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Jonathan Tsipis

Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:42 p.m.

Brooke Wilson, three seniors to return to women’s basketball for 2013-2014

by Nick Ong

Head coach Jonathan Tsipis talks strategy with his team during a timeout last season. Tsipis announced Thursday that four graduate student Colonials will return to the squad next season. Hatchet File Photo by Samuel Klein | Hatchet Staff Photographer

After missing all but five games during the Colonials’ 2012-13 campaign, the NCAA gave forward Brooke Wilson a sixth year of eligibility Thursday to suit up next season season.

Wilson, who graduated from GW in December 2011 and is now seeking her master’s degree in education, started the first fives games of the season for the Colonials, averaging 5.8 points and 5.0 rebounds. Her season ended during that fifth game though, when she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear to her right knee.

Wilson will look to return next season to help the Colonials on both offense and defense, as she holds the 14th spot on GW’s all-time rebounding list, with 585.

Head coach Jonathan Tsipis also confirmed that seniors Danni Jackson, Megan Nipe and Shi-Heria Shipp will each return for their fifth seasons.

“We are excited that Danni, Meg and Shi-Heria were granted a fifth year of eligibility,” Tsipis said in a release. “They are excellent representatives of the GW women’s basketball program and are embracing the opportunity to play one more season.”

Jackson, like Wilson, missed time during her freshman season, breaking her leg in a game against Michigan State that had her sidelined for 24 games. Last season, Jackson was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, averaging 10.1 points and 4.5 assists per game while managing the team at the point guard position. She ranks 12th all-time at GW with 355 assists in her career.

Nipe suffered a torn meniscus to her left knee during her sophomore campaign in 2010-11, causing her to miss 25 games. Since then, Nipe has returned to the court as one of the Colonials go-to scorers, starting all 30 games, while averaging 10 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, both career highs.

Shipp, who averaged 9.6 points per game last season, will return to the court as a physical presence for the Colonials, after also missing time due to injury during the 2010-11 season.

All four will help GW’s 15-player roster as they look to improve off their quarterfinal loss in the A-10 tournament las season.

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Saturday, March 9, 2013 3:46 p.m.

Colonials season ended at hands of top-seeded Dayton

by Nick Ong

Senior guard Danni Jackson maneuvers down the court against St. Bonaventure. Hatchet File Photo by Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

There would be no upset special today.

Instead, it would merely be the final game of the Colonials’ 2012-13 campaign.  The final game in head coach Jonathan Tsipis’ first year at the helm.  And the final culmination of strong careers from graduate students Tara Booker and Sara Mostafa.

It was a game in which GW was simply outmatched by the No.1 seeded and nationally ranked No. 11 Flyers, as Dayton won by a final score of 74-49.

“I think the thing that they are so good at is that they can hurt you in so many ways- in transition, posting under the rim, the shooters on the three point line,” Tsipis said.  “And the thing that they do really well is that they’re unselfish- they’re gonna find the open person.”

Dayton, known for their high-paced transition offense, immediately began to run the floor and never stopped.  As one Flyer grabbed the rebound, the rest streaked down the court waiting for the quick outlet pass and good look at the basket.

The Colonials just couldn’t get back fast enough.  There was no time to set up into their defense as within one or two Dayton passes, the ball was already inside and ready to be put up.  The Flyers ended the day with 32 points in the paint and 16 assists, indicative of their very efficient offense.

“I think in the first half, in the first six or seven minutes, we did a good job at least stopping the ball and getting people matched up,” Tsipis said. “Sometimes it wasn’t necessarily who we wanted on different people, but I think the deeper we got into the first half, we started getting a little out of our game plan.”

As GW defenders consistently got caught on screens, Dayton shooters were left wide open to throw one up.  They finished the day shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from behind the arc.

Leading the way for Dayton were guards Andrea Hoover and Samantha Mackay, who scored 12 and 15 points respectively on a combined 11-19 shooting, 4-5 from three-point range.

As the Colonials finally began stepping out on shooters, the Flyers’ offense adjusted.  One simple pump fake and the Dayton players, all able to create shots for themselves, did just that.

GW, not wanting to play into Dayton’s style of play, was forced to try and slow down the pace of the game.  But just as the Flyers were active on offense, so too, were they on defense.

“I think you need to be able to attack them off the dribble,” Tsipis said.  “I think you need to be able to get in the paint and then make good decisions, and I think we did get it in the paint, we got some post feeds, and everything.”

