Game 29: Women vs. Xavier

The #17/17 women's team hosts Xavier (10-5) this afternoon at the Smith Center in the Atlantic 10 opener for both squads. GW (12-3) is coming off of a 98-22 win, the largest margin of victory in Atlantic 10 history, over Brown last Sunday. In that one, five Colonials reached double figures in scoring: Whitney Allen (16 points, five steals), Antelia Parrish (15 points), Jessica Adair (13 points, five rebounds), Jazmine Adair (12 points, seven rebounds), and Sarah-Jo Lawrence (11 points, six rebounds). GW held Brown to 10-45 (22.2%) shooting from the field and 1-16 (6.3%) from three-point land. GW set a program record for the highest shooting percentage in a game (66.7%) and tied the record for threes in a contest (13).

The Musketeers, who were picked to finish tied for second out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, return one starter from the squad that went 26-8 and lost to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That one starter is 6-5 sophomore forward Amber Harris (15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds per game), a preseason Wooden Award nominee and First Team All-A-10 selection . Xavier has two other players averaging double figures in scoring: 6-6 freshman center Ta'Shia Phillips (13.9 points, 11.6 rebounds) and 5-7 junior guard Jerri Taylor (13.7 points). Phillips has been named the A-10 Rookie of the Week seven times and ranks in the top 10 nationally in rebounding and field goal percentage. Coach Kevin McGuff is 116-55 in six seasons with the Musketeers.

Xavier is coming off of a 65-55 home win over #7 Georgia last Saturday in what was the Lady Bulldogs' first loss of the season. In that one, Harris had 19 points and six rebounds, while Phillips added 16 points and four rebounds. The Musketeers shot 27-51 (52.9%) from the field and held Georgia to 16-48 (33.3%) shooting. Xavier has two wins over ranked teams this season, with the other being a 51-49 triumph at #24 N.C. State on December 4. After opening the 2007-2008 campaign at 5-4, the Musketeers have won five of their last six contests.

This is the 28th-ever meeting between these programs; GW is 16-11. The last contest was a nationally-televised game at Xavier on January 21, 2007, which the #11/13 Colonials won 67-55. In that one, four GW players reached double figures in scoring: Kenan Cole (15 points), Allen (14 points), Kimberly Beck (13 points), and Jessica Adair (11 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals). For Xavier, Harris had 24 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks. GW has won three of the last four meetings, and is 10-1 at home in the series. Since the 1997-1998 season, neither team has won more than two consecutive games in the series, and three of the last 14 meetings have gone to overtime.

This should be a good one in front of a packed house at the Smith Center. The pick here is for the Colonials to open conference play with a win.

Greg Shapiro and I have the call for WRGW with Jordan Teller and Scott Trocchia handling production duties. You can listen here starting at 4.40 p.m. Pam Ward and Lindsey Harding have the call on ESPN2. You can watch live starting at five.

Game notes: GW is riding a seven-game winning streak...The Colonials have won six-in-a-row at the Smith Center and are 7-1 at home on the season...GW has won 16-straight regular season conference games...The Colonials have won eight-straight home conference games dating back to a 67-63 loss to Richmond on February 19, 2006...The current senior class is 22-1 at the Smith Center in regular season conference games...GW is 19-5 in A-10 openers, having won nine-straight...The current senior class is 47-5 at the Smith Center...The current senior class is 3-2 against Xavier...GW is 2-1 on Sundays and 12-1 when scoring at least 60 points...Allen needs one rebound to move into 12th place in program history...Allen needs three rebounds to move into 11th place in program history...Beck needs four three-pointers to pass Jennifer Shasky for fourth place in program history...Beck needs five steals to pass Kristin McArdle for fifth place in program history...Coach Joe McKeown is 238-50 in A-10 play...McKeown is six wins shy of 500 for his career...This game is part of the "Pack the House" challenge, an NCAA-sponsored competition to raise attendance at women's games.

Starting lineups and other notes to follow from the Smith Center once we get closer to tip-off. Please check back later.

Update, 8.35 p.m. - Here were the starting lineups:

Xavier
G - Alesia Barringer (5-6 sophomore from Columbus, OH)
G - Jerri Taylor (5-7 junior from South Bend, IN)
F - Maureen Hester (6-1 sophomore from Bethel Park, PA)
F - Amber Harris (6-5 sophomore from Indianapolis, IN)
C - Ta'Shia Phillips (6-6 freshman from Indianapolis, IN)

GW
G - Kimberly Beck (5-8 senior from Fairburn, GA)
G - Sarah-Jo Lawrence (5-11 senior from Rhoadesville, VA)
F - Whitney Allen (5-11 senior from Woodbridge, VA)
F - Antelia Parrish (6-0 junior from Washington, DC)
C - Jessica Adair (6-4 junior from Washington, DC)

Solid win for the Colonials in front of a packed house on national television. You have to think the team will jump up in the polls, as numbers 16 through 13 in the AP Poll (and numbers 16, 15, 14, and 12 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll) all lost this past week.

No postgame audio. Now that classes have started up again, we'll be back to our normal in-game coverage. Also, those of you listening today may have noticed a pre-game interview with coach McKeown. We hope to do this regularly, at least at home games, from now on.

We'll be back on Wednesday when the men visit Fordham and the women travel to Rhode Island. As always, thanks for stopping by.