Game 38: Women vs. Dayton

The #16/13 women's team hosts Dayton (17-4, 3-2) tonight at the Smith Center. GW (16-4, 4-1) is coming off of a dominant 76-54 home win over Charlotte on Saturday afternoon. In that one, all five of the Colonials' starters reached double figures in scoring: Kimberly Beck (19 points, 11 assists, four steals), Jessica Adair (14 points, three blocks), Sarah-Jo Lawrence (13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Antelia Parrish (11 points, nine rebounds), and Whitney Allen (10 points, five rebounds). GW shot 20-34 (58.8%) from the field in the first half and led by 24 at intermission.

The Flyers, who were picked to finish eighth out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, return four starters from the squad that went 12-19 and lost to GW in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Dayton has three players averaging double figures in scoring: 6-2 senior forward Nikki Oakland (13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds per game this season), 6-0 senior guard Brittany Holterman (10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds), and 6-0 freshman forward Kristin Daugherty (10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds). Coach Jim Jabir is 61-76 in his fifth season at Dayton; he is 281-299 in 20 seasons as a head coach. The Flyers rank second in the A-10 in both scoring and defensive field goal percentage.

Dayton is coming off of a 56-54 win at St. Joseph's on Saturday, which snapped a two-game losing streak. In that one, Oakland had 16 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks to lead the Flyers, who won despite being outrebounded 41-26. After losing its first two games of the season, Dayton embarked on a 16-game winning streak before losing back-to-back contests at Duquesne and at home to Charlotte. The current average RPI of the teams the Flyers beat during that 16-game winning streak is 168.

This is the 23rd-ever meeting between these programs; GW is 22-0. The last meeting came in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Tournament on March 3, 2007 in Cincinnati, OH, which the #8/9 Colonials won 61-45. In that one, Adair had 14 points, four rebounds, and five blocks, while Kenan Cole had 10 points, four rebounds, and four steals. GW limited Dayton to just 15-50 (30%) shooting from the field. The Colonials are 10-0 at home against the Flyers with an average margin of victory of 17.9 points.

While coach Joe McKeown and company have never lost to Dayton, this may be the most talented Flyers squad that GW has ever faced. However, the Colonials are playing like a team on a mission. Expect McKeown to get career win number 499 tonight.

Evan Waxman and I have the call for WRGW with Greg Shapiro handling production duties. You can listen here starting at 6.40 p.m.

Game notes: Only one game in the series has been decided by five points or less...It was a 61-58 GW win on February 2, 2001 in Dayton, OH...GW has won nine-straight at home and is 10-1 at the Smith Center...The Colonials have won 11-straight home conference games dating back to a 67-63 loss to Richmond on February 19, 2006...The current senior class is 25-1 at the Smith Center in regular season conference games...The current senior class is 50-5 at the Smith Center...Through 11 home games, the average home attendance for the women has been 1,928...This would break the program record of 1,637 from the 1995-1996 season...Beck needs three steals to pass Colleen McCrea for third place in program history...Allen needs nine rebounds to become the ninth player in program history with 600 points and 600 rebounds...Adair needs four blocks to pass Kas Allen for seventh place in program history...McKeown has led the Colonials to all 22 of their victories over the Flyers...Jabir is 0-7 against McKeown's GW teams...The Colonials moved up four spots to number 16 in this week's Associated Press Poll...GW moved up four spots to number 13 in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll...GW assistant Ali Jaques was an assistant at Dayton during the 2005-2006 season...GW is 1-1 on Tuesdays and 8-0 when scoring at least 70 points...Dayton's 17 wins this season are tied for the most in a season in program history since moving to Division I for the 1984-1985 season...The previous high was 17-12 in 2005-2006.

Starting lineups and other notes to follow from the Smith Center once we get closer to tip-off. Paul Marmaro will be reporting live all night, so please check back later.

