
DJ Williams had a career-high 30 points
Photo by: Zachary Webster
Men’s Basketball Handles Fordham, 79-61
1/30/2019 9:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DJ Williams scored a career-high 30 points
WASHINGTON -- The GW men's basketball team came into Wednesday night's matchup with Fordham having won eight in a row against the Rams, and DJ Williams made sure that streak reached nine with a shining performance in the Charles E. Smith Center. Behind a career-high 30 points from the Chicago native, GW overcame an early 7-point deficit to take a 20-point lead at its largest, and cruised to the 79-61 win.
Williams' prolific night was set-up by his teammates, as the Buff and Blue assisted on a season-high 21 of 30 field goals made, against just nine team turnovers. Williams finished 11-of-25 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, while his teammates did their part. The Colonials made more free throws (12) than Fordham attempted (8), as GW was the aggressor all night. Against a Fordham zone for the majority of the contest, the home bunch saw success from all over the floor. Outside of Williams, GW connected on more than 50 percent of its shots (19-of-37) and 40 percent of its threes (6-of-15), while holding the Rams to just .359 from the field.
The Colonials enjoyed a considerable edge in points off turnovers, as they were able to parlay Fordham's 11 miscues into almost two-points-per on the other end. Justin Mazzulla was a stat-sheet-stuffer on Wednesday, in a near double-double effort with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The sophomore point guard also had team-highs in assists (6) and steals (3), while classmate and backcourt mate Maceo Jack dropped in 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the land of plenty.
After GW found itself trailing 13-6 just over five minutes into the game, the Colonials went ahead 27-25 on a baseline jumper from Justin Williams at the 6:42 mark of the first half as part of a 16-0 run that gave the Buff and Blue a lead it wouldn't relinquish. GW led 39-32 at the break and opened the second on an 11-4 spurt to take comfortable control.
DJ Williams split his scoring even between the first and second halves, while Jack saved his buckets for the second when we went off for 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting (3-of-5 3pt. FG). Justin Williams gave the Colonials a huge lift off the bench, making key plays throughout and hammering home a tip-in dunk late in the second half. The junior finished with nine boards, six points, three assists and a block.
Fordham's top gun, Nick Honor, was held in check with 15 points and it took him 16 shots to get there in an inefficient 5-of-16 showing. Jesse Bunting led the Rams with 19, while Antwon Portley flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Bronx squad.
GW has a bye in A-10 play this weekend so it has a week to prepare for the incoming VCU Rams. VCU comes to town next Wednesday, February 6 for a 7 p.m. MASN telecast, while GW will look for the same secret sauce it tasted last year at home against their guests from down I-95. On February 17, 2018, GW sent VCU away with an 80-56 walloping, in one of the Colonials' most complete performances a season ago.
Williams' prolific night was set-up by his teammates, as the Buff and Blue assisted on a season-high 21 of 30 field goals made, against just nine team turnovers. Williams finished 11-of-25 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line, while his teammates did their part. The Colonials made more free throws (12) than Fordham attempted (8), as GW was the aggressor all night. Against a Fordham zone for the majority of the contest, the home bunch saw success from all over the floor. Outside of Williams, GW connected on more than 50 percent of its shots (19-of-37) and 40 percent of its threes (6-of-15), while holding the Rams to just .359 from the field.
The Colonials enjoyed a considerable edge in points off turnovers, as they were able to parlay Fordham's 11 miscues into almost two-points-per on the other end. Justin Mazzulla was a stat-sheet-stuffer on Wednesday, in a near double-double effort with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The sophomore point guard also had team-highs in assists (6) and steals (3), while classmate and backcourt mate Maceo Jack dropped in 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the land of plenty.
After GW found itself trailing 13-6 just over five minutes into the game, the Colonials went ahead 27-25 on a baseline jumper from Justin Williams at the 6:42 mark of the first half as part of a 16-0 run that gave the Buff and Blue a lead it wouldn't relinquish. GW led 39-32 at the break and opened the second on an 11-4 spurt to take comfortable control.
DJ Williams split his scoring even between the first and second halves, while Jack saved his buckets for the second when we went off for 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting (3-of-5 3pt. FG). Justin Williams gave the Colonials a huge lift off the bench, making key plays throughout and hammering home a tip-in dunk late in the second half. The junior finished with nine boards, six points, three assists and a block.
Fordham's top gun, Nick Honor, was held in check with 15 points and it took him 16 shots to get there in an inefficient 5-of-16 showing. Jesse Bunting led the Rams with 19, while Antwon Portley flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Bronx squad.
GW has a bye in A-10 play this weekend so it has a week to prepare for the incoming VCU Rams. VCU comes to town next Wednesday, February 6 for a 7 p.m. MASN telecast, while GW will look for the same secret sauce it tasted last year at home against their guests from down I-95. On February 17, 2018, GW sent VCU away with an 80-56 walloping, in one of the Colonials' most complete performances a season ago.
Team Stats
FOR
GW
FG%
.359
.484
3FG%
.360
.350
FT%
.750
.857
RB
35
40
TO
11
9
STL
5
5
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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