The second a Colonials’ guard crossed mid-court, Dayton defenders came up to hound them and set a trap.  GW was flustered, and despite working extremely hard to do so, was unable to consistently work the ball inside.

The Colonials were forced into overhead skip passes and outside jumpers that for the most part, weren’t falling.  Even more frequent- a Flyer steal.  Dayton ended the day with 12 steals, to go along with its 11 blocks and 23 total turnovers forced.

“I think it sped us up,” Tsipis said.  “I think it wasn’t necessarily the person getting trapped, I think when we got the ball out of the trap, they did a really good job on their rotation forcing us to play faster than we wanted to.”

It just wasn’t in the books for the Colonials today.

Even in the second half, when one might expect the Flyers’ offense to run out of steam, they kept churning.  Dayton was able to showcase its deep roster, cycling in younger, fresher players and get the same result on the court.  On the day, the Flyers recorded 29 bench points, led by guard Kelley Austria, who put up 13 points from off the bench.

In her final game as a Colonial, Booker led the team with 12 points and eight rebounds.  Senior forward Shi-Heria Shipp again proved a physical presence on the floor, scoring 11 points and adding seven boards.

Despite the quarterfinal loss, the 14 overall wins put together by Tsipis’ first year team are the most for GW since 2009.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Tsipis said.  “I think it’s a team that has bought into what we want to do.  And I think we have a good work ethic and I think they have a really strong will to get better as individuals and then understand that to be able to get better as a team you have to take sacrifices”

 

 

 

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Friday, March 8, 2013 3:50 p.m.

Colonials, Tsipis grab first round A-10 tournament win

by Nick Ong

Senior guard Danni Jackson maneuvers down the court against St. Bonaventure. Hatchet File Photo by Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

Just stay calm.

With adrenaline and energy high in the first round of the A-10 championship- just stay calm.  When an early 15-2 lead slowly becomes a 49-49 tie game- just stay calm.  And when the opposing defense swarms to foul you with the final seconds ticking away- just stay calm.

Not always an easy task in playoff basketball, but a task nonetheless that the Colonials were able to complete in their 59-53 win over Richmond.

The win marks the first A-10 tournament victory for first-year head coach Jonathan Tsipis, and the first A-10 tournament win for the Colonials since 2007.

“When you play a team the second time and both teams have had five days to prepare for each other, they’re gonna be able to take away a lot of your initial actions,” Tsipis said. “It’s just, can you get to that next part to really put your kids in the position to make a play.”

For the start of the first half, the story wasn’t who would make the next shot for the Spiders, but when the Spiders would make their next shot.

Using their motion offense effectively, Richmond was able to find a lot of open looks, but nothing could find the bottom of the net.  Shot after shot rattled off the rim and then immediately, GW went pushing it down the other end of the court.

The Spiders started the game on 1-15 shooting, compared to GW’s 54.2 percent, and would go on to shoot just 26.5 percent in the first half.

“I thought we had the game at the tempo we wanted,” Tsipis said.  “We got out in transition, we attacked off the dribble, we made the extra pass, and had some really good reads by our point guards, but I think we were just kind of in that attack mode.”

After an early 2-2 tie, GW went on a 15-0 run to give it the biggest lead of the first half, 13.  Playing as the home team because of their higher seed, the Colonials were certainly getting some home team rolls at the Hagan Arena.

With each made basket and each Richmond miss, the already unprecedented level of energy just continued to go up- especially on defense.

Using their full court press sporadically throughout the first half, the Colonials grabbed some key steals and added on to the pressure Richmond was already feeling.  GW took away the inside option from the Spiders, forcing them to pass it along the perimeter and chuck up shots from all over the court.

Slowly but surely though, shots started to fall for Richmond.  Making use of their height advantage, Richmond dominated the offensive glass, 15-7 by game’s end, to put up some much-needed second chance points. While GW struggled at the free throw line, the Spiders flourished, going 13-15 in the game and using them to slyly creep back into contention.

Richmond finished off their slow first half comeback with a second chance bucket from Becca Wann, cutting the lead to six and giving them some confidence going into halftime.

“It was a loud environment.  I thought early on we were a little more vocal with some of our actions and communications defensively,” Tsipis said.  “I think as the half wore on, you know, they made some shots and I think we got a little bit quiet with our communication.”

The second half showcased the hard-fought tournament style battle that was expected. Going back and forth on each possession, GW had to work hard to maintain its five, four, and sometimes two-point lead.

