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Isaiah Armwood

Friday, March 15, 2013 12:31 a.m.

Late Massachusetts rally halts GW postseason run in Brooklyn

by Elizabeth Traynor

GW vs UMass at the 2013 A10 Tournament from The GW Hatchet on Vimeo.

Senior forward Dwayne Smith drives against a Massachusetts opponent during Thursday’s game. Viktors Dindzans for The Hatchet

BROOKLYN, N.Y.- It would be easy to overlook tonight’s ending as one stereotypical of GW’s 2012-13 season: lost by a thin margin in the final seconds.

That would be discounting the multiple players who were performing through injury. It would be discounting the thin trickle of blood that ran down freshman forward Patricio Garino’s forearm after a particularly ugly first-half foul. It would be discounting the grimace on freshman guard Kethan Savage’s face as his ankle was taped so he could return to the floor.

It would be discounting that Massachusetts head coach Derek Kellogg called his team “very fortunate” to have escaped with a 77-72 victory in the first round of the A-10 tournament. It would be ignoring the Colonials’ effort Thursday night.

“I think we played really hard. That’s what I love about this team. I think we always come to fight,” freshman guard Joe McDonald said. “We just came up a little short this time.”

The Colonials (13-17) were within three of Massachusetts at halftime, thanks to two key factors of their play. One, rebounding, was somewhat expected. The other, GW’s success at the line, arguably was not.

The team went 13-15 at the line in the first half, an 86.7 percentage that was a marked departure from the lackluster free throw performances in recent games. It was an important improvement for the team, who saw its shooting ability slip a little over the first 20 minutes of play. The Colonials had many chances, but struggled to convert, missing layups and jumpers en route to a 9-34 first-half shooting performance.

Adding to the first-half frustrations was GW’s 0-5 shooting from three, a statistic Massachusetts took advantage of by sinking three treys of their own.

“The second half was much better, our free throw shooting was better, but we were 0-8 from threes,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “We’ve got to keep that lead.”

Still, over the first 20 minutes of play, neither team’s energy dampened. There were nine ties and five lead changes before the break, with each side battling to maintain an ever-slim lead.

 

Senior forward Isaiah Armwood tries to get a hand in front of Maxie Esho’s shot. Viktors Dindzans for The Hatchet

This fighting mentality was crucial to GW’s performance. Once, twice, thrice it would strike at the basket, earning an 11-6 margin on second-chance points and a 29-16 advantage on the boards.

That tenacity, that follow-through, didn’t quit after the break. The game came down to the wire, and GW toughed it out, ending with a crushing 50-32 rebounding advantage.

“We have pretty good size in there with [senior forward] Isaiah [Armwood], so if the guy has a ball and drives it or something, that’s fine with us,” Lonergan said.

But the shooting struggles haunted the Colonials until the end. They finished the game shooting just 38.8 percent, a 26-67 performance. The team struggled at times against the Minutemen’s press, too, with 18 turnovers over the game.

Further hurting GW was its 0-8 performance from beyond the arc, a crippling statistic given Massachusetts’ seven treys over play. Three of those came from former Colonial recruit Trey Davis, who seemed to nail crucial buckets every time the ball was placed into his hands. Redshirt junior guard Chaz Williams, too, seemed determined to will his team to victory, making crucial driving layups down the stretch.

“[Williams] sort of took over, with his speed. I think we had some tired legs, and just didn’t get back on defense,” Lonergan said. “We made some mistakes, left Trey Davis open for wide-open shots. Those were key plays for us.”

GW hung on through its defense. Crushing Massachusetts on the offensive boards was a key part of the Colonials’ gameplan, and the one-two punch of Armwood and freshman forward Kevin Larsen in the low post proved lethal at times.

The heavy-pressure zone kept Massachusetts from boxing out and it drew costly fouls that saw two Minutemen sit down in the final five minutes, including their-then leading scorer, Terrell Vinson.

“I knew we had to mix our defenses up,” Lonergan said. “Even with the four or five point lead, I knew we were going to have to score more.”

Larsen was one of four players who scored in double digits for GW,  adding 17 points and seven assists. Senior guard Lasan Kromah added 11 points and four assists, while McDonald posted 10 points, three assists and four steals.

Freshman guard Kethan Savage gets his ankle taped early in the second half. Viktors Dindzans for The Hatchet

It was Armwood who was the monster for the Colonials, though. He recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 assists – but said he wasn’t playing with a chip on his shoulder after being passed over for A-10 awards earlier this week.

“I play like that every game, especially on the boards, so I was playing like that because we wanted to win. We wanted to move on and advance to the next round,” Armwood said. “We didn’t want to come up here and say we came to Brooklyn for fun.”

And so, though it will be easy to look back at this game for everything it was not, it may be more important to examine what it was. It was GW’s first A-10 championship game on a neutral site since 2007. It was a high-stakes, high-pressure environment.

And it was a sign that this program could have a bright future.

