Game 39: Men vs. St. Joseph's

The men's team hosts St. Joseph's (12-5, 4-1) tonight at the Smith Center. GW (5-10, 1-4) is coming off of a 92-67 loss at Duquesne on Saturday night. In that one, Wynton Witherspoon had 17 points, while Rob Diggs had 14 points and 12 rebounds. However, the Colonials turned the ball over 29 times and shot just 1-8 (12.5%) from three-point land.

The Hawks, who were picked to finish third out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, return four starters from the squad that went 18-14 and lost to GW in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. St. Joseph's has five players averaging in double figures in scoring: preseason Third Team All-A-10 selection 6-10 senior guard/forward Pat Calathes (18.3 points, 8.3 rebounds per game this season), preseason First Team All-A-10 selection 6-9 junior forward Ahmad Nivins (14.5 points, seven rebounds), 6-4 junior guard Tasheed Carr (11.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists), a transfer from Iowa State, 6-8 senior forward Rob Ferguson (11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds), and 6-1 sophomore guard Darrin Govens (10.2 points). Coach Phil Martelli is 252-144 in 13 seasons at St. Joseph's.

St. Joseph's is coming off of a 68-67 win at Temple on Saturday night. In that one, Calathes hit a three with 3.9 seconds left to give the Hawks a come-from-behind victory after neither team led by more than two points in the final 10 minutes. St. Joseph's had three players reach double figures in scoring: Calathes (24 points, nine rebounds), Ferguson (19 points, five rebounds), and 6-5 sophomore guard Garrett Williamson (10 points, eight assists, five rebounds). Carr missed the game with a sprained right ankle. After starting the season at 4-4, the Hawks have won eight of their last nine, including three-straight. St. Joseph's is currently tied for second in the A-10 standings. The Hawks have the best road record in the conference at 7-3, with losses only at Syracuse, Creighton, and Charlotte. St. Joseph's was only 5-8 on the road last season.

This is the 51st-ever meeting between these programs; GW is 23-27. The last matchup came in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament in Atlantic City, NJ on March 8, 2007, which the Colonials won 58-48. In that one, three GW players reached double figures in scoring: Maureece Rice (16 points), Carl Elliott (15 points, five rebounds), and Diggs (13 points, four rebounds). The Colonials never trailed and held the Hawks to a season-low 11-45 (24.4%) shooting from the field. GW has won five of the last six meetings in the series, including the last two at the Smith Center, and is 13-8 all-time against St. Joseph's at home.

The Colonials bring their Jekyll and Hyde performance back to the Smith Center tonight. Despite the fact that the Hawks have a ton of talent, I'm feeling lucky and picking the Colonials for the first time in conference play.

Steven Smith and Paul Marmaro have the call for WRGW with Adam Rosenbloom and Vishal Aswani handling production duties. You can listen here starting at 6.40 p.m. I will join Byron Kerr for the 3WT broadcast. You can listen here starting at 6.50 p.m. Scott Graham and Rob Kennedy have the call for CN8. You can watch live starting at seven p.m.

Game notes: GW is 32-2 in its last 34 home games...The Colonials are just 2-3 when scoring at least 70 points...GW was 16-1 when scoring at least 70 points last season...Coach Karl Hobbs has used eight different starting lineups through 15 games...GW used just five different starting lineups in 32 games last season...Rice needs 11 points to pass Gene Guarilia for 29th place in program history...Rice is averaging 10.1 points per game in seven career games against the Hawks...In six games at the Smith Center this season, opponents have averaged just 50.8 points on 31.7% shooting...Over the past four seasons, the Colonials have the best record in A-10 play at 38-10...St. Joseph's is second at 32-16...GW's five-game losing streak is its longest since dropping six-straight in the 2002-2003 season...The Colonials are 2-3 on Wednesdays and 1-4 this month...GW is 5-2 when holding opponents under 70 points and 3-6 coming off of a loss...The Colonials rallied from a 14-point first half deficit, which ties for the sixth-biggest comeback under Hobbs, in the last meeting between these teams at the Smith Center...GW won 74-65 on January 24, 2007...Carr is probable for tonight's game after spraining his right ankle in practice on January 14...Calathes was named the A-10 Co-Player of the Week on Sunday...If the A-10 Tournament started today, GW would not qualify for it...Since the A-10 expanded to 14 teams before the 2005-2006 season, only Duquesne (2006), LaSalle (2007), and St. Bonaventure (2006 and 2007) have failed to do so.