With 6 minutes and 29 seconds left to play, Richmond finally tied up the game.  And then just over thirty seconds later, with Kristina King at the free throw line, the Spiders finally overtook the Colonials- their first lead since they grabbed the first basket of the game.

GW stayed tough though, keeping their heads and body language up as they headed down the home stretch.

“We just talked a lot about [how] both teams are equally as tired,” Tsipis said. “And there’s gonna be a lot at the end of just your will, and it’s the loose ball, it’s keeping them off the glass, it’s being able to defend without fouling.”

Combining timely shooting with a stronger presence on the boards, GW took away Richmond’s second chance efforts and forced them into one-and-done possessions.  The Colonials stayed calm, and climbed their way to the 59-53 victory.

GW had three players in double figures- senior guard Danni Jackson who led the team with 13 points; senior forward Megan Nipe who followed up her last strong shooting performance with another, going 5-10 from the field to record 12 points; and finally, senior forward Shi-Heria Shipp who added 10 points to the stat sheet, but made her biggest contributions to the team on the court in the form of her enthusiasm and tough play late in the game.

For Richmond, two players, Kristina King and Becca Wann, carried the majority of the load, scoring 16 and 17 points respectively.  Wann also grabbed a team-high 12 boards to put up a double-double effort in the loss.

With the win, the Colonials will move onto the quarterfinals where they will face No.1 seeded Dayton.  The Flyers are also ranked No.11 in the country, making tomorrow’s task for the Colonials a daunting one.

“Obviously Dayton’s ranked 11th in the country for a reason- they’re very balanced,” Tsipis said. “I think the biggest thing, or our key, is gonna be how we match up in transition for the full 40 minutes.  We did it for about 16 minutes at Dayton earlier in the season and then they went on a run to close the half.  So I think the big part now is just taking care of our team.”

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Sunday, March 3, 2013 6:07 p.m.

Veterans shine in final women’s basketball regular season game

by Nick Ong

Center Sara Mostafa shoots the ball over a Saint Louis defender Sunday at the Smith Center. Becky Crowder | Senior Staff Photographer

With the first half coming to a close, and only a two second differential between shot and game clock, senior guard Danni Jackson lost the handle on the ball, quickly recovered and fired up an unorthodox desperation three.  It banked in.

With a 19-point lead, that’s just how the game was going for the Colonials. But they soon learned how quickly a double-digit lead can start to dwindle away.

Trying to avoid another second-half breakdown like Wednesday’s game against Xavier, head coach Jonathan Tsipis called for the energy and urgency that the team had opened Senior Day with.

“We had stopped even putting our hands up, we had dropped them,” Tsipis said.  “And it was time for us to take some punches.”

In the end, some strong leadership from the very seniors being honored on the final game of the regular season allowed GW to weather the storm and capture the victory, 68-55.

When the game opened, GW looked ready for the start of playoff basketball, running and executing on both ends of the court.

The Colonials were patient on offense, continually moving and sending crisp passes until a crack in Saint Louis’ defense was revealed.  On defense, they turned up the intensity.

Playing much of the first half in a full court press, GW hounded the Billikens’ ball handlers, grabbed five steals, and immediately went into transition mode, where they scored 13 points off turnovers.

“We just came out with the mindset that we were gonna really control the glass and get out in transition,” Tsipis said.

Megan Nipe was – literally – perfect in the first half, scoring 16 points off of 7-7 shooting.  Whether lurking along the perimeter or driving off a screen, Nipe couldn’t help but find the bottom of the net.

“I just think my teammates did a great job of getting me open and when I was open getting me the ball,” Nipe said.  “Obviously when you make a couple your confidence goes up, so for the first half it went up and it didn’t go down the rest of the game.”

Following Nipe’s lead, the rest of the offense was just as in sync, shooting 63 percent from the field in the first.  Though they didn’t necessarily have a size advantage inside, the Colonials were still aggressive in the paint, outrebounding the Billikens 22-13 and outscoring them 20-4 in the paint for the first half.

As the second half got underway, it appeared as though the Colonials had become a bit too comfortable with their large first-half lead.  The offense began running at a slower pace, and the guards consistently settled for long jumpers early in the possession.

“I think the things we got away from were [that] we didn’t rebound the ball well and we didn’t attack in transition or off the ball screen,” Tsipis said.  “We got too complacent to run the offense and that gave them a little more momentum.”

Making matters worse, shots began to fall for the Billikens.