“I’m not a good loser. It’s hard to finish the season 13-17, 10-21 last year. Our schedule is going to be really tough next year,” Lonergan said. “I think we’ve got a good nucleus now.”

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Sunday, March 10, 2013 9:10 a.m.

Men’s basketball trip to Brooklyn cemented; Isaiah Armwood makes SportsCenter

by Elizabeth Traynor
basektball

The GW players cheer for Armwood as he enters the locker room following the game. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

Mark your calendars- the Colonials are going to Brooklyn.

After yesterday’s thrilling one-point overtime victory, GW waited for the dust to settle from the rest of the day’s A-10 action.

When it did, the Colonials emerged as the No. 11 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament. They’ll take on No. 6 Massachusetts, a team GW defeated earlier this year, at 9 p.m. Thursday.

Something the team might have watched while celebrating its Brooklyn bid? Senior forward Isaiah Armwood’s game-winning dunk making SportsCenter’s top plays of the day, debuting at number five.

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Saturday, March 9, 2013 5:36 p.m.

Men’s basketball team nabs thrilling one-point OT victory

by Elizabeth Traynor

 

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Senior Bryan Bynes shoots a layup early in the game. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

Five.

It was a game that seemed almost scripted before play began, as senior guard Bryan Bynes returned from what was supposed to be a season-ending injury on Senior Day.

Four.

The game that would decide GW’s postseason future was tied at halftime.

Three.

Then, it was tied in the final minute, on senior guard Lasan Kromah’s 1,000th career point.

Two.

Overtime.

One.

A thundering Isaiah Armwood dunk put GW up. A buzzer-beater three from Dayton, after review, was no good. And the Colonials took home an 81-80 victory.

“I’m excited for the team. And I’m also excited, and I respect Bryan Bynes for coming back,” senior forward Dwayne Smith said. “Him coming back showed character. And he had an awesome game, not great, awesome. He’s part of the real reason that we won.”

The win aids GW’s search for an A-10 championship bid: while the team must wait for the official results of the Richmond, Charlotte and St. Bonaventure games to find out their final rank, it seems likely the Colonials are headed to Brooklyn.

And they’re doing it off the strength of the Armwood putback dunk, a slam so massive it shook the screw and bolt of the backboard loose, lying on the Smith Center hardwood after the game.

“It was any other dunk, it was regular. But since that was the one that put us over the top, gave us that one point, it was everything,” Armwood said. “Once I looked at the bench and saw my teammates jumping up and down, I knew I did something good.”

The Colonials started their seniors, Bryan Bynes – returning from what was thought to be a season-ending injury – and Dwayne Smith taking the floor to begin play.

GW was hot, feeding off the emotion, from the start. A quick 8-0 run allowed the team to jump out to an early lead, but Dayton soon found its strength. The Flyers easily found their way around the Colonials’ man defense, penetrating with ease.

Quick cuts to the basket and effortless midrange jumpers helped Dayton to 57.4 percent shooting on the day, shaking GW early. Pulling his team into a huddle, head coach Mike Lonergan made the switch into the zone.

“We realized that the 1-3-1 was one of the crucial changes,” Smith said. “We stuck with that, we saw our progress, and coach stayed with it. And that’s part of the reason why we won.”

And then, Dayton’s offensive effectiveness dropped. The Flyers began missing shots, or turning it over to GW without making an attempt toward the rim. Slowly, the Colonials clawed their way back into the game.

Dayton had 21 turnovers on the day, mistakes that the Colonials converted into 28 points. Feeding off its defensive energy perhaps, GW’s ball control was markedly better, turning it over just 13 times.

At halftime, the game was tied.

“It was a battle, that’s for sure. We didn’t help ourselves at the free throw line, of course,” Lonergan said. “But we made enough plays to get out of there with an overtime win.”

There would be no easy victories to be had in the Smith Center Saturday. The game saw 11 ties and 11 lead changes.

Though Dayton never quite regained its early offensive flow, the Colonials couldn’t conclusively pull away from the Flyers. GW squandered turn after turn at the free throw line, going just 20-42 on the game. They were easy points that could have helped the team extend a shaky lead- but that wasn’t in the cards.

“It’s something we have to control as a team,” Armwood said. “There’s nothing the coaches can do about it. As players, we have to step up and knock them down.”

Still, the chances at the line still proved beneficial for a team that saw its interior game suffer against the Flyers. With just six assists on the day, GW relied on cuts to the net and paint maneuvers for the bulk of its points on 45.3 percent shooting.

Five Colonials scored in double figures, including Armwood, who had 12 points and eight boards. Kromah posted 12 points and five rebounds, McDonald a team-high 16 points and five boards. But it was Smith and Bynes who shone, combining for 28 points. Smith added five boards and four steals, Bynes three boards and an assist. Their emotional energy was invaluable, Lonergan said.

