George Washington University
6-2
FRESNO STATE
4-3
GW Women's Hoops Outlasts Fresno State, 73-64
12/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Dec. 6, 2014
Box Score | Box Score 
| Highlights
WASHINGTON - Senior Lauren Chase matched her career high with 22 points as the George Washington women's basketball team held off Fresno State for its fourth straight win, 73-64, on Saturday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Center.
At 6-2, GW is off to its best start in eight years; the Colonials opened the 2006-07 campaign with a 7-1 record en route to their first of two straight Sweet 16 appearances.
Fresno State (4-3) entered the game as the No. 1 team in the nation in the most recent RPI rankings and represented the Colonials' third straight opponent which qualified for the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
Chase connected on 8-of-15 attempts, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and she added six assists and two steals. Freshman Kelli Prange scored 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds off the bench, while junior Jonquel Jones added 12 points, nine boards, three assists and two blocked shots. Sophomore Caira Washington also neared a double-double with nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
The teams battled through three ties and six lead changes in the opening seven minutes, but a three-pointer by sophomore Shannon Cranshaw ignited an 8-0 GW run that gave the Colonials a 19-12 advantage midway through the first half. GW led, 30-26 at the break.
The Colonials made five of their first eight shots in the second period and used a 13-5 run to take a double-digit lead, 43-33, less than four minutes into the half. A three-pointer by Prange at the 11:54 mark gave GW its largest lead of the game, 50-39, but the Bulldogs responded with a 16-4 run to take its first lead since it was 12-11.
Trailing by one, 57-56, with less than four minutes to go, Jones got a putback and was fouled, then made her free throw to put GW back on top for good, as the play sparked an 11-2 run which gave the Colonials a 67-59 advantage with 49 seconds left.
An Alex Furr three-pointer with 33 seconds to go made it a four-point game, but Chase and senior Chakecia Miller made 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
GW outrebounded Fresno State, 47-32, including 24-8 on the offensive glass - the eighth straight game the Colonials have won the battle of the boards, as they entered the game ranked sixth in the nation in rebounding margin.
Shauqunna Collins led the Bulldogs with 14 points off the bench, while Alex Sheedy tallied 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
The Colonials return to action on Tuesday when they host crosstown rival Georgetown at 7 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center. The game will be televised regionally by Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.