Saint Louis quickly went on a 10-0 run, and the 19-point lead was now down to 10. Tsipis went back to the full court press to put an end to the storm, but GW still couldn’t get the offensive spark back, and the lead was cut to just seven.

Looking for anything to get momentum back on the Colonials’ side, fifth-year graduate forward Sara Mostafa stepped up to the challenge.  Mostafa scored on three straight GW possessions, and drew two “and-one” opportunities in the process.

GW was now back on the attack, driving the lane to get some easy buckets and preventing the Billikens from going on another run to close out the game.  Senior Day would end the way they had planned.

Nipe finished with a career-high 20 points on 9-14 shooting.  Mostafa finished her regular season career with 13 points and eight rebounds, getting help from another inside presence, senior Shi-Heria Shipp, who scored 10 points and had nine boards.  Jackson was the fourth Colonial in double-figures, scoring 17 points, with six rebounds and four assists also on her stat sheet.

Nipe, Jackson and Shipp intend to petition for a fifth year of eligibility, looking to stay with the Colonials for one more season.

The barrage of scoring shows the many options that Tsipis will have heading into the playoffs.  Nipe may have been the hot hand tonight, but high scoring games from multiple Colonials this season prove that any one of them can burst out.

GW came into the game tied for seventh in conference standings, and with the win, may keep that seeding for the A-10 Championship, though final seeding will be determined by the rest of the league’s results.

“It’s been a season of a lot of firsts, obviously my first season, an opportunity for us to get the most wins in conference in the last four years, and the most overall wins,” Tsipis said. “And now it leads to another season of firsts, that we want to go and get that first A-10 win.”

 

 

 

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Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 12:22 a.m.

Women’s basketball team falls in face of late Xavier rally

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson maneuvers down the court against St. Bonaventure. Hatchet File Photo by Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Jake Deitcher.

The women’s basketball team strung together moments of superior offensive and defensive performances Wednesday night, including a closing first-half run that pulled the team within five points.

Ultimately, though, the Colonials couldn’t pull out a victory in Ohio. GW scored efficiently and forced Xavier into difficult shot attempts, but struggled to prevent the Musketeers from drawing fouls, earning trips to the free throw line and ultimately converting the majority of their attempts.

“Our team has exhibited great effort and we will continue to play hard,” Tsipis said. “We can do that without fouling and we can be disciplined.”

The Colonials (12-15, 6-7) were down 34-29 at the break, after holding the Muskateers without a field goal over the final five minutes and 23 seconds of the half.

But 12 early free throw attempts gave Xavier a clear edge. After the Colonials opened the game on a 7-0 run, the Muskateers responded with a 21-5 scoring run of their own.

GW shot 48.1 percent from the field in the first half, compared to 42.3 percent shooting from Xavier, but Xavier made eight of their twelve chances from the stripe over the first half of play, while the Colonials did not attempt a single free throw.

“When you hold someone to a lower field goal percentage they may then lack confidence. Free throw attempts can restore that confidence and that hurt us early and put us down,” Tsipis said.

Xavier continued to earn trips to the free throw line in the second half. GW’s defense held Xavier to 27.3 percent shooting and a total of six made baskets in the second half, a crushing counter to the Muskateers’ attack.

But after Xavier withstood a strong second half push from GW, including a significant Colonial run over the opening few minutes of play and a shooting drought of their own, to explode as the competition came to a close. A 12-2 run down the stretch cemented the Muskateers’ victory.

Trying to disrupt the Colonials’ attack, the Muskateers concentrated on drawing fouls and halting any GW momentum that may have been building. Xavier made 18 of its 22 second half free throw attempts and limited the Colonials to 36.1 percent shooting, enough to cement its victory.

Senior forward Megan Nipe praised her team’s play against Xavier, but also acknowledged that Wednesday’s matchup easily could have gone the other way for the Colonials.

“We fought really hard and the effort was there. I think we played well enough to win,” Nipe said. “ We missed a few opportunities here and there and that ultimately made the difference. But I still do see this game as one that should have been a win for us.”

Senior guard Danni Jackson led the Colonials with 18 points and Nipe added 15 points. Senior guard Shi-Heria Shipp contributed 10 points and six rebounds while graduate student forward Tara Booker grabbed 11 rebounds in addition to scoring seven points.

Tsipis will work to refocus his squad before they play their final game before heading to the Atlantic 10 tournament. His team’s success, he added, will come with renewed focus on the basic aspects of its play.