“That really helped us,” Lonergan said. “Bryan being a quick guard for us on [Dayton forward Kevin] Dillard, it helped us a lot, it made our bench deeper. And Dwayne was fired up today for senior day, and he gave us more contribution than he’s been giving.”

The two seniors’ attitudes carried over to the rest of the team. It was a grinding, hard-fought win, one that saw the Colonials take a 20-5 advantage in second chance points and a 23-7 advantage on offensive rebounds.

It was the sort of fire in their bellies that the Colonials need to carry to Brooklyn.

“It’s not official yet. You never know, with our luck, what could happen,” Lonergan cautioned. “But we are happy we won.”

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The GW players cheer for Armwood as he enters the locker room following the game. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013 11:00 p.m.

Colonials hurt chances at A-10 tournament bid with loss at La Salle

by Nick Ong

Senior guard Lasan Kromah looks for an opening against Richmond. Hatchet File Photo by Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

There was no second-half comeback this time.

Earlier this season, down 20 points against La Salle, the Colonials embarked on a 19-4 run that cut the lead to five and gave the Smith Center crowd a reason to hang around.

On Wednesday night – in the final road game of the season – GW wasn’t so persistent. The game finished just as the last against the Explorers ultimately did, with another mark in the Colonials’ loss column. This 84-70 defeat has a heightened impact for the Colonials, with only one conference game remaining and the team’s A-10 championship status still hanging in the balance.

GW must beat Dayton Saturday to make it to Brooklyn.

“It’s just hard to come back,” head coach Mike Lonergan said, “when you’re not making open shots and you’re missing free throws.”

Up 10-9 early in the first half, it appeared GW might be able to hang with the third-ranked-team in the A-10. That wasn’t the case, though.

La Salle turned up the heat, storming ahead on a 19-4 run and leaving the Colonials wondering if they would to make it to playoff basketball. Igniting and bolstering La Salle’s run was the nights’ one man wrecking crew: Explorers’ senior guard Ramon Galloway.

“You try not to let the best player beat you, but he definitely hurt us tonight and had a great game,” Lonergan said.

Galloway finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-17 shooting, putting GW’s defense in fits the entire night.

But for the Colonials, he was just the beginning of their problems, with the inability to find an effective defense proving to be most fatal.

“We played a man-to-man defense to start and we just didn’t guard the three point line well,” Lonergan said. “They were going by us and kicking it for threes and we weren’t doing a good job guarding the threes, so we called a timeout and got out of that.”

Nothing was getting the job done. When GW went to man, La Salle’s guards had no trouble blowing past them to the basket. The easy points led to 61 percent shooting for the Explorers on the game.

When the Colonials switched to a 1-3-1 zone, the Explorers showcased their spot-up shooting. Despite coming in with the game plan of limiting La Salle’s long-range attempts, GW just simply left too much space for the lethal shooters.

At the end of the half, the Explorers had made 10 three pointers – compared to only one for GW – and would go on to record 12 treys for the game. Trying to get a head start on a much-needed comeback, GW began to claw away at La Salle’s lead over the end of the first. A jumper here and a lay-up there gave the team some momentum, but a Galloway drive or outside three constantly put another speed bump in its run.

With one final possession left in the first, the lead was down to eight, but a déjà vu floater by La Salle guard Tyreek Dyren put the margin back up to double digits.

“They were playing for the last shot and their guy fumbled the ball and I thought one of our guys could’ve dove for the ball,” Lonergan said. “But they just stood there and he picked it up and hit a shot at the buzzer. So it was a big momentum killer.”

In the second half, GW just couldn’t get the lead below double digits, accomplishing nothing more than trading baskets with the Explorers. The team certainly had its chances, able to get the ball inside, but blown lay-ups and turnovers led to the eventual 84-70 loss.

One bright spot in the game was GW’s performance on the glass, outrebounding La Salle 28-17, but that was expected with the small four-guard line-up that the Explorers like to suit up. And the Colonials again struggled at the free throw line, going 5-10 in the game and failing to get to the free throw line in the first half.

Senior forward Isaiah Armwood used his height advantage inside to lead the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Also scoring in double-digits was freshman guard Kethan Savage, who used a strong first half to put up 12 points, and senior guard Lasan Kromah, who made the lone three-pointer for GW and finished with 15 points.

This loss certainly increases the difficulty of the Colonials making it to the A-10 tournament, but their fate is still in their hands.

“We gotta win Saturday.  It’s like a one game season,” Lonergan said. “I guess Duquesne was winning, but then lost in overtime, so we didn’t get any help there, so basically we’ve gotta beat Dayton.”

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Saturday, March 2, 2013 6:53 p.m.

Closing Saint Louis run hands GW loss against No. 18/19 Billikens

by Elizabeth Traynor

Freshman forward Kevin Larsen battles a tough Saint Louis defense at the Smith Center on Saturday. Cameron Lancaster | Hatchet Photographer

There weren’t any dramatic last-minute shots, or devastated players crumpling to the court. There weren’t any shouts, or disbelieving glances at the scoreboard.

