Women's Basketball Stifles Old Dominion, 55-37

Saturday, November 28

Washington, DC

2 p.m.

George Washington University

2-0,0-0Atlantic 10

Old Dominion

-01,00 CUSA

Old Dominion

George Washington

Photo by: William Atkins / The George Wash

11/28/2020 4:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Luma, Brigham reach double figures for second straight game

WASHINGTON - The George Washington women's basketball team knew it had its hands full with visiting Old Dominion on Saturday, as the Lady Monarchs came to D.C. off a 24-win campaign a season ago with games still to play in the Conference USA Tournament before it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their success saw former Head Coach Nikki McCray-Penson leave for 2017 and 2018 back-to-back NCAA runner-up Mississippi State, opening the door for DeLisha Milton-Jones, who joined the program after a year as an assistant coach at Syracuse and two years as the bench boss at Pepperdine.

After leading the nation in 3-point defense (24.3%) last season and ranking 15th in scoring defense, allowing just 55.3 ppg, the Monarchs posed a challenge for GW, who's lone tune-up before Saturday's clash was Wednesday's opener against Division II Lincoln. A look at the second quarter, however, would have suggested that it's the Buff and Blue that boasts a nationally-ranked D.

GW held ODU to a single second quarter point on 0-for-13 shooting from the field, and the home team's quarter-ending 10-0 run gave the Colonials a 13-point halftime lead that would not be threatened in the 55-37 triumph. In two second quarters now this season, the Colonials have allowed a total of three points across 20 minutes of basketball.

It was the veteran/rookie frontcourt tandem of Neila Luma and Ali Brigham who led the way once again for GW, as the pair once again both reached double-figures in the contest. After double-doubling in the season-opening win, Luma continued her resurgent redshirt junior campaign with a game-high 18 points. Brigham, meanwhile, was a force on both sides of the court, tallying 10 points while swatting two shots on the other end, and altering several other looks with her 6-foot-4 frame.

All told, GW held ODU to 26.3% shooting, including .105 (2-of-19) from three-point range, while forcing 22 Monarch miscues. In two games, the Colonials have yielded just 75 points (37.5 per game) on 22.4 percent shooting. Grad transfer Jasmine Whitney controlled the game from her point guard position, with a team-leading eight rebounds, four assists and five steals in 38 minutes of play. Sophomore Faith Blethen stuffed the stat sheet with five points, seven rebounds two blocks, two steals and an assists.

Up next for GW is the club's first road test of the season on Tuesday at Virginia Tech. Tip time in Blacksburg is 5 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. The matchup is the first of consecutive ACC foes on the docket, as GW returns home a week from Sunday for a contest against Virginia.