George Washington University Athletics
Saturday, January 25
Washington, DC
2 p.m.
George Washington University
vs
Saint Louis
Photo by: Mitchell Layton
Men's Basketball Welcomes Saint Louis for Super Hero Day Saturday
1/24/2025 11:37:00 AM | Men's Basketball
WASHINGTON -Â After playing four of its first six conference games on the road, GW men's basketball is back at the Smith Center for the first of two-straight and three of the next four in D.C., hosting Saint Louis at 2 p.m. Saturday. Live coverage will be available on ESPN+ and in the DMV on Monumental Sports Network.
Saturday is Super Hero Day at the Smith Center with the first 700 fans in attendance receiving a special GW super hero poster. Fans will also be entertained by Super Hero Corgi races at halftime and kids can take part in a free postgame super hero training in the Champions Club.
TURN THE BEAT AROUND
GW's three-game swoon has marked the first blip this season, having not dropped consecutive games prior to the stretch. In the three contests, GW is shooting just 37.6% from the floor and 24.2% from beyond the arc, both seven percent lower than the season-long averages, while averaging just 62.3 ppg in regulation (67.7 ppg overall).
Defensively, foes have made 44% from the field and 34% from deep while scoring 69.3 ppg in regulation (75.7 ppg overall).
CASTRO ONE OF TOP CENTERS IN THE A-10
Rafael Castro has acquitted himself incredibly well in his first foray into A-10 play, averaging 14.8 ppg and 9.0 rpg during the first six conference games while shooting 67.3% from the field. In league games, Castro is second in the circuit in field goal percentage and third in rebounding, including a league-best 4.5 offensive rebounds per A-10 contest.
The New Jersey native is tied for the A-10 lead with seven double-doubles and has averaged one over his last nine games, posting 13.7 ppg and 10.0 rpg while shooting 70.4% FG (50-71).
Castro's seven double-doubles are the most at GW since Ricky Lindo Jr. (2022-23) and his next will make him the first player at GW with eight since Tyler Cavanaugh had 12 in 2016-17. Castro ranks 11th nationally in offensive rebounding (3.63 per game) and is 33rd in total rebounding (8.9 per game), ranking first and third, respectively, in the A-10.
HISTORY VS. SAINT LOUIS
George Washington and Saint Louis meet for the only time this season on Saturday in the 24th installment of the all-time series. Saint Louis holds a 14-9 edge all-time and has won seven-straight contests dating back to GW's last victory, 53-46, in the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship tournament. GW is looking for its first home win over the Billikens since Jan. 28, 2017, when it topped SLU, 63-55, that day.
Saint Louis won last year's only meeting in a 96-91 shootout. Gibson Jimerson led the Billikens with 19 points and has averaged 19.0 ppg in three meetings with GW during his career. Jacoi Hutchinson had 18 points and seven rebounds last year for GW and is one of just two current members of the Buff & Blue to appear in that contest (Trey Autry).
A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS
Saint Louis has started A-10 play with a flurry, sitting a half-game out of first place entering the weekend at 5-1 in the first year under new coach Josh Schertz.
SLU features a three-headed monster offensively in Indiana State transfers Robbie Avila (18.4 ppg) and Isaiah Swope (17.1 ppg) as well as returner Gibson Jimerson (17.5 ppg). The Billikens are the only team in the country with three players averaging at least 17.0 ppg as the trio accounts for 65% of the team's scoring this year.
So far in A-10 play, Saint Louis has featured the most efficient defense at 0.928 ppp and is the top team in the league in both offensive effective field goal percentage and defensive effective field goal percentage. SLU leads the A-10 in field goal percentage (47.8%) and makes 9.5 3-pointers per game to pace the circuit with nearly half of their shots coming from beyond the arc, ranking 12th-most nationally.
Saturday is Super Hero Day at the Smith Center with the first 700 fans in attendance receiving a special GW super hero poster. Fans will also be entertained by Super Hero Corgi races at halftime and kids can take part in a free postgame super hero training in the Champions Club.
TURN THE BEAT AROUND
GW's three-game swoon has marked the first blip this season, having not dropped consecutive games prior to the stretch. In the three contests, GW is shooting just 37.6% from the floor and 24.2% from beyond the arc, both seven percent lower than the season-long averages, while averaging just 62.3 ppg in regulation (67.7 ppg overall).
Defensively, foes have made 44% from the field and 34% from deep while scoring 69.3 ppg in regulation (75.7 ppg overall).
CASTRO ONE OF TOP CENTERS IN THE A-10
Rafael Castro has acquitted himself incredibly well in his first foray into A-10 play, averaging 14.8 ppg and 9.0 rpg during the first six conference games while shooting 67.3% from the field. In league games, Castro is second in the circuit in field goal percentage and third in rebounding, including a league-best 4.5 offensive rebounds per A-10 contest.
The New Jersey native is tied for the A-10 lead with seven double-doubles and has averaged one over his last nine games, posting 13.7 ppg and 10.0 rpg while shooting 70.4% FG (50-71).
Castro's seven double-doubles are the most at GW since Ricky Lindo Jr. (2022-23) and his next will make him the first player at GW with eight since Tyler Cavanaugh had 12 in 2016-17. Castro ranks 11th nationally in offensive rebounding (3.63 per game) and is 33rd in total rebounding (8.9 per game), ranking first and third, respectively, in the A-10.
HISTORY VS. SAINT LOUIS
George Washington and Saint Louis meet for the only time this season on Saturday in the 24th installment of the all-time series. Saint Louis holds a 14-9 edge all-time and has won seven-straight contests dating back to GW's last victory, 53-46, in the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship tournament. GW is looking for its first home win over the Billikens since Jan. 28, 2017, when it topped SLU, 63-55, that day.
Saint Louis won last year's only meeting in a 96-91 shootout. Gibson Jimerson led the Billikens with 19 points and has averaged 19.0 ppg in three meetings with GW during his career. Jacoi Hutchinson had 18 points and seven rebounds last year for GW and is one of just two current members of the Buff & Blue to appear in that contest (Trey Autry).
A LOOK AT THE BILLIKENS
Saint Louis has started A-10 play with a flurry, sitting a half-game out of first place entering the weekend at 5-1 in the first year under new coach Josh Schertz.
SLU features a three-headed monster offensively in Indiana State transfers Robbie Avila (18.4 ppg) and Isaiah Swope (17.1 ppg) as well as returner Gibson Jimerson (17.5 ppg). The Billikens are the only team in the country with three players averaging at least 17.0 ppg as the trio accounts for 65% of the team's scoring this year.
So far in A-10 play, Saint Louis has featured the most efficient defense at 0.928 ppp and is the top team in the league in both offensive effective field goal percentage and defensive effective field goal percentage. SLU leads the A-10 in field goal percentage (47.8%) and makes 9.5 3-pointers per game to pace the circuit with nearly half of their shots coming from beyond the arc, ranking 12th-most nationally.
Players Mentioned
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