Men's Basketball Opens A-10 Play Victorious at Fordham, 71-47

Wednesday, December 30

Bronx, NY

1 p.m.

George Washington University

2-6,1-0Atlantic 10

Fordham

0-1,0-1Atlantic 10

George Washington

Fordham

12/30/2020 3:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

On the penultimate day of 2020, the George Washington men's basketball team was looking to end the long calendar year on a winning note and similarly to start Atlantic 10 play in the win column. At Fordham's Rose Hill Gym in a matinee affair, an inspired Buff and Blue squad came out swinging. GW led wire-to-wire in the eventual rout and cruised to a 71-47 win.

By halftime, Jamison Battle (17 at the half) and Sloan Seymour (11) had outscored the Rams by eight, as GW took a 38-20 lead into the halftime locker room. Seymour connected on three first-half 3s, while Battle had tied his career-high for field goals made in a game in the first half alone. The visitors connected at a .583 clip from the floor in the road gym, while holding the Rams to .219 in their first half of basketball of the season.

Unlike in some previous games this season when GW lost a second half lead, on Wednesday GDUB wouldn't let the opposition climb back into it. As hot as Battle and Seymour were in the first, it was the A-10's second-leading scorer, James Bishop, who dominated the second. The sophomore transfer poured in 19 points in the final 20 minutes on a scorching performance from long range. The lead guard connected on 4-of-5 second half 3s en route to establishing a new career high with 23 points. Bishop has now scored 20+ points in seven of eight games this season.

Prolific as Battle and Bishop were getting buckets, equaling Fordham 47-47 by themselves, it was GW's defense that fueled the blowout. Fordham was limited to 16-of-58 shooting (.276) in the contest with just six assists. Comparatively, Bishop and first-year point guard Tyler Brelsford each had a handful of dimes.

GW will look to ring in the new year with a winning streak when it welcomes Duquesne to DC on Saturday for a nationally-televised tip on NBCSN at 12:30 p.m.