“To succeed, we got to be able to have players on the floor who aren’t in foul trouble. But we always have to have the understanding that doing the things that got us the lead in the first place are necessary. That’s how we got a lead at the beginning of the second half but then we went away from our strengths,” Tsipis said. “It often comes down to momentum and we want to build that momentum in our games. There is no one in the league who I think we can’t play with.”

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Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 6:54 p.m.

Women’s basketball team clinches A-10 berth with win over Bonnies

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson maneuvers down the court against St. Bonaventure. Jordan Emont | Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet reporter Alexandra Kist.

The Colonials clinched a spot in the Atlantic 10 championship Sunday afternoon with a 57-52 win over St. Bonaventure. It was a valuable victory that gleaned much of its strength off the team maintaining rebounding advantage and stopping transition scoring.

Coming off a two-game losing streak, the Colonials (12-14, 6-6) entered the Smith Center replenished with new focus and tenacity, clearly evident in the team’s offensive drives and defensive rebounds in the first half.

The Bonnies shot the first trey of the game, but that was the only time the Colonials were not tied with the Bonnies or on top on the scoreboard. GW had an impressive start to the game, striking with quick field goals in the paint, scoring on baseline drives, and converting 100 percent of its first half free throw attempts.

“The energy comes from one person at a time. We really feed off of each other,” senior forward Megan Nipe said. “One person is energetic and hyped, we all eventually get there and that’s what makes us successful. When we are energized and motivated, I think we intimidate other teams.”

Halfway through the first, the Colonials got into a steady rhythm, as Nipe totaled five rebounds and senior forward Shi-Heria Shipp put six points on the board, converting three of her four attempted field goals.

The Colonials’ first half strategic edge over the Bonnies was evident by the defensive rebounds and steals made by the unrelenting seniors Danni Jackson, Shipp, and Nipe. Jackson grabbed an impressive rebound as she wiped across the floor for a save with a little over two minutes left in the first.

Shipp had a commanding run, scoring 10 points and Nipe countered the Bonnies’ shooting attempts with eight rebounds out of her eventual 13 of the game, her career-high.  Jackson and Shipp each ended with 12 points, while Nipe added 10 and graduate student forward Tara Booker added 11. Sophomore Chakecia Miller also added a career-best 10 rebounds.

“It’s really just a personal focus of mine, making sure I crash the boards every time. When a shot goes up, I happen to be guarding someone near the bucket, so that helped with my rebounds,” Nipe said. “I think I just knew that this game would come down to whoever put up [a win] on the boards and if we get out and run off the defensive rebounds, that would give us a big advantage.”

Even with a five-point lead over the Bonnies at the end of the first, 30-25, the Colonials only converted 39 percent of their field goal attempts. The team’s focus in the second half was to dominate the court: even with missed layups and open shots, the players sought keep the momentum going to stop St. Bonaventure’s ball movement.

In the second half, the Colonials continued to their push off the strength of an impressive trey by Booker and five more rebounds from Nipe, furthering the team’s dominating defensive execution that has greatly improved with the progression of the season.

“We’ve challenged our guards and from day one we’ve talked about the question, ‘can we be a good rebounding team?’” head coach Jonathan Tsipis said.“I think we are our best when we rebound it, transition, and attack off the dribble.”

GW remained in control of the court and held a strong advantage in the second half until the last two minutes of the game, where fouls against GW lead to the Bonnies’ free throw conversion that pulled the score within 4 points. However, the Colonials countered with two quick baskets, closing in the game with GW on top.

Tsipis contributes the win to his team playing their best basketball of the season and its success on stopping transition scoring and its strength in rebounding the ball. GW closed the game holding the Bonnies to 32.1 percent shooting and grabbed a 49-35 advantage on the boards.

“The two biggest things that go overlooked, especially, is that you can stop a team that likes to go on transition if you control the backboards because they’re not able to defensively rebound and get the ball out,” Tsipis said. “I think the other thing is that emphasis of us trying to stop the ball early, and that’s been a ‘three headed monster’ we’ve been working to fight. I think they are all doing a better job at slowing the ball down and they did a good job of recognizing their team shooters and drivers and playing them accordingly.”

The Colonials have two more games until the A-10 championship begins,  and next head to Xavier for the final away game of the regular season.

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Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013 6:09 p.m.

Women’s basketball team suffers second straight road loss

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson drives down the court earlier this season. Hatchet File Photo by Sam Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet Staff Writer Jake Deitcher.

