George Washington University
Howard
Men's Basketball Coasts Past Howard, 85-50
1/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC -- George Washington's Joseph Katuka scored a game-high 16 points to lead four Colonials in double figures as GW romped past Howard, 85-50, Sunday afternoon at HU's Burr Gymnasium. The win was GW's fifth in its last six outings.
The Colonials shot a robust 54.4 percent (31-for-57) including 6-of-11 from three-point range but it was the defense that was the story on Sunday. GW held Howard to season-lows for points (50), points in a half (14) and assists (9) by an opponent and forced a season-high 30 turnovers. It marked the sixth time this season that GW has forced 20 or more turnovers.
The 14 second-half points were the fewest allowed by GW since Jan. 10, 2008, when Saint Louis scored just seven points in the first half of a 49-20 loss at Smith Center.
The Bison shot 42.2 percent (19-45) for the game and just 33.3 percent in the second half.
Nemanja Mikic hit 5-8 three-pointers for 15 points and the Colonials began the second half with a 17-2 run to blow open a five-point lead (41-36) at halftime. Howard managed just 14 second-half points on 6-18 shooting. Dwayne Smith (12) and Tony Taylor (11) were the other Colonials in double figures. Bryan Bynes handed out his career-high seven assists.
Howard (2-10) was led by Dadrian Collins' 16 points and Mike Phillips' nine rebounds.
The game was tied twice in the first half and there were four lead changes during the first 20 minutes. GW took the lead for good at the 2:25 mark when a Mikic three-pointer gave GW a 32-30 lead in the midst of a 13-1 GW run to close out the first half. The Colonials led by as much as 37 with 1:37 remaining in the game.
GW (7-6, 0-0 A-10) opens A-10 play by hosting La Salle (6-7, 0-0 A-10) on Wednesday, Jan. 5, at Smith Center. The GW-La Salle game will tip at 7 p.m. (EST) and will be broadcast on 1500 AM and 820 AM, as well as at FederalNewsRadio.com.
