brook was picked to finish fourth in the preseason America East poll this season.
