Women’s Basketball Hosts Howard to Open 2023-24 Season

Monday, November 6

Washington, DC

5:00 p.m.

George Washington University

Howard

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11/3/2023 12:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball

WASHINGTON – The George Washington women's basketball team is set to tip off the 2023-24 season at home on Monday against Howard. Game time against the Bison is set for 5 p.m. inside the Smith Center. The action will be carried live on ESPN+.

MILITARY APPRECIATION
Monday's season-opener will also serve as Military Appreciation night. The promotion includes a pre-game color guard ceremony and special recognition for all active or former members of the armed forces who are in attendance. All attendees with a valid military ID can receive a discount off the price of admission at the ticket office prior to tip-off.

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
The Atlantic 10 honored sophomore Nya Robertson (Second Team) and graduate student Mayowa Taiwo (Third Team and All-Defensive Team) in the conference's annual preseason all-conference awards.

Robertson, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, enters her sophomore campaign after becoming just the seventh member of the Buff & Blue to be named Sixth Woman of the Year last season. Robertson averaged a team-high 14.5 ppg, making 25 of her 26 appearances off the bench for GW. For her efforts, Robertson also garnered All-Rookie team honors, becoming the third Revolutionary to do so in the past four seasons. Robertson also nailed 64 3-pointers, fourth-best in the A-10 and second-most among freshmen in Div. I. The 64 triples are also the 10th-most in a single season in program history.

Taiwo enters the year after earning her second-straight preseason Third Team and All-Defensive Team honor. A native of Hanover, Md., Taiwo finished the 2022-23 season averaging 7.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 1.4 apg. She was ultimately honored as an All-Defensive Team selection following the season, her first postseason all-conference honor. In total, GW has had nine All-Defensive team honorees in the last 10 years dating back to 2014.

NEW FACES
GW welcomes six newcomers to the roster ahead of the 2023-24 season. Of the new faces, four are incoming first-years, while two are transfer additions to the program. First-years include Sara Lewis, Kamari Sims, Monica Marsh and Jaylin Hartman. All four will look to contribute right away to begin their collegiate careers.

On the transfer front, the Revolutionaries welcome Madison Buford and Maren Durant. Bufford, a transfer from Hampton, averaged 8.3 ppg and 3.1 rpg a season ago. Buford will see time at the point as she plays alongside Robertson in the backcourt. Durant, a graduate transfer from Boston University, averaged 7.6 ppg and 8.0 rpg last year. Durant brings much needed size to GW's frontcourt and will use her 6' 3" frame to control the paint.

SCOUTING THE BISON
Howard enters 2023-24 after advancing to the MEAC Tournament Championship last season. Led by ninth-year head coach Ty Grace, the third-ranked Bison fell to top seeded Norfolk State, 56-52, in the championship contest. Howard finished the year with an overall record of 16-14, including a 10-4 mark in conference play. GW holds a slim 12-11 lead in the all-time series against the Bison dating back to the first matchup in 1976. However, the Buff & Blue have been dominant in recent years, winning nine of the last ten games in the series, which dates back to 1985. The lone loss in that span came in 2020.

Destiny Howell, Howard's leading scorer a season ago, returns for her fourth season with the Bison. Howell, a native of Queens, N.Y., averaged 16.8 ppg and pulled down 3.8 rpg during her junior campaign. Howell shot a solid 40.2% from the field on the season, including a 35.6% clip from beyond the arc. Another impact player returning for Howard is Iyanna Warren. Warren, a graduate student, averaged 9.3 ppg and 2.5 rpg in her senior season and finished with a team-high 80% mark from the free throw line. In total, Howard returns 10 players from last year's squad. The team also welcomes four first-year student-athletes and one transfer.