George Washington University Athletics
GW Ends Non-Conference Home Slate Against Auburn
12/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2010
GW Notes vs. Auburn 
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WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington women's basketball team will shoot to stay undefeated at Charles E. Smith Center when it hosts Auburn in its non-conference home finale Wednesday at 7:00 pm. GW has won all five of its home games to start 2010-11 and a win over Auburn would mark its first unbeaten non-conference home slate since 2006. The Colonials wrap the 2010-11 non-conference schedule with four games away from home.
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In its most dominant effort in nearly two seasons, GW (5-4) used a 26-1 run midway through the game and shot 50 percent from the field en route to a 69-49 rout of Stony Brook at Smith Center Saturday. All 11 available players scored, led by junior Tara Booker's 11 points and classmate Kye Allums' 10, in GW's most one-sided victory since an 83-62 win over Massachusetts at Smith Center in February 2009.
Wednesday's meeting between GW and Auburn is the sixth all-time in the series, all of which have come within the past five seasons. GW won the first three confrontations - a home win in 2006, a buzzer-beating road triumph in Jan. 2008 and an NCAA Tournament first-round victory in March 2008. However, Auburn has bounced back for two consecutive wins - one as a Top 10 team visiting Smith Center in Dec. 2008 and a lopsided triumph in Alabama last December. The Colonials shot just 17 percent while scoring 14 first-half points in a 62-43 road loss to the Tigers in the most recent showdown last season.
GW redshirt senior Ivy Abiona and Auburn senior Jordan Greenleaf are the only two players who have been part of their respective team's roster through all five previous meetings. Abiona, who has been hampered by a pair of season-ending injuries in her career, has played in only the 2008 meeting at Smith Center, while Greenleaf has started four of the five encounters, averaging 3.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Greenleaf missed the 2008 contest after sustaining an ACL injury that sidelined her for the majority of the 2008-09 season.
The Colonials have been solid defensively in their five home victories this season, limiting opponents to 30.4 percent shooting overall and 23.3 percent shooting from three-point range. However, in four road 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 five of its home games, but has surrendered at least 60 in losing all four away from home.
Auburn (3-5) returns from an 11-day layoff to face its second consecutive Atlantic 10 opponent and second true road opponent in GW following a narrow 62-61 loss to Temple at new $86 million Auburn Arena Dec. 4.
Auburn held a lead with less than two minutes remaining, but Temple's Brittany Lewis made a three-pointer with 1:22 left and the Owls held on to defeat the Tigers, 62-61. Alli Smalley made three 3-pointers en route to a game-high 22 points. Her final three-pointer of the game was the 185th of her career, which is a new school record for career triples.
Smalley, who averages a team-leading 12.8 points, and Blanche Alverson have each made 13 three-pointers and have combined for 26 of Auburn's 32 made three's this season. Jordan Greenleaf averages a near double-double of 9.8 points and team-leading 8.4 rebounds, Alverson adds 9.4 points per game and Morgan Toles provides 7.8 points and team-high 4.3 assists.
The Tigers entered the week ranked 19th nationally in committing just 14.6 turnovers per game, while forcing opponents into 20.6 turnovers an outing which it turns into 21.5 points per game. AU is also 301st nationally in field goal defense (43.5 percent) and 327th at defending thre three (40.6 percent).
