Women's Basketball Visits Iona Sunday

Sunday, November 18

New Rochelle, N.Y.

1 p.m.

George Washington University

Iona

Photo by: AP

11/16/2018 1:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Colonials and Gaels meet for the first time since 2015

WASHINGTON - GW women's basketball hits the road for the first of three consecutive games away from the Smith Center when it visits Iona on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. from the Hynes Center, and the game will be televised on ESPN+.

The game serves as a bit of a homecoming for head coach Jennifer Rizzotti, who was born in White Plains, and senior walk-on Anna Savino, who attended The Ursuline School less than two miles away from Iona's campus.

LAST TIME OUT: The Colonials are 1-2 on the year after falling to No. 9 Maryland on Wednesday. Senior Kelsi Mahoney paced GW with 12 points on the back of three three-pointers. The Buff & Blue held Maryland to its lowest point total of the season and nearly 20 points below its average coming into the game (87.5).

DEFENSE TRAVELS: Strong defense has been GW's hallmark early in the year, as it held Princeton to just 29.0 percent from the floor (20-69), including a paltry 18.4 percent from beyond the arc (7-38). The Colonials have held their first three opponents to 37.8 percent shooting overall and just 19.2 percent shooting from deep. GW has forced 47 turnovers in its first three contests, resulting in 41 points, which accounts for over 30 percent of the team's offense. Bautista has recorded 12 steals so far and ranks 17th nationally in steals per game entering Sunday.

NO FREEBIES: The Colonials yielded just six free throws to Maryland on Wednesday, the second straight game GW has allowed single-digit attempts. GW has allowed only 18 free throws to opponents so far this year while attempting 55 of its own. GW's 6.9 percent opponent's free throw rate (FTA/FGA) is the sixth-best mark in the nation, per Her Hoop Stats.

MAKING THE OPPOSITION EARN IT: Defending without fouling has been a GW hallmark under Rizzotti. Last year, her team ranked 21st in the nation with just 14.1 fouls per game. This season, GW is committing just 12.3 fouls per game, good for 14th nationally. The Colonials were called for just nine infractions against Maryland on Wednesday. GW has made more free throws than the opposition has attempted in all three games this year, and in nine of the last 11 games dating back to 2017-18. In three games, the Buff & Blue have seen opponents take just nine total trips to the line.

A LOOK AT THE GAELS: Iona is in search of its first win of the season after falling to Hofstra, St. John's and Toledo to begin the campaign. The Gales have struggled scoring, averaging just 40.7 points per game through the first three contests and failing to reach 40 points twice. Morgan Rachu is the team's top performer with 14.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Tori Lesko chips in 9.0 ppg to go along with 2.3 apg.