GW thrives in games dictated by strong defensive play leading to easy fast-break baskets, executing its best play when it can control in transition.

But when opponents disrupt that game plan, learning to attack inside to disrupt the Colonials’ comfort zone, it can spell an entirely different outcome for the team.

Despite holding Charlotte to 23 first half points, GW could not stop Charlotte’s effective inside attack on offense, leading to 45 points after the break for the 49ers and a second straight loss on the road for the Colonials, falling 68-56.

“Both teams played well defensively in the first half and we were able to keep it close at halftime,” head coach Jonathan Tsipis said. “And we started out strong at the beginning of the second half but they were able to wear us down in the paint and get us into foul trouble. We are a better defensive team than we were showing in the second half.”

Tsipis attributed the 49ers’ 23 second half free throw attempts as the catalyst for his team’s defensive struggles. The high number of yielded free throw attempts combined with the quality of post play from Charlotte’s frontcourt caused the Colonials to wear down in the second half.

The Colonials (11-14, 5-6) contained Charlotte’s offense over the first half, but could not capitalize.  While Charlotte scored only 23 first half points, GW managed to score only 17. GW converted just 22.2 percent of its shot attempts in the first half and struggled to score from the free throw line. GW attempted eight first half free throws, but it only made three.

“We didn’t attack enough at times and we missed some opportunities where we should’ve made a run,” Tsipis said. “On the road, you need to withstand runs and maintain runs of your own to be successful.”

The Colonials began to find their way on offense in the second half. Yet, despite shooting 40.6 percent from the field in the second half, attacking the heart of the 49ers defense and getting to the free throw line, the Colonials could not close the scoring gap.

Tsipis observed that his team builds confidence and plays their best with a lead. While his squad does excel for strings of possessions when they are down and in need of a quick basket, Tsipis recognizes the situations where his team is most comfortable and plays under control.

“During those wins we were able to get a lead and build them throughout the game,” Tsipis said. “Today we were always playing from behind and that is hard to overcome.”

Senior guard Danni Jackson led the Colonials with 12 points. Senior guard Megan Nipe and freshman guard Alexis Chandler each added 10 points and senior guard Shi-Heria Shipp grabbed eight rebounds and scored eight points.

GW will have an entire week to rest and practice before its next game. Tsipis knows that the bye week in conference play will give his team valuable rest, and also views the time as an opportunity for his team to regain focus.

The Colonials have three games remaining on the conference schedule, and Tsipis is instead looking at this last stretch of games as a new season. It’s an opportunity to gain position for the Atlantic 10 Tournament, Tsipis said. And Jackson agreed, adding that the next stretch of play is a chance for GW to reset the tone of the season.

“We lost our intensity as the game went on and we lost momentum in the second half. The bye is coming at a great time so we can regroup and we need rest,” Jackson said. “The last three games are all critical and they are all winnable. We are going to raise our level of intensity and energy for these final few games but that work will definitely start this week when we practice.”

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Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 5:14 p.m.

GW’s three-game win streak snapped at Fordham

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson drives down the court earlier this season. Hatchet File Photo by Sam Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Jake Deitcher.

Despite a dominant second half, ending the game on a furious 16-3 run, GW couldn’t overcome a stagnant first half Wednesday afternoon.

The Colonials fell at Fordham 66-56, snapping a three-game win streak. It was a loss born of the team’s slow-moving offense, head coach Jonathan Tsipis said, putting the team in a hole before the break it couldn’t dig its way out of.

“We weren’t locked in during the first half,” Tsipis said. “Beginning the game down 17-2 doesn’t help. We took too many jump shots instead of going to the basket. We didn’t make our shots and they are a good shooting team, so they took advantage of our misses.”

The Colonials (11-13, 5-5) struggled to make baskets early in the game.  GW managed to convert only 28.6 percent of their shot attempts in the first half and were unable to fight through the aggressive Fordham defense.

Fordham’s defensive intensity augmented their efficient offensive attack. The Rams began the game on a 17-2 run and continued their torrid pace throughout the first. GW entered halftime down 43-23, after allowing Fordham to shoot 54.3 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from the three-point line.

Senior point guard Danni Jackson attributed her team’s early struggles on offense to poor communication. Jackson credits GW’s improvement in the second half to a change in mindset coming out of the locker room at halftime.

“We came out with intensity in the second half,” Jackson said. “Us not communicating in the first half let them get into a rhythm. We played harder and were focused in the second half.”