But there wasn’t an upset, either. There wasn’t a rush onto the court, and there weren’t a few overjoyed players celebrating the sort of statement victory they’ve been seeking all season.

The quiet ending of GW’s loss to No. 18/19 (AP/USA Today) Saint Louis didn’t tell the whole story. As the two teams left the court, the Billikens walked away with a 66-58 victory. The Colonials walked away knowing they had, at one point, possessed a slim lead that brought with it the potential for an unexpected victory.

“Up three with seven minutes left, with three timeouts left, I thought we were in great shape,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “And we definitely had trouble getting to the line, trouble scoring. So once they got that lead, it’s hard.”

As Saint Louis got out to an early 6-0 start, the Colonials (12-15, 6-8 A-10) struggled to get inside. Shot after shot was stuffed, and the team’s post play suffered.

But after the first media timeout, GW seemed to take the court with renewed energy, feeding off freshman forward Kevin Larsen and senior forward Isaiah Armwood. Larsen was able to explode for ten first-half points, while Armwood patrolled the post, pulling down six boards. It was enough to push GW to 20-14 first-half points in the paint advantage, critical against the Billikens’ more successful shooters.

Up six at halftime, Saint Louis gleaned much of its strength off of two shooting areas where it was able to dominate GW: from three and from the charity stripe. The Billikens made four treys over the course of the first, and further widened the gap thanks to GW’s 3-for-7 line on free throws.

“Their guards were actually straight line driving us, taking us to the rim,” Lonergan said. “I knew in the second half, we were going to try to play some 1-3-1 to keep that from happening. Because we can’t get enough help the way their bigs shoot threes. Their bigs play like guards.”

Out of the break, the Colonials refocused on attacking their opponent, turning on the sort of pressure that’s stymied them so many times this season.

Switching into a zone, GW was able to disrupt Saint Louis’ game: setting screens, posting up and cutting down the Billikens’ ability to drive through the lane. It paid off: Saint Louis struggled to regain an offensive rhythm, and the Colonials took advantage of that on the other end to use a 16-4 run that gave the team a slim one-point lead.

“We were trying to speed up the tempo with the 1-3-1, and really get the ball out of the shooter’s hands,” senior guard Lasan Kromah said.

And for a while, the game stayed that tight. As Saint Louis started to find ways around GW’s zones and through its doubleteams, the two teams traded baskets. The lead volleyed back and forth, never by more than a point or two.

Slowly, though, the Billikens began to pull away. A trickle of scoring gradually turned into a stream, and combined with ill-timed Colonial turnovers, Saint Louis closed on a 21-10 run to put the game away.

“We were trying to play physical,” Lonergan said. “We missed some easy shots, our guys felt they were getting fouled. We just didn’t get any calls. It’s tough.”

Much of Saint Louis’ advantage came at the line. Though GW was able to control the perimeter more tightly, allowing just one trey in the second half, it was crippled by its 53.3 percent free throw shooting.

The Billikens shot 87.5 percent from the charity stripe- and scored many of those points down their crucial final stretch.

“I thought we just had some defensive breakdowns and they had a lot of free throws,” Kromah said. “And they made a lot of free throws. And we were sending them to the line a lot.”

The Colonials found some offensive success in the paint, with Larsen leading the charge again for 14 points and four boards. Armwood recorded five blocks on the day, adding 10 rebounds.

Senior guard Dwayne Smith and Kromah added 10 and 12 point, respectively. The two were responsible for all but three of the Colonial bench’s points in the game, the sort of veteran presence Lonergan looks for in his seniors.

“We want to leave here saying that we did something for our school, something to remember in years going on,” Kromah said. “It’s really important for us. We try to get the young guys focused, too.”

But at this point in the season, moral victories can ring hollow.

With a postseason bid and a trip to Brooklyn on the line, Lonergan and his players want just one thing- for the final scoreboard to show a Colonial victory.

“This time of the season, there’s no time for a moral victory. We have to get some wins under our belt,” Kromah said. “These next two games are going to be really important for us.”

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Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 10:12 p.m.

Colonials see 14-point lead unravel in loss at Richmond

by Elizabeth Traynor

Freshman forward Patricio Garino attempts to lay it in against Richmond. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

RICHMOND- In the end, what proved to be the Colonials’ undoing in their 73-63 loss was momentum.

GW seemed to have a lot of it at the beginning of the first, exploding out with a double-digit lead. But as the buzzer sounded on the first 20 minutes of play, it was a deflated lineup that exited the court.

In a pair of Richmond free throws, the second shot banked off the glass. The Spiders quickly recovered, stealing it and sinking a three-pointer that brought them within one. Seconds later, another Spiders free throw sent the teams into the locker room tied at 36.

GW’s momentum was soundly shaken, especially in a streaky game that saw 54 fouls stop the clock.

“We had some huge momentum plays we gave them. I thought we’d regroup at halftime,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “It’s frustrating. The game was called very tightly.”

