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Monday, June 17, 2013 9:50 p.m.

Women’s basketball picks up “high-energy” assistant coach

by The GW Hatchet

This post was written by Hatchet reporter Josh Solomon. 

The women’s basketball coaching staff added a former Hofstra assistant Monday with a track record of invigorating offenses and recruiting top talent.

Brooklyn, N.Y. native Bill Ferrara, who coached at Hofstra for three years, will recruit, work with the post players and develop the Colonials’ roster with conditioning and on-floor coaching. Ferrara served as both the recruiting coordinator at Hofstra and oversaw its offense.

“With Bill we hired one of the most up-and-coming young assistants who has experience with some of the top basketball minds in the nation,” head coach Jonathan Tsipis said in a press release.

As a coach, Ferrara has led teams to great improvements in their average scoring. Hofstra raised their average scoring from 62.2 to 75 points per game when Ferrara arrived, and Central Michigan also bolstered its offense performance by specializing in perimeter play.

Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey said in an interview that she was not worried that Ferrara would be switching over to a post presence instead of his usual perimeter focus. The offense that Ferrara helped implement both at CMU and later at Hofstra was similar to a dribble-drive style Kilburn-Steveskey explained. She said he brought a focus on “movement off the dribble instead of off the pass.”

Ferrara will succeed in coaching the post “because you got to be high-energy, you got to be the person that’s getting [the players] motivated by fast-paced drills and getting them moving,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “I know he will do a great job of coaching the post because again, his personality is going to get him moving and going and he’ll adjust to whatever Jonathan [Tsipis] is running.”

His recruiting efforts are also lauded. At Hofstra Ferrara put together the sixth-best recruiting class among mid-majors in 2012 according to ESPN Hoopgurlz and the 50th-ranked class in the nation by All-Star Girls Report.

The Colonials will hope Ferrara can bring a charge to an offense that carried the team to a 14-16, 7-7 record last year. GW scored over 70 points in three of their 14 conference games. The team were bounced from the A-10 championship in the quarterfinals 74-49 against top-seeded Dayton.

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Thursday, June 13, 2013 3:31 p.m.

Women’s basketball to face A-10 regular season and tournament champions

by Nick Ong

The Atlantic 10 released the 2013-14 women’s basketball schedule Thursday, showing the Colonials set to play seven games against postseason teams from last year.

In a likely continued effort to get the women’s basketball program back to its winning ways from the mid-2000s, GW will play home-and-home matchups against last year’s A-10 champion Saint Josephs and regular season champion Dayton.

Then-sophomore Chakecia Miller lunges to keep the ball in play against St. Bonaventure last February. Hatchet File Photo

Additionally, the Colonials will battle three WNIT participants: Fordham, at home, and Duquesne and Richmond, both on the road.

The conference schedule expands to 16 games this season, compared to just a 14-game lineup a year ago, allowing GW to also play home-and-home series against new A-10 rival George Mason and UMass.

The Colonials will round out their conference schedule with home matchups against VCU, LaSalle and Saint Louis, while traveling to face Rhode Island and Saint Bonaventure on the road.

In both regular season and playoff games last season, the 2013 Colonials tallied an 8-6 overall record against 2014 opponents.

The complete women’s 2013-14 schedule, including non-conference and exhibition games, will be announced at a later date.

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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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Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 10:54 a.m.

Megan Nipe wins WBCA broadcasting scholarship

by Elizabeth Traynor

Then- junior forward Megan Nipe readies for a shot against UDC last season. | Hatchet File Photo

Women’s basketball senior forward Megan Nipe is the 2013 recipient of the Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship.

The $4,500 award is presented by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association to one female collegiate basketball player annually who intends to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Nipe, a journalism and mass communications major, has started all 25 games for the Colonials this season. Across those contests, she’s averaging  9.5 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, and is the second-leading scorer and rebounder on the team.

