Men’s Basketball Gets By Alcorn State, 79-75

Thursday, December 21

Washington, DC

2 p.m.

George Washington University

10-2,0-0Atlantic 10

Alcorn State

1-12,0-0SWAC

Alcorn

George Washington

James Bishop IV points after making a 3-pointer

12/21/2023 4:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

WASHINGTON - Without George's Army on campus to provide the atmosphere and energy that the GW Revs have become accustomed to having behind them in the student section at the Smith Center, the George Washington men's basketball team had to survive a scare from visiting Alcorn State in a Thursday matinee.

Trailing 63-62 with under nine minutes remaining, GW had to dig deep to down their now 1-12 guests to improve to 10-2 on the season.

Garrett Johnson came up huge for GW, rediscovering the scoring stroke that earned him the first two A-10 Rookie of the Week awards this season. The Oakton, Va., native paced the team with a career-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, having to keep up the pace with Alcorn's Jalen Hawkins, who dropped a game-high 24.

James Bishop IV also rose to the occasion when his team needed him most. The All-A-10 performer netted 20 while dishing a game-high five assists, taking over the game from the point in the second half to ensure his team wouldn't fall victim to a trap game.

Another first-year local product, D.C.'s Darren Buchanan Jr., by way of Virginia Tech, was critical in the team's victory, in an all-around effort that yielded a team-high 10 rebounds, along with four assists and a pair of steals and blocks, with both swats coming in the closing minutes and the result in doubt.

Alcorn kept it close by winning the paint battle, getting 44 of its 79 in the lane, compared to GW's 16 inside. The Revolutionaries were content to win it from deep, bombing away to the tune of 15-of-34 (.441) from distance, led by Johnson's five triples.

GW has another game to get solidified before A-10 plays begins next month, as UMES visits D.C. on December 30 for a 4 p.m. tip-off on ESPN+, following the women's team's A-10 opener against Richmond at noon on Monumental Sports Network.