At first, the story of the first half seemed to be GW’s offense, which was firing on all cylinders to open the game. Holding Richmond without a field goal for over eight minutes, the Colonials (12-14, 6-7) jumped out to a 21-7 lead early in the half.

Trying to inject some life into his team, Spiders head coach Chris Mooney went berserk on the sidelines, and was promptly handed a technical foul. The strategy worked- Richmond went on a 13-4 run, completely closing the gap by the halftime buzzer.

“I don’t know if those things are accurate or not,” Mooney said. “I was more upset with how we were playing, and thought we weren’t energized. I thought we needed to be more so.”

Further hurting GW, and helping the Spiders claw back into the game, were the 29 total first-half fouls. Seven of those came in a row against the Colonials, giving Richmond a significant edge.

The Colonials could only shoot 65.5 percent from the line, further helping the Spiders climb out of their hole. And all of GW’s starters were saddled with two fouls over the course of the first.

It took freshman guard Joe McDonald and freshman forward Patricio Garino out of the game for significant stretches of time, disrupting the Colonials’ already-depleted offensive flow. Richmond took advantage of the adjustment, spreading GW’s offense out and holding many of its usual shooters quiet.

“We’ve got a guy, [senior guard] Lasan Kromah, that we need to step up. And I don’t know what was wrong with him tonight, but he had seven turnovers and that’s hard to overcome,” Lonergan said. “Right now he’s our backup point guard.”

Out of the break, it was more of the same. The Colonials exploded out on a 10-3 run, gaining a clear advantage, until the fouls started to rack up. Garino and McDonald were saddled with their third, then fourth. Garino fouled out. With 13 seconds left, so did McDonald.

And the Spiders slowly closed the gap.

It all began to unravel. Richmond continued to capitalize on the fouls. The Colonials attempted shots that were too flashy for a tight game. And the Spiders sunk three consecutive treys, tying it and then pulling ahead. Again, GW struggled to defend the perimeter, Richmond sinking eight throughout the game. The Colonials made one.

“It’s their whole game. But when you’re struggling to guard them off the dribble, and you’re trying to hide some guys defensively, you have to play a little more zone,” Lonergan said. “Some guys just didn’t have any energy. We gave up too many open looks, that’s for sure.”

The momentum was on the Spiders’ side. And they converted it, finding a way around GW, taking their defenders to the rim and crashing the paint when they weren’t draining long outside shots.

Richmond shot 40.4 percent on the game, which belies its final advantage. Though GW’s final shooting percentage was higher – 53.7 – , the Spiders used their edge in free throws and treys to pull away.

Senior guard Lasan Kromah looks for an opening Wednesday night. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

“Give them credit. They’re a good shooting team. We couldn’t guard them off the dribble, we had to play a little too much 1-3-1,” Lonergan said. “And they missed a couple and then they got hot and hit a couple.”

Once the lead began to slip, so, too did the rest of GW’s play. Against a Richmond team that slowly ramped up its pressure and intensity over the game, the Colonials turned it over 22 times. They were slips that Richmond turned into 19 points.

Along with Kromah, many of the upperclassmen couldn’t inject life into Wednesday’s game. The bench tallied just 14 points, and against the worst rebounding team in the league, GW got just a 31-28 advantage on the boards.

“There was a period where it was rough to get a feel for the game, to get into a rhythm,” freshman forward Kevin Larsen said. “But we shouldn’t be fouling like that. It was dumb fouls on our part.”

Larsen continued to be a bright spot for the Colonials, adding a career-high 16 points and five boards. Freshman guard Kethan Savage was next, with 12 points, followed by senior forward Isaiah Armwood, with eight points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Still, it came down to momentum. And losing the 14-point edge, watching a lead evaporate, and seeing starting player after starting player hit the bench in foul trouble shook the Colonials’ confidence.

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Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 10:11 p.m.

Colonials rebound with victory over Fordham

by Elizabeth Traynor

Yes, the Colonials walked away with a win against Fordham Wednesday night, but it wasn’t a victory unmarred by frustration.

GW went just 17-37 at the line, a 45.9 free throw percentage that was its second-worst of the season. Shot after shot clanged off the rim, or ricocheted off the glass, or – at the worst moments – missed the backboard entirely.

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Dwayne Smith leaps past Fordham defenders in the first half of Wednesday night’s game. Zach Krahmer | Senior Staff Photographer

It was the third time in four games the team shot below 56 percent from the line. The frustration was evident on the faces of the players and the coaches sitting on the bench, and it was a statistic that followed the Colonials into the locker room, even after a 68-60 victory over the Rams.

“Yesterday, we actually shot 150 free throws each. Charted them and everything, and sometimes it’s just contagious,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “It kept them in the game. It’s a shame, because it took away from a really good defensive effort by our team. It got to the point where it was just sort of ridiculous, some people were booing. I probably would have booed, too, if I paid for my ticket.”