Update, 6:56 p.m. - Here are tonight's starting lineups:

Dayton
G - Karah Cloxton (5-8 senior from Winfield, WV)
G - Ashley Armstrong (5-9 senior from Canton, OH)
G - Brittany Holterman (6-0 senior from Racine, WI)
G - Kendel Ross (6-1 sophomore from Sarnia, Ontario)
F - Nikki Oakland (6-2 senior from San Diego, CA)

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)

Update, 7:11 p.m. - Each team's first possession results in a turnover. Dayton is looking to establish the inside game with the 6'2 Oakland but the first two times Dayton tried to find her, they turned the ball over. Parrish scored the first two baskets for GW. Dayton calls timeout after 3 turnovers in the first 2:53 of the game.

Update, 7:14 p.m. - GW pressing full court with Beck and Lawrence and at the first media time out, with 15:39 left in the 1st half, it's 8-3 in favor of the Colonials.

Update, 7:18 p.m. - Former University President Steven Joel Trachtenberg is in attendance tonight, sitting in the President's box above the cheer and dance teams. Dayton comes out of the media time out and scores 5 straight points, all by freshman sensation Kristin Daugherty. On the season, she is averaging over 13 points and 7 rebounds per game. Coach McKeown doesn't like what he is seeing and calls time out with GW leading 10-8.

Update, 7:24 p.m. - Dayton continues to convert from the field as they go on a 10-2 run to lead by their biggest margin 3 at 15-12. Parrish answers for GW hitting a 3 pointer of her own to tie the score at 15-15. Jamila Bates, a 6-1 forward from Seattle, WA checks in for GW as well as Lisa Steele for Jessica Adair and Whitney Allen respectively. We have reached the 2nd media time out with Dayton leading 18-17 with 11:41 to go in the 1st half.

Update, 7:29 p.m. - Early on, GW has 12 points in the paint to Dayton's 2, GW has turned both of Dayton's turnovers into points as they have 4 so far. Dayton is shooting 57% early on, 8-14 and 3-5 3pt FG while GW is shooting a respectable 47%. We have seen 5 lead changes in just the past few minutes with each team alternating baskets. With 9:00 to go in the 1st, it's 26-25 Dayton.

Update, 7:33 p.m. - Two straight fouls by GW, one on Lawrence on the offensive end for driving the lane and the other on Parrish which lead to 1 converted free throw by Aundrea Lindsey. GW has 6 team fouls, 2 each on Beck and Parrish. At the 3rd official time out, we're all tied up at the Smith Center, 27-27 with 7:55 left to go in the 1st.

Update, 7:37 p.m. - Out of the time out, Parrish grabs an offensive rebound off of a missed 3 pointer by Beck and puts it in to lead all Colonials with 11 points so far. She has been the focal point of the offense and is shooting 5-6 from the field. No team has had a bigger lead than 3 since GW led 10-5 early on. With 6:09 to go, it's tied at 29.

Update, 7:44 p.m. - At the last official time out of the half, it's back and forth play at Smith Center tonight, with some questionable calls, superb shooting by Dayton at 52%, and GW struggling from beyond the arc at just 1-5, Dayton leads GW 31-29 with 3:53 left in the half.

Update, 7:49 p.m. - With 3:16 left in the half, Jazmine Adair has been assessed a technical foul which has drawn anger out of Coach McKeown telling the refs to keep an eye out for cheap shots on both ends. Dayton converts both free throws for a 35-33 lead. Early foul trouble for Dayton as Nikki Oakland has 3 fouls in the first half and with 2:46 left in the half, it's Dayton 35, GW 34.

Update, 7:52 p.m. - With just over a minute in the half, Beck hits a 3 pointer for a 2 point lead and Coach McKeown sends Allen into the game to try and get a cushion on the scoreboard before halftime. With 0:43 to go, it's 37-35 GW.

Update, 7:54 p.m. - At halftime, it's 40-37 GW after a 3 pointer by Lawrence with just 1 second left on the game clock.

Update, 8:12 p.m. - The second half starts with each team scoring on their first possession. 42-39 GW almost 2 minutes in. GW is now defending the 22nd street basket in Smith Center.

Update, 8:17 p.m. - GW has come out in the second half with a much tighter defense and a high flying offense as the Colonials have jumped out to their biggest lead of the game, 51-41 with just under 15 minutes left. The second half score is GW 11-4.

