Men’s Basketball to Host Catholic for Sunday Exhibition

Sunday, October 28

Washington, D.C.

4:00 p.m.

George Washington University

The Catholic University of America

10/26/2018 3:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Tickets

The Colonials and Cardinals are set for a 4:00 tip in Smith Center

TIPPING OFF: The GW men's basketball team plays host to the Catholic University Cardinals in a preseason tune-up on Sunday in the Smith Center. Tip is set for 4:00 p.m.

WHO'S BACK: A pair of returning starters in junior forward Arnaldo Toro and sophomore guard Terry Nolan Jr., plus six additional letterwinners from last season's squad. Toro, a 6-foot-8 product of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, is coming off a sophomore season in which he started 27 games while averaging a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game to go along with 7.8 points. The big man also led GW in double-doubles (5) and double-figure rebounding games (7), and ranked third in the Atlantic 10 with 2.7 offensive rebounds per game. He was at his best at the end of the season, averaging 10.8 points and 9.5 boards in the last 10 games and registering four double-doubles during that span. Nolan, meanwhile, was a starter in 31 games during his freshman campaign and averaged 9.1 points per game. The Baltimore native led the team with 52 steals and is a member of the 2018-19 A-10 All-Defensive Team.

In addition to Toro and Nolan, sophomore guard Justin Mazzulla brings starting experience from last season. The native of Rhode Island played in all 33 games and earned a starting spot in the latter part of conference play, helping GW average 74.0 points per game in his starts compared to 67.4 for the season. Mazzulla led the team with a 1.63-to-1 assist/turnover ratio and ranked third with 67 assists. Classmate Maceo Jack is also hoping to build on a strong finish to his freshman campaign. After scoring a total of seven points in his first 13 appearances of the season, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 5.4 points in 12 minutes per game over GW's last 10 contests.

READY FOR ACTION: After sitting out the 2017-18 season due to transfer rules, fourth-year juniors Armel Potter and DJ Williams are set to make their GW debuts. A point guard, Potter started 55 games in two years at Charleston Southern and averaged 13.3 points per game. He saw his shooting percentage rise to .454 as a sophomore while leading the team in assists (3.2) and ranking second in scoring (12.7) and steals (27). In his first season, he earned a spot on the Big South Conference All-Freshman Team after he ranked second among his classmates in scoring, while leading the group in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. Williams, a 6-foot-7 wing, was a consensus top-100 recruit coming out of high school and spent his first two collegiate seasons at Illinois.

NEW FACES: The Colonials welcome four newcomers to the program this season: first-years Shandon Brown (guard; Boston, MA), Marcus Littles (forward; Philadelphia, PA) and Mezie Offurm (forward; Frederick, MD). Walk-on Malcolm Elashari-Rashed (guard; Philadelphia, PA) joined the program in September and is the only senior on the roster. Head coach Maurice Joseph, entering his third season at the helm, also has a new assistant coach in Greg Paulus, who starred at Duke University during his playing days before coaching stints at Navy, Ohio State and Louisville.

SERIES HISTORY: The schools last met in exhibition play on Nov. 3, 2012, when the Colonials took a 72-46 win. They last played a regular season contest during the 1983-84 season when GW took a 117-73 victory. Catholic does lead the official all-time series, 26-20, though the Colonials have won the last 11 meetings dating back to a 77-74 setback in 1971.

UPCOMING: The Colonials open the season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. against Stony Brook. Prior to the game, there will be a free tailgate starting at 5 p.m. on 22nd Street between F & G, featuring music, games, food and drinks up until tip-off.