Futher frustrating the team was the loss of senior guard Bryan Bynes, who left the game after halftime with a right knee injury. Lonergan said he had yet to talk to team trainers, and hoped it wasn’t a serious complication. Still, the loss of Bynes disrupted the flow of GW’s offense, taking away a senior presence from the floor.

“I knew his knee was bothering him in the first half, and he was kind of limping around, but [senior guard] Joe [McDonald] had two fouls and we played him,” Lonergan said. “He was playing well, too. And that really hurt us. That really hurt us against their pressure.”

Trying to make up for its underwhelming performance at the line, GW tried to exploit a smaller Fordham team with dishes inside the paint. Faced with its usual three-point struggles (just 1-8 on the night), GW turned its offensive attention to the lane, grabbing a 44-20 points in the paint advantage on the game.

The bench also proved to be a key aid in GW’s often-slim lead, tallying a commanding 20-3 edge in bench points before halftime. Those efforts were key in the team’s final 44.6 shooting percentage, and a major factor in the Colonials’ eventual victory.

“When the game started, it was a little bit of a slow start. Our position was to just come in and really have a spark, really turn things around, and really provide energy for the team,” senior guard Lasan Kromah said. “We just came in to do what we normally do.”

GW switched between defenses as they tried to halt Fordham’s tendency to score in bunches, finding most success in heavy-pressing zones that saw the Colonials contain hot Fordham scorers with aggressive double-teams.

The follow-through GW continued to display throughout the game ultimately pushed it to victory, fighting off Rams rallies until the final buzzer. The Colonials turned it over 14 times, but forced 22 Fordham turnovers that GW converted into 27 additional points. GW’s tenacity came through in its second-chance points, as well, posting 20 to Fordham’s five.

“They really care and the guys really play hard. I give a lot of credit to [senior forward] Isaiah Armwood, he’s really come in here and it’s cool to play hard again,” Lonergan said. “Isaiah leads by example, and when Lasan brings it like he did tonight, when he’s focused and playing defense, we’re kind of a good defensive team.”

Kromah added 13 points and four steals, Armwood paced GW in rebounds, with 12, and added eight points of his own.

A key player for the Colonials yet again was freshman forward Kevin Larsen, who had a career-high 15 points and five rebounds. But beyond his contributions on the stat sheet, Larsen became invaluable in aiding his teammates’ performances, setting screens and dishing out lazer passes that helped the rest of GW make plays.

“I was just trying to work off the VCU game and keep being aggressive. My teammates fed me the ball in a position I really like,” Larsen said. “It just went in today.”

But frustrations aside, it was an important win for the Colonials. After facing two of the toughest A-10 teams back-to-back, the game against Fordham was a “must-win,” Lonergan said.

“Obviously, we played a good game against Butler and lost and then got drilled at VCU, so we had to win this game,” Lonergan said. “We’re going to have to play much better now at Saint Joe’s on Saturday.”

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Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 5:18 p.m.

Colonials take No. 14 Butler down to the wire

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior forward Isaiah Armwood leaps over Butler to dunk it Saturday afternoon. Ashley Lucas | Assistant Photo Editor

The record books will simply reduce Saturday afternoon into a tally in the loss column for the Colonials.

In black and white, GW’s game will not be recorded as a victory. But that mark won’t show that the team fought back from a double-digit deficit. It won’t show that a Colonial squad paced by four freshmen took No. 14 Butler to the wire in front of a screaming sold-out Smith Center.

It won’t show the final scramble for a shot in a three-point game. Instead, it will show that GW dropped 59-56 to the Bulldogs, and that makes the nature of the loss cold comfort in its wake.

“I think we still wanted to get the W. It still was a blow to us. But it shows that if we play hard from the get-go, rather than when we get down 17, we can win. We can compete,” freshman guard Joe McDonald said.

At one point during Saturday’s game, it looked as if all hope was lost for the Colonials (11-11, 5-4 A-10). The wheels were about to come off the team, Butler up by 17 points off the strength of explosive senior guard Rotnei Clarke.

GW wasn’t about to buckle under pressure, though. Playing an aggressive man-to-man defense all afternoon, the team began to press heavily, bearing down on the Bulldogs in transition.

Butler began to crack, tiny fissions that first appeared as a bobbled pass here, a step out of bounds there. Slowly, the Colonials chipped away at the Bulldog lead. The fury and tempo of the game built, as player after player hit the deck for jump balls, until – with just 52 seconds left – GW was only down by three.

“These guys have a lot of character and heart. I wish we wouldn’t get down so much, it’s happening a lot, but we’re playing really good teams. We haven’t packed it in yet this year,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “We just couldn’t get that open three.”

Though the final possession would end without the Colonials wholly making up their deficit, the push back against Butler’s lead was a dramatic improvement from the way GW opened play.

Neither team shot particularly well before the break. The Bulldogs only had 37.1 percent shooting in the first half, and the Colonials just 24.2 percent. But Butler scored three treys, compared to GW’s zero.