Update, 8:20 p.m. - At the 1st official time out, GW is on fire from the field as they have jumped out to a 13 point lead, their biggest of the game at 54-41 with 14:26 remaining. A 10-0 run for the Colonials behind sharp shooting from senior Kim Beck as she is now the 3rd Colonial tonight in double figures joining Parrish with 11 and Lawrence with 12. Adair is a point away from joining the double figures club.

Update, 8:26 p.m. - At the 2nd official time out, Dayton has started to claw their way back from a double digit deficit as they trail GW 57-48. Dayton's 6'4 center Kelly Keil is in foul trouble with 4 already.

Update, 8:30 p.m. - Some interesting chants coming from the always rabid student section tonight as one fan behind me just yelled "Denmark sucks." Kiki Lund, a senior guard for Dayton is from Hadsten, Denmark. I've been to Denmark and I have to say, it's a very beautiful place, good food too. OK back to the game, GW is maintaining a comfortable margin of 7 points as they lead the Flyers 59-52 midway through the 2nd half.

Update, 8:35 p.m. - Every time GW tries to extend it to a double digit lead, Dayton comes back and answers and after a 3 pointer by Kiki Lund, GW's lead is cut to 6, 63-57 with 8:13 remaining in the game.

Update, 8:40 p.m. - Dayton's Kelly Keil has fouled out with 8:13 left in the game. She registered 2 points tonight. To quote Coppola's The Godfather, "won't be seeing her no more". With 7:56 left in the game, it's another official time out with GW leading by 8, 65-57. Beck is leading the way with 15 points followed by Lawrence's 14, Adair's 12, and Parrish's 11.

Update, 8:43 p.m. - Beck hits a 3 pointer, her 4th of the game for an 8 point lead but Dayton answers with a 3 pointer as GW's lead has been cut to 5, 68-63, and with 5:34 left, Coach Joe Mac decides to call a 30 second time out to talk things over with his Colonials, who are in danger of losing their slim lead late in the game.

Update, 8:49 p.m. - Dayton has been able to cut the lead to as few as 3 but Jessica Adair has gotten to the free throw line the past 2 possessions and has converted 5-8 on the day and has done her job maintaining GW's slim lead. It's the last official time out of the game and with 3:17 left, GW leads 73-67.

Update, 8:54 p.m. - Dayton has had trouble converting free throws lately, they are now just 13-20 on the night and if they can't climb back in this one, we can point to that as one main reason. GW has their starters except for Jess, instead it's her sister in there. Only 6 Colonials have scored compared to 8 for Dayton. With 2:25 left, Dayton has cut the lead to 3, 73-70. Let me remind you that in the 22 games these two teams have played against each other, GW is 22-0. Jazmine Adair has just made a lay-up and has a chance at a 3 point play. Nikki Oakland has just fouled out of the game with 13 points on 6-10 shooting. Dayton has 9 team fouls to GW's 5 so the Colonials will be shooting free throws the rest of the way. With 1:59 to go, GW 76-70.

Update, 8:58 p.m. - GW has taken control with a 7 point lead with 40 seconds to go. A football like collision involving Sarah-Jo Lawrence will send her to the charity stripe for 2. She misses the first but makes the 2nd, GW leads 79-71.

Update, 9:01 p.m. - It's just a matter of what the final score will be as Dayton has started fouling away, it's Parrish's turn at the line, she makes both and the Colonials lead 81-71 with just a few seconds left. And the nananana hey hey hey goodbye chants are off and running. This will be Coach Joe McKeown's 499th victory. With 7 seconds left, it's Lawrence's turn at the line, she misses both and GW wins it 81-73 to move to 17-4 and 5-1 in the A-10.

Update, 9:06 p.m. - Whitney Allen and Joe McKeown are the guests on the WRGW post-game show with Frank Dale and both talked about coach's 499th victory and some other important topics which I was not able to hear exactly. Blame the Smith Center speakers. Final score from Foggy Bottom, GW 81, Dayton 73, goodnight everyone.

Update, 10.14 p.m. - The program we normally use has gone haywire, turning everything into a Chipmunks impression. Here's the postgame audio:

-Jessica Adair, Beck, and Lawrence here.
-McKeown here.

We'll be back tomorrow night when the men host St. Joseph's. As always, thanks for stopping by.