George Washington University Athletics
'Warrior Spirit'
2/7/2022 2:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Men's basketball showed fight in upset bid vs. Davidson
As the C-Brass band launched into the fight song following Saturday's 78-73 loss to Davidson at the Smith Center, the slumped shoulders and hung heads among the GW men's basketball student-athletes presented a stark contrast to the energy they'd just needed to push the first-place Wildcats to the brink.
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Feeding off the raucous encouragement from George's Army, the Buff and Blue poured all they had into an upset bid that stayed very much alive into the game's final minute. They battled Davidson blow-for-blow, led by a spirited two-way effort from James Bishop, before the visitors ultimately scored the final five points to escape with the victory.
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The disappointment in the wake of the narrow defeat reflected the continued belief of this group.
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"Just a warrior spirit with our players today," Head Coach Jamion Christian said. "For about 35 minutes of the 40, I thought we were the better team, and it's exciting to be with a group of guys where you can go play against a great program like Davidson is and just answer the call.
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"They made some big plays, we responded. I've been in a locker room with a lot of teams here and other places, and I think we've got the right stuff on this team and this roster. We've just got to stay together and keep improving."
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During the opening 20 minutes, GW put together as complete of a half vs. quality competition as it has all season.
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Bishop piled up 19 points within the game's first 10:50, highlighted by a scorching stretch that featured 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions, as part of a 50 percent team shooting effort, and the junior guard's dogged defense on Davidson standout Hyunjung Lee helped the Buff and Blue take an eight-point lead into the break.
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"I was locked in, just having fun," said Bishop, who finished with a team-high 26 points in his fourth straight outing scoring 25+.
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Davidson hit back with a burst out of the break to surge ahead by as many as nine points.
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Afterward, Christian lamented the defensive breakdowns after intermission that spurred the run but praised his group's ability to collect themselves, get back to what worked well on both ends and fight to the finish.
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Joe Bamisile led the charge with four game-tying field goals, including three 3-balls, in the final eight minutes.
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The game was tied at 73 with 1:05 remaining before a three-point play from Luka Brajkovic put the Wildcats in front and eventually allowed them to close out the victory at the foul line.
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"Today, they were a little bit better than us and that can happen, but if we keep learning and growing, we'll be in a good place," Christian said.
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Despite the sting of coming up short, the battle was more proof that they've hit on a formula, especially on the offensive end, that allows them to compete with anyone in the A-10.
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During their 2-1 homestand, the Buff and Blue has shot 46.7 percent (77-for-165) while connecting on 34 3s.
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"Ball movement has been a huge emphasis for us," Bamisile said. "When we do that, guys are just wide open to make shots or make the plays they need to make. We just went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team. I don't see why we can't continue to do that and come out with victories."
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Bishop has been at the center of the progress on both ends.
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After scoring 108 points in his past four outings, the Baltimore native is up to 17.7 points per game, tied for tops in the conference. He's been tremendously efficient in that run, shooting 49.2 percent from the field (34-of-69) and 51.7 percent from 3-point range (15-of-29) with five total turnovers.
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Bishop's lockdown effort on Lee showcased his continued improvement on the defensive end. The Davidson sharpshooter never had room to operate, finishing with just six points on 1-of-8 shooting.
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"He's stepping up and being a two-way player right now when we need it the most," Christian said. "He's being a great example for everyone. Everyone's watching how he's defending. He's just giving us great minutes on both ends of the floor right now. That's what the great ones do."
Following three home games in six days, GW now will play three straight on the road, starting Wednesday at UMass. The Buff and Blue have put themselves into the middle of the A-10 pack with their recent play, and they'll aim to keep building as they head into the second half of the conference schedule.
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"The guys are hungry to keep proving themselves," Christian said. "They've got a great fight. I think you can feel the energy. I can feel the energy in the locker room after the loss right there.
