Saturday, January 22
Kingston, RI
12:30 PM
George Washington University
6-11,2-3Atlantic 10
63
at
61
Rhode Island
12-5,3-2Atlantic 10
1
2
F
George Washington
25
38
63
Rhode Island
33
28
61
Men's Basketball Roars Back to Beat Rhode Island, 63-61
1/22/2022 4:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Dean records first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds
KINGSTON, R.I. - GW men's basketball pulled off its second double-digit comeback in six days, this time on the road against a Rhode Island team that had yet to lose on its home floor this season. Trailing by as many as 15, the Colonials persevered to earn a tremendous 63-61 victory at the Ryan Center.
URI was a perfect 8-0 at home on the year and had won nine straight games on its own floor dating back to last season. The Colonials also entered the day seeking their first win in Kingston since 2013 when Joe McDonald hit a go-ahead jumper with 9.3 seconds left in a 66-65 triumph.
On Saturday, it was James Bishop who broke a 60-60 tie on a fadeaway jumper from the left wing with 55 seconds remaining. After URI split a trip at the free throw line and got a stop, Qwanzi Samuels forced a steal on the perimeter, was fouled and hit 1-of-2 at the line with 5.0 seconds left.
GW organized defensively and forced a contested 3-point attempt from Ishmael El-Amin that clanged off the rim and set off a raucous celebration for the Buff & Blue.
Bishop scored all 15 of his points in the second half, drilling a pair of 3-pointers and connecting on 5-of-6 free throw attempts. He was joined in double figures by Hunter Dean, who had a career day en route to his first-ever double-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
After coming back from 13 down on Monday, GW worked its way back after trailing by 15 in the first half on Saturday. The win marked the largest comeback victory under Jamion Christian, surpassing Monday's effort, and was the biggest come-from-behind triumph for GW since erasing an 18-point hole at Fordham on March 1, 2017.
The Colonials got off to a difficult start in the opening 11 minutes, hitting just one of their first 11 shots while turning the ball over eight times to fall behind, 20-5. As has been the case recently, though, it was first-year Brayon Freeman who was the spark with three straight makes to get GW back on track.
GW utilized a different supporting cast in the opening 20 while battling foul trouble as Dean put up seven points and five rebounds before intermission, including the last four points to bring the Buff & Blue within eight at 33-25.
URI pushed the lead back to 11, 40-29, in the opening three minutes, and led by nine with 13 minutes left before the Buff & Blue went on a run that had felt inevitable for the whole stanza. Brendan Adams kickstarted the 10-0 burst with a baseline dunk, and two minutes later, Bishop's layup gave GW its first lead of the day, 48-47.
Six more lead changes and six ties ensued over the final 10 minutes with neither team leading by more than two points. The difference came down to the free throw line as GW hit 10-of-12 after taking its first lead while Rhody was just 4-of-11.
After the ragged start, GW responded to shoot 44.7% from the floor and never let it affect the defensive end, holding Rhode Island to 2-of-19 from beyond the arc, including 0-for-7 in the second half.
GW will wrap up its three-game road swing on Wednesday when it travels to Saint Louis to take on the Billikens. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Midwest and ESPN+.
URI was a perfect 8-0 at home on the year and had won nine straight games on its own floor dating back to last season. The Colonials also entered the day seeking their first win in Kingston since 2013 when Joe McDonald hit a go-ahead jumper with 9.3 seconds left in a 66-65 triumph.
On Saturday, it was James Bishop who broke a 60-60 tie on a fadeaway jumper from the left wing with 55 seconds remaining. After URI split a trip at the free throw line and got a stop, Qwanzi Samuels forced a steal on the perimeter, was fouled and hit 1-of-2 at the line with 5.0 seconds left.
GW organized defensively and forced a contested 3-point attempt from Ishmael El-Amin that clanged off the rim and set off a raucous celebration for the Buff & Blue.
Bishop scored all 15 of his points in the second half, drilling a pair of 3-pointers and connecting on 5-of-6 free throw attempts. He was joined in double figures by Hunter Dean, who had a career day en route to his first-ever double-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
After coming back from 13 down on Monday, GW worked its way back after trailing by 15 in the first half on Saturday. The win marked the largest comeback victory under Jamion Christian, surpassing Monday's effort, and was the biggest come-from-behind triumph for GW since erasing an 18-point hole at Fordham on March 1, 2017.
The Colonials got off to a difficult start in the opening 11 minutes, hitting just one of their first 11 shots while turning the ball over eight times to fall behind, 20-5. As has been the case recently, though, it was first-year Brayon Freeman who was the spark with three straight makes to get GW back on track.
GW utilized a different supporting cast in the opening 20 while battling foul trouble as Dean put up seven points and five rebounds before intermission, including the last four points to bring the Buff & Blue within eight at 33-25.
URI pushed the lead back to 11, 40-29, in the opening three minutes, and led by nine with 13 minutes left before the Buff & Blue went on a run that had felt inevitable for the whole stanza. Brendan Adams kickstarted the 10-0 burst with a baseline dunk, and two minutes later, Bishop's layup gave GW its first lead of the day, 48-47.
Six more lead changes and six ties ensued over the final 10 minutes with neither team leading by more than two points. The difference came down to the free throw line as GW hit 10-of-12 after taking its first lead while Rhody was just 4-of-11.
After the ragged start, GW responded to shoot 44.7% from the floor and never let it affect the defensive end, holding Rhode Island to 2-of-19 from beyond the arc, including 0-for-7 in the second half.
GW will wrap up its three-game road swing on Wednesday when it travels to Saint Louis to take on the Billikens. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Midwest and ESPN+.
Team Stats
GWU
URI
FG%
.447
.423
3FG%
.333
.105
FT%
.739
.484
RB
34
35
TO
15
11
STL
3
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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/ Men's BasketballG
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