George Washington University Athletics
GW Heads to Miami for Holiday Classic
12/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2010
GW Notes at Miami Holiday Classic 
| | Live Video at Miami
Live Video vs. Morgan State | | Live Blog
CORAL GABLES, FL - The George Washington women's basketball team returns to action for the first time in 10 days with games in back-to-back days at the University of Miami's Holiday Classic at BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, FL. The three-team Classic pits GW and host Miami on Tuesday and Morgan State on Wednesday, while the Hurricanes and Bears will meet on Thursday.
Fans who cannot make it Tuesday and Wednesday have a number of options for following the games:
• Watch GW at Miami Live
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• Live Video vs. Morgan State
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• Follow the action and submit questions via the Live Blog for both games
The Colonials were among the throngs of holiday travelers impacted by wintry weather along the East Coast. It took six separate flights - each with at least one supervising adult - to get the team travel party to Florida, with departure times ranging from 8:30 am to 4:15 pm on Monday. The team was originally scheduled to leave Reagan National Airport at 8:30 pm Sunday, but it's American Airlines flight was cancelled.
The entire team was in south Florida by Monday afternoon in time for a re-scheduled practice at Miami's practice facility at 7:30 pm.
The Miami Holiday Classic is the first Christmas/New Year's tournament for GW since 2006 when it won the San Diego Surf `N Slam Classic in California. The Colonials upset No. 11/10 Georgia, 66-54, before trouncing host San Diego State, 76-42, behind the coaching of then assistant coach Mike Bozeman. Bozeman filled in for then head coach Joe McKeown after McKeown underwent surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon days earlier. It is also GW's first visit to the Magic City since the 1994 Sun `N Fun Tournament hosted by FIU.
Despite career-high scoring efforts from redshirt senior Ivy Abiona and redshirt sophomore Brooke Wilson, GW (5-6) couldn't complete its second-half comeback bid and dropped a 64-60 decision at cross-town rival American at Bender Arena Dec. 18. Abiona matched her career-high with 14 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and Wilson set a new career-mark with 13, but GW missed on two opportunities to tie or take the lead with 30 seconds remaining to lose its second straight game.
THE SKINNY ON...
MIAMI (11-1)
- Has won 10 straight games
- Receiving votes in both Top 25 polls
- Only loss at Nebraska (7-4)
- Ranks 8th nationally in scoring offense at 84.8 ppg
- Riquna Williams ranks Top 20 nationally with 20.3 ppg
- Two other double-digit scorers in Shenise Johnson (17.4 ppg) and Morgan Stroman (14.8 ppg)
- Forces 26.2 turnovers per game
- Finished 22-14 overall in 2010
- Lost to Cal in 2010 Postseason WNIT Championship game
MORGAN ST. (5-5)
- Defeated Coppin State, 63-56
- 1-1 vs. Atlantic 10 teams - L, 64-51 at Saint Louis; W, 74-65 vs. St. Bonaventure
- MSU men's team coached by GW coach Mike Bozeman's older brother, Todd
- Shot 19.4 percent in most recent game, 66-39 loss vs. Missouri State Dec. 21