The Colonials could not erase a 20-point deficit over the first half, but they outplayed Fordham in the second, resulting in a closer game than anticipated at the break.

GW shot 50 percent from the field in the second, pressuring Fordham endlessly while on defense. The press forced 11 Rams turnovers after the break, which the Colonials converted into 18 points.

“We fought hard in the second half and the right activity level was there,” Tsipis said. “We were able to do things better because of that effort but Fordham played harder than us in the first half. We didn’t play a good half and we can’t dwell on that.”

Senior guard Shi-Heria Shipp led the Colonials with 14 points and Jackson added 13 points.  Sophomore guard Chakecia Miller added six points, four assists and four steals and graduate student center Sara Mostafa grabbed 10 rebounds.

Tsipis looks at the second half of play as evidence of his team’s potential while acknowledging the first half of play as a reminder that GW still has room for improvement.

He often insists that teams must take care of the “things that they can control” when playing games on the road, and today, Tsipis said, the Colonials made sure to wrest control of the second half of play.

“You take care of the things you can control on the road and that first half was acceptable because we worked hard. We are a team that always works. Shots didn’t fall in that first half but we still worked hard. That won’t change,” Tsipis said.

The Colonials have four more games on their schedule before the Atlantic 10 Tournament and Tsipis has challenged his team to finish strong.

Jackson acknowledges that though the Colonials will be playing their hardest in the final stretch of games, their opponents will, too. GW must not back down over the last weeks of play, and have to stay aggressive, Jackson said.

“We didn’t necessarily deal with the pressure well today in the first half and teams will try to pressure us,” Jackson said. “So we are going to bring more pressure against those teams. Pressure is what gets our team going.”

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Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 5:54 p.m.

Women’s basketball team takes down Butler

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson drives down the court Sunday afternoon. Sam Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Brennan Murray.

Over the course of the season, the Colonials have gotten accustomed to grinding out close games, to earning victories the hard way, by sacrificing style for true grit, and comfortable wins for hard-fought thrillers.

But if the court was a canvas on Sunday, GW painted it with untraditional ease. The starters gelled in a way they haven’t all season and the bench provided a crucial backdrop on which the team could rely on in a moment’s notice.

Perhaps more than anything, the Colonials’ inaugural (11-12, 5-4) trouncing of Butler in the Smith Center showed that head coach Jonathan Tsipis’s players are beginning to understand their roles on floor. And as Tsipis noted, as players begin to fulfill their responsibilities, they learn to play an unselfish brand of basketball – the brand Tsipis prefers.

“I think that was our most complete game of the season,” Tsipis said. “And the stat I’m probably most proud of is how we shared the basketball today. That’s 23 assists on 30 made field goals.”

After coming off of two straight wins against La Salle and Richmond, the Colonials looked to extend their conference success against the Bulldogs before they head to take on Fordham this Wednesday. With confident shooting, dominant rebounding, and its typical tenacity on both sides of the ball, GW ran away with a 17-point lead, garnering a painless 77-60 win.

On Butler’s first possession, sophomore guard Chakecia Miller wasted no time introducing herself to the Bulldogs’ point guard. Ripping away a steal in their backcourt, Miller dribbled twice and dropped in an effortless layup. And then, on the very next possession, she corralled a loose ball and flung it up court, setting up another easy Colonials’ bucket.

Miller, whose efforts on Sunday justified her role as GW’s turnover-causing machine, also shot well from the floor, hitting seven of 13 field goals and finishing with a game-high 18 points.

“I’m just trying to take on the personality of my coach. He’s really aggressive and I want to be really aggressive and competitive as well,” Miller said. “So when I’m out there, if I see the ball I’m gonna get it.”

Nineteen total turnovers aside, GW established a balanced offensive attack in the first half that gradually picked up speed as time elapsed. After some passing miscues and resulting Butler baskets on the other end, the Colonials settled down about ten minutes in. Booker and freshman guard Aaliyah Brown drained consecutive threes, giving GW an energy boost that lifted it to a six-point lead at halftime.

After only a few second-half possessions, the Colonials’ starters – and bench players alike – molded into a cohesive unit on the floor. GW improved on its 36.1 percent first-half field goal percentage by draining nine of its first 10 field goals in the second, ending the game with a 65.4 percent tally compared to Butler’s 38.5 percent mark over the same period of time.

“I’m so excited for the team,” Tsipis said. “I’m going to show a lot of emotion on the sideline and I want them to play with that passion and that vigor.”