The Bulldogs were more clearly in the game on the boards, gathering a 30-19 first-half rebound advantage that gave them the edge over the first twenty minutes of play. Entering halftime in that hole gave the Colonials impetus to fight.

“When you’re down, it’s easy to attack,” senior forward Isaiah Armwood said. “They were just getting putbacks, putbacks, that was half of their offense. So we had to do a better job on that.”

Faced with a deep Butler offensive attack that rotated through various shooters, the Colonials were determined to answer defensively. Prior to Saturday’s game, both Lonergan and senior guard Lasan Kromah said the team’s strong points were its rebounding and defense, and GW came into the second half determined to showcase its strengths.

Switching into the press, the Colonials closed the rebounding gap, finishing only five behind Butler’s 46. Further disrupting a Bulldog offense that relied on calm, accurate passing was the 19 turnovers GW forced.

“It got us back in the game,” Lonergan said. “I give credit to the crowd, they were unbelievable. That energy, and I was hoping we could get a couple of five second calls. It really kept us going, we just couldn’t get that big basket.”

It was, in the end, shooting that would prove the Colonials’ downfall. Faced with a  Butler defense that focused on spreading GW out and getting players off their marks, the team turned in one of its worst shooting performances of the season.

Head coach Mike Lonergan reacts to action during the second half. Jordan Leon | Hatchet Photographer

Shot after shot didn’t fall, and the Colonials ended shooting just 27.9 percent on the game. Further frustrating matters was GW’s 1-for-12 line from three-point range. Though Armwood recorded his second straight double-double, with 14 points and 11 boards, and McDonald and Kromah added 10 points apiece, the shooting just wasn’t there.

“We work on it all the time, you can address it through recruiting,” Lonergan said. “I think [freshman forward] Patricio [Garino] can become a better shooter, and [junior forward] Nemanja’s [Mikic] been hot and cold, like most of our guys. At home, we’ve got to make some shots. They’re keying on Isaiah inside, which they should, so somebody else has to step it up and hit one of those shots.”

Still, shooting struggles aside, the 17-point deficit aside, the loss aside, GW’s head coach knows that today is more than a tally in the defeat column.

“I’m proud of our guys, I have no problem saying that. That’s a heck of a team, a heck of a coach, and it’s a hell of a league,” Lonergan said.

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Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013 4:39 p.m.

Colonials buckle down ahead of Butler visit

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior forward Isaiah Armwood answers questions before Thursday’s practice. Ashley Lucas | Assistant Photo Editor

In a matter of two days, the men’s basketball program will host its biggest opponent in over a decade when No. 14 Butler steps into the Smith Center.

The court was quiet today, the calm before the storm, as the Colonials trickled in for practice. After last night’s victory over Duquesne, the two day turn-around may seem daunting to some, but the team’s excitement was palpable.

Still, head coach Mike Lonergan said, the road trip had an impact on the day. Wanting his team to stay loose ahead of the Bulldogs, GW planned on taking it easy Thursday afternoon.

“We had a rough trip back last night, got home real late, early this morning,” Lonergan said. “So we’re going to shoot a lot today, watch a little film on Butler, watch a little film after practice and then tomorrow we’ll concentrate on how we’re going to guard them.”

Staying loose is Lonergan’s theme of the week, the head coach working to make sure his team – and its four freshmen starters – isn’t overcome with nerves before Saturday’s game.

It’s just one game, Lonergan said, win or lose. While defeating Butler would be a clear statement win for the program, it won’t wholly define GW’s season. Senior guard Lasan Kromah agreed, adding that the Colonials are more comfortable with their system than ever at this point in the season.

“We’re not  trying to get too excited. We’re really trying to see it as another game. We know it’s a big game, we have to be careful,” Kromah said. “It’s a sold out game, and hopefully we can just keep playing our game like we’ve been doing the past couple of weeks and just execute.”

Freshman forward Patricio Garino prepares to release a shot during warm-ups. Ashley Lucas | Assistant Photo Editor

GW’s execution has increased dramatically since A-10 competition started. Fellow senior Isaiah Armwood echoed Kromah’s thoughts, adding the team’s mentality is that “every game is a big game to us.”

“Everybody’s stepped up when they needed to,” Armwood said. “If you just keep pushing forward these last few games of the season, we’ll be alright.”

Nerves and season outlook aside, beating one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 would be a valuable victory as the Colonials careen toward the Barclays Center. Key for GW Saturday afternoon will be cracking down on Butler’s shooting, particularly their main threat from outside: guard Rotnei Clarke.

You can expect to see freshman forward Patricio Garino guarding Clarke, Lonergan said, adding that the explosive guard has “completely  changed their team for the better.” Key for the Colonials Saturday will be sticking to the strengths that define their play, the head coach added.

“We’re going to try to focus on us a lot. Rebounding, defense, when we do those two things we really have been pretty competitive,” Lonergan said. “We’re going to try to not get hung up too much on all of their plays, because they run so many sets it can get confusing with the two-day turnaround time that we have.”