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"We're just going to worry about one game at a time. UMass, they're dangerous. They've beaten some really good teams this year. We've got to go into this week, and we've got to earn our spirit when you have an opportunity to earn it on the road. There's no better place to grow up than on the road."
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Feeding off the raucous encouragement from George's Army, the Buff and Blue poured all they had into an upset bid that stayed very much alive into the game's final minute. They battled Davidson blow-for-blow, led by a spirited two-way effort from James Bishop, before the visitors ultimately scored the final five points to escape with the victory.
Â
The disappointment in the wake of the narrow defeat reflected the continued belief of this group.
Â
"Just a warrior spirit with our players today," Head Coach Jamion Christian said. "For about 35 minutes of the 40, I thought we were the better team, and it's exciting to be with a group of guys where you can go play against a great program like Davidson is and just answer the call.
Â
"They made some big plays, we responded. I've been in a locker room with a lot of teams here and other places, and I think we've got the right stuff on this team and this roster. We've just got to stay together and keep improving."
Â
During the opening 20 minutes, GW put together as complete of a half vs. quality competition as it has all season.
Â
Bishop piled up 19 points within the game's first 10:50, highlighted by a scorching stretch that featured 3-pointers on four consecutive possessions, as part of a 50 percent team shooting effort, and the junior guard's dogged defense on Davidson standout Hyunjung Lee helped the Buff and Blue take an eight-point lead into the break.
Â
"I was locked in, just having fun," said Bishop, who finished with a team-high 26 points in his fourth straight outing scoring 25+.
Â
Davidson hit back with a burst out of the break to surge ahead by as many as nine points.
Â
Afterward, Christian lamented the defensive breakdowns after intermission that spurred the run but praised his group's ability to collect themselves, get back to what worked well on both ends and fight to the finish.
Â
Joe Bamisile led the charge with four game-tying field goals, including three 3-balls, in the final eight minutes.
Â
The game was tied at 73 with 1:05 remaining before a three-point play from Luka Brajkovic put the Wildcats in front and eventually allowed them to close out the victory at the foul line.
Â
"Today, they were a little bit better than us and that can happen, but if we keep learning and growing, we'll be in a good place," Christian said.
Â
Despite the sting of coming up short, the battle was more proof that they've hit on a formula, especially on the offensive end, that allows them to compete with anyone in the A-10.
Â
During their 2-1 homestand, the Buff and Blue has shot 46.7 percent (77-for-165) while connecting on 34 3s.
Â
"Ball movement has been a huge emphasis for us," Bamisile said. "When we do that, guys are just wide open to make shots or make the plays they need to make. We just went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team. I don't see why we can't continue to do that and come out with victories."
Â
Bishop has been at the center of the progress on both ends.
Â
After scoring 108 points in his past four outings, the Baltimore native is up to 17.7 points per game, tied for tops in the conference. He's been tremendously efficient in that run, shooting 49.2 percent from the field (34-of-69) and 51.7 percent from 3-point range (15-of-29) with five total turnovers.
Â
Bishop's lockdown effort on Lee showcased his continued improvement on the defensive end. The Davidson sharpshooter never had room to operate, finishing with just six points on 1-of-8 shooting.
Â
"He's stepping up and being a two-way player right now when we need it the most," Christian said. "He's being a great example for everyone. Everyone's watching how he's defending. He's just giving us great minutes on both ends of the floor right now. That's what the great ones do."
Following three home games in six days, GW now will play three straight on the road, starting Wednesday at UMass. The Buff and Blue have put themselves into the middle of the A-10 pack with their recent play, and they'll aim to keep building as they head into the second half of the conference schedule.
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"The guys are hungry to keep proving themselves," Christian said. "They've got a great fight. I think you can feel the energy. I can feel the energy in the locker room after the loss right there.
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"We're just going to worry about one game at a time. UMass, they're dangerous. They've beaten some really good teams this year. We've got to go into this week, and we've got to earn our spirit when you have an opportunity to earn it on the road. There's no better place to grow up than on the road."
Players Mentioned
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