As the Colonials’ lead grew, from 11, then to 16, and eventually to 17 by the final horn, Butler’s confidence took a visible hit, symbolized not only by disapproving head shakes from its coaching staff, but also from the Bulldogs’ resorting to three-point shots and a full-court press before the second half even reached its midpoint. Getting stronger on both sides of the ball, the Colonials broke the Bulldogs’ press, poured on points in style, and eventually earned the win.

Along with Miller, graduate student forward Tara Booker, senior guard Danni Jackson, and graduate student center Sara Mostafa all finished in double figures, tallying 16, 10, and 12 points, respectively. Booker added ten rebounds as well, earning her a double-double.

“We had a good fight last game and I feel like we were just focused on coming out and not only maintaining that effort, but building on it,” Miller said. “Everybody was just really focused and locked in.”

Tsipis, who grew more and more animated as his team’s lead grew in the latter part of the second half, was impressed with his team’s execution. He sees the potential his team has, and hopes to gain some separation from the rest of the conference field as February rolls forward.

But the coach also knows that there are still many issues that need to be addressed, namely  turnovers and consistency.

“We’re sticking to our goal. We’re getting better each practice and each game,” Tsipis said. “But as far as us improving, we’ve got to be consistent with it. We can’t rebound today and then go to Fordham on Wednesday and not have that same kind of fight.”

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Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 10:30 p.m.

Women’s basketball team grabs narrow win over Richmond

by Elizabeth Traynor

Sophomore forward Chakecia Miller leaps to the net Wednesday night. Sam Klein | Contributing Photo Editor

This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Sophia Omuenu.

With two seconds left in play, sophomore guard Chakecia Miller drained a layup off an assist from senior forward Shi-Heria Shipp, solidifying the Colonials’ three-point win over the Richmond Spiders.The last 24 seconds of the game consisted of aggressive defense between Miller and Shipp that pushed GW to victory. After leaping to gather her fourth rebound of the game, Shipp passed the ball down to Miller, who forced her way into the paint in order to give GW a one-point lead. Soon after, Miller stole the ball to drive home the final tally.

Thanks in part to the team’s aggressive play until the final seconds, GW walked away with a 57-54 victory over Richmond.

“When we went into the locker room [at halftime], [head]coach [Jonathan Tsipis] said that we have to find a way sometimes,” Miller said. “And I think we did that.”

GW (10-12, 4-4) started the game with strong transition play and equally challenging offensive game. But both teams played an aggressive man-to-man defense, which ultimately led to 11 lead changes.

Within the first four minutes, the Colonials attacked the Spiders with a half-court press that included traps whenever possible. A Miller dish to freshman Alexis Chandler, who ended the game with five points, made the score 14-11 with 11 minutes left in the half.

Richmond replied with a half-court press during the Colonials’ next offensive possession but GW was able to maintain their composure.

“With the timeouts we just had to re-group, calm down and just think about what we were doing down there,” Miller said. “We just can’t get too amped up during the game because your adrenaline is running.”

At the end of the first half, the Colonials were up by five points, 32-27, due to senior forward Megan Nipe’s closing three-pointer.

Richmond, however, entered the second half with a renewed intensity and went on an 8-0 run until Nipe broke their momentum with a quick jumper.

“I think [Richmond head] coach [Michael] Shafer had his team ready coming out of the locker room to start the second half with just a higher intensity than we had,” Tsipis said. “We kind of went back and forth.”

Graduate student forward Tara Booker helped the Colonials slowly come back from a six point deficit with two made free throws and a quick jumper off of fellow graduate student forward Sara Mostafa’s offensive rebound.

Booker ended the game with six points and 10 rebounds, while Mostafa contributed four points and four rebounds.

“I think the thing I’m most proud of is the way the team battled. We had to get the rebounds off of the missed free throws. We had to push the ball up the floor,” Tsipis said.

As both teams battled back and forth, the Colonials were one point from tying the game with 52 seconds left. After missed free throws from the Spiders, GW capitalized on the additional opportunities to execute plays.

The final series of plays between Miller and Shipp were not drawn up by Tsipis, but ultimately led the team to an exciting victory. It was an example of his team “finding a way to win,” and the head coach was quick to note that, overall, the win was a teamwide effort. Nipe contributed a total of 12 points while senior Danni Jackson added six.

“You don’t get style points in basketball,” Tsipis said. “You get wins and losses.”

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