George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
16-8, 9-3 A-10
Rhode Island
4-20, 0-12 A-10
Women's Basketball Routs Rhode Island, 72-44
2/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
KINGSTON, R.I. - The George Washington women's basketball team opened the game on a 12-2 run and never looked back on the way to a dominant 72-44 win over Rhode Island on Wednesday evening at the Ryan Center.
GW (16-8, 9-3 A-10) has now won three games in a row for the fifth time this season and will host first-place Dayton in a mammoth rematch on Sunday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Center. The Flyers downed GW, 50-48, back on January 8 in Dayton, Ohio.
Three players scored in double figures as both junior Kelli Prange and graduate student Lexi Martins led the way with 16 points to share game-high honors. Prange's 16 came on 7-of-15 shooting with four rebounds while Martins hit 5-of-9 field goals along with a game-high eight rebounds.
GW's defense was dominant for much of the 40 minutes, forcing 22 turnovers and limiting Rhode Island (4-20, 0-12 A-10) to just .321 (17-of-53) shooting for the game. The Colonials recorded a season-high 17 steals while scoring a season-best 30 points off turnovers.
"I thought we had pretty good intensity and I think our starters have done a great job in these back-to-back games of setting the tone defensively, being really sharp on offense and being hard to guard," said head coach Jennifer Rizzotti. "And then we got some good contributions off the bench. As a coach whenever you have a bunch of assists, deflections and steals and a bunch of different guys contributing its a good night."
GW also dominated the rebound battle, cleaning up on the glass to the tune of a 41-33 advantage. The Buff and Blue recorded 14 offensive rebounds, including five by senior Hannah Schaible, which led to 17 second-chance points.
Schaible finished with eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and a career-high six steals. Classmate Caira Washington was her usual efficient self, hitting 5-of-6 shots for 10 points along with two rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals.
GW enjoyed a 33-17 advantage in bench points, with freshman Harper Birdsong providing an electric spark late in the fourth quarter. The rookie connected on a pair of three-pointers en route to a career-high nine points in six minutes of relief.
The Colonials assisted on 20 of 28 made field goals for the game, with four players recording at least four helpers.