“Megan is deserving of the Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship,” WBCA CEO Beth Bass said in a release. ”Congratulations to Megan on receiving this scholarship. I wish Megan the best of luck in pursuing a career in sports communication or journalism. We look forward to watching you shine professionally.”

 

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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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Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013 3:33 p.m.

Women’s basketball team rebounds with victory over La Salle

by Elizabeth Traynor

Senior guard Danni Jackson charges down the court against Duquesne. Hatchet File Photo by Cameron Lancaster | Hatchet Photographer

It was a three point game when graduate student forward Tara Booker released her three-point shot.

It sunk into the basket, putting the Colonials up by six. 20 seconds later, she drilled another. GW was now up by nine, a crucial widening of its lead in a game that had been a tight contest throughout.

Booker’s two treys sparked a massive scoring run for the rest of her team, providing momentum for GW to decisively close out a 74-57 victory over La Salle. They were two important baskets, and they were examples of exactly the type of role head coach Jonathan Tsipis expects from his upperclassmen.

“We did a good job finding her in the first one and we were able to come right back,” Tsipis said. “It gave us life. It allowed us to be more aggressive in transition.”

From the outset, it was clear that the game could be a defensive battle, neither team able to control the ball well out of the gates. GW had 17 turnovers over play, while La Salle had 15. The game stayed tight through most of the first half. The Explorers switched between different zones to try to confuse the Colonials and halt their shooting.

Still GW was able to take a small four point lead heading into halftime. The advantage came off the strength of 41.7 percent shooting, and the team finding a mis-match down low with senior forward Shi-Heria Shipp, who was able to put away a number of baskets for the Colonials.

“She got us going. She got us that lead toward the end of the half,” Tsipis said. “It was just a matter of closing possessions with our rebounding.”

Though play was tight to open the second half, off the strength of Booker’s back-to-back treys GW widened its lead with a significant scoring run, finally firing on all offensive cylinders. The Colonials shot 51.4 percent over the second half, including 80 percent from behind the arc.

The team had a balanced scoring attack, with five players in double digits. Booker led the way with 13 points and seven boards, while graduate student forward Sara Mostafa posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards. Shipp finished with 12 points, while senior guard Danni Jackson and sophomore guard Chackecia Miller had 11 each

“I think that makes us much more dangerous,” Tsipis said. “It’s hard to game plan against multiple scorers.”

Defensively, GW tried to control La Salle’s ability to get out in transition, setting traps in transition that slowed the Explorers’ ball movement.

The Colonials opened the game in a man-to-man defense, but seemed to struggle with some of their matchups, leaving La Salle shooters open. Switching into a 2-3 zone, the team seemed more comfortable, challenging their opponents with greater ease. With leading Explorer scorer Brittney Wilson sidelined, La Salle turned to Ebony Jones. But Jones found herself in foul trouble, limiting her play.

“We had talked about playing a bit more zone just because, overall, they were a team that relied more on jumpers. In that aspect we felt like the zone would help us keep the ball in front better,” Tsipis said. “I just thought our activity level in the zone was really good.”

The Colonials didn’t relent on their pressure throughout the game, holding the Explorers to 32.8 percent shooting. Earning a slim 41-37 rebounding edge, GW tightly controlled the paint, picking up a 40-22 scoring edge. The Colonial bench also far outperformed La Salle’s, scoring 18 points while the Explorers had zero contributions aside from its starting five.

The victory was an important one for a GW squad that suffered a crushing double overtime loss against Duquesne. Defeating La Salle was a win that revitalized the Colonials’ energy, giving them more momentum as they head into the last month of Atlantic 10 play.

“It’s huge. You’re definitely worried about that ‘we should have won the game [feeling].’ It was just fun because we came out, we didn’t play great but I didn’t feel like we put our heads down,” Tsipis said. “And you hope, when you go through a close game like that, sometimes the best thing to do is get back out. I wanted to get back out and play Thursday.”

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