He attributes many of those strengths to Armwood, who Lonergan says has been GW’s own catalyst. The senior forward’s changed the culture of the Colonials program, Lonergan added, saying that the energy and enthusiasm he plays with motivates the rest of GW’s players.

And Armwood, who boasts varied experience against tough programs from his Big East days, remains a staunch believer in his team’s potential.

“In my case, before the season started, I wanted the NCAA tournament, no matter what,” Armwood said. “I think we can still do that.”

Perhaps aware of the challenge facing his team in a matter of days, Lonergan was more cautiously optimistic. In a strong A-10, he said, it’s important for GW to focus game-by-game on its path to Brooklyn.

“My theme is ‘no sleep ‘till Brooklyn.’ Twelve out of 16 [teams] going is something I wasn’t in agreement with and it makes it very difficult because that’s going to be a heck of a team that comes in 13th place in our league,” Lonergan said. “We’ll worry about seeding and all of that later, but I want to make sure we get as many wins as we can to make that trip to the A-10 tournament.”

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Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 10:49 p.m.

Colonials get bounce-back win at Duquesne

by Nick Ong

Senior forward Isaiah Armwood about to score against Duquesne, en route to his sixth double-double of the season. Nick Ong | Hatchet staff photographer

GW got exactly what it needed out of Wednesday’s game against Duquesne: a bounce-back win.

And unlike many of the team’s games this season, there was no last second possession or chance at a buzzer beater that would decide the game. This one was decided from the very start, as GW coasted to hand the Dukes their tenth straight loss, 79-57. It was a dominant victory that sets up arguably the team’s biggest home game in over a decade when Butler heads to the Smith Center Saturday.

Finding the offensive rhythm they have been searching for all season, the Colonials got out to a hot start in the first half.  Guards were open along the perimeter to knock down threes, lanes were open for the drive or drop off, and the floor was spread out to run and get in transition.

“We got off to a real good start offensively,” head coach Mike Lonergan said. “We shot 54 percent in the first half, but for the first five minutes we probably shot 80 percent.”

It wasn’t quite 80 percent, but the Colonials did go 5-11 from behind the arc in the first half, led by 3-4 shooting from senior guard Lasan Kromah. For the game, GW shot 50.8 percent from the field, making use of the offensive flow created by the team’s 20 assists.

The strong bench play from Kromah helped spark the team’s offense and seemed to be contagious to the other Colonials waiting on the sideline.  GW’s bench outscored the Dukes 28-8 in the first half, and went on to extend that margin to 40-18 by games’ end.

“I think we tired them out with our bench,” Lonergan said. “We played a lot of guys and got a lot of production.”

Perhaps GW’s strongest performance of the night though came from inside the paint. Having started four different centers this year, Duquesne has struggled to find a consistent inside presence, and the Colonials took advantage of that hole.

Using both senior forward Isaiah Armwood and freshman Kevin Larsen, the Colonials completely controlled the inside on both ends of the court. For the game, GW outscored the Dukes 44-14 in the paint, outrebounded them 47-27, and led 14-6 on second chance point opportunities.

“So that was definitely our game plan, to get the ball inside,” Lonergan said.  “And then to take the threes away from them because they’re guard oriented.”

Armwood would go on to post a double-double for the Colonials, scoring 14 points and adding 13 boards to his stat sheet.  GW didn’t need any dramatic shots from the senior forward, but his sixth double-double of the season was a valuable contribution to the stat sheet.

Down 10 points at the half, Duquesne needed to make some adjustments, and it did- switching out of its man-to-man defense in favor of a 2-3 zone. For the time being, GW’s offense was stalled, unable to get inside and doing nothing more than swinging the ball along the perimeter.

As Lonergan said though, the Colonials’ consistent production off the bench and hard defense on the opposite end ultimately left the Dukes winded, and that spilled over to their defense as well.

Soon, GW’s ten point half time lead was up to 20, and soon, GW was on its way to a smooth road win- its third straight when away from the Smith Center.

Leading the way for the Colonials was Kromah’s hot hand, who had a game high 19 points while grabbing six boards.  Kromah took advantage of the help side oriented Duke’s defense and hit the open shots when he had them. Despite spending tonight, and much of the season, coming off the bench, Kromah has begun to embrace his role as a sixth man.

“The main goal for the team is just to win games no matter who starts,” Kromah said.  “You know it’s about who finishes the game.  And I come in and try to produce as much as possible to help my team win.”

If there had to be one criticism of GW’s performance it would be their free throw shooting.  The team took a step back at the line tonight, going 8-18 from the charity stripe- much like it did in contests earlier in the season.

Still, the bounce back win signifies something important for the Colonials- they’re getting tougher. Even more, it gives the team valuable momentum coming off a loss to La Salle and heading into Saturday’s contest against No. 14 Butler.

 

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