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

Update, 6:35 p.m. - Although there are still 30 minutes until tip-off, it is a disappointing showing for the Smith Center student section filling not even the first two rows. St. Joe's fans seem to outnumber GW fans 2:1 right now. This could be the result of GW's recent four game losing streak, however one would think that the impressive performance against Xavier would inspire some more fans to show their support. Starting line-ups to come...

Update, 6:55 p.m. - With under 10 minutes until tip-off, the lower level of the student section is till filing in, while the Hawks faithful on the other end have made the trip from Philly to support their recently hot, St. Joe's team who is 4-1 in conference play. Here are your starters:

St. Joseph's
G - David Govens (6-1 sophomore from Chester, PA)
G - Tasheed Carr (6-4 junior from Philadelphia, PA)
F - Rob Ferguson (6-8 senior from Ft. Myers, FL)
F - Pat Calathes (6-10 senior from Casselberry, FL)
C - Ahmad Nivins (6-9 junior from Jersey City, NJ)

GW
G - Maureece Rice (6-1 senior from Philadelphia, PA)
G - Noel Wilmore (6-3 junior from Philadelphia, PA)
F - Damian Hollis (6-8 sophomore from Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
F - Rob Diggs (6-8 junior from Brandywine, MD)
F - Joseph Katuka (6-10 freshman from Zaria, Nigeria)

Interesting to note for GW that Wilmore took five threes at the end of warm-ups and hit all three. For St. Joe's, interesting to see that Carr is getting the start despite his recent injury. He is one five players averaging double digit scoring for the Hawks. And we are ready for the tip.

Update, 7:05 p.m. - A disappointing opening possession for the Colonials as they are unable to get a good shot off including a force-up by Hollis that was blocked. St. Joe's got the ball right inside to Ferguson and they get an easy two. Colonials looking how they typically do on the road in a frenzied state on offense and ineffective on defense. Wynton Witherspoon and Xavier Alexander go the scoring table to check in.

Update, 7:08 p.m. - Three minutes into the game, the Colonials are yet to score. St. Joe's man-to-man has not given GW any open looks and they can't seem to create on screens off the ball. On the other end, quick passes have opened up shots early for St. Joe's as they take an early 7-0 lead.

Update, 7:12 p.m. - Great hustle on that last play by Xavier Alexander, cutting off a loose ball in the back court. Interesting to see that kind of hustle from him after being taken aside in the Duquesne game by Coach Hobbs who asked him to go after those loose balls.

Update, 7:19 p.m. - At the second official's timeout, the Colonials have come back firing. Under the leadership of Johnny Lee who checked in to the game at the 15-minute mark, this Colonials offense has finally begun to get comfortable. Starting with a putback tip by Rob Diggs, the Colonials went on a 10-2 run including a 3-pointer by Lee that may have been one of the loudest moments in the Smith Center so far this season. 13-12 St. Joe's.

Update, 7:22 p.m. - The Colonials have tightened things up on the defensive end forcing a shot clock violation in a 2-3 zone match-up look.

Update, 7:26 p.m. - GW adds even more pressure on the defensive end bringing the trap for the first time all game. They force D.J. Rivera to the line who misses both free throws. Since bringing defensive pressure, St. Joe's has had only two points in the last four minutes.

Update, 7:44 p.m. - I would like to apologize for the technical difficulties I have not been able to post updates over the last fifteen minutes. There is, however, a lot to report. After the 15-minute mark in this game when St. Joe's was up 10-2, GW switched to a 2-3 pressure look on defense which has forced turnovers allowing them to convert on the fast break. As a result, GW has gone on a 29-18 run as the Colonials lead 31-28 in the waning seconds of the first half.

Update, 7:49 p.m. - At halftime, GW leads this one 31-30 thanks to some pressure defense converting turnovers into fast break points on the other end and improving their shooting efficiency from the perimeter, ending the half shooting 3 for 8 from beyond the arc.

Update, 8:09 p.m. - Both teams have started cold from the field to start the second half with St. Joe's scoring just 5 points and GW not hitting a single shot despite several opportunities including a 3 on 2 that ended in Cheyenne Moore attempting to make a behind-the-back pass which ended in another GW turnover. In the first half, GW took better care of the ball but cannot seem to get anything going in this second half. St. Joe's leads 35-31 going into the first official's timeout.

Update, 8:16 p.m. - Interesting to note that GW has not lost a game when leading at the half and they led going into the locker rooms 31-30. The Colonials have gotten better looks from 3 but have missed all three attempts from 3 in this half. St. Joe's leads 37-31.

Update, 8:19 p.m. - Rob Diggs started to really heat things up for the Colonials. He has made two straight attempts from the foul-line extended to give him 16 points as he now leads all scorers with 16 points but has picked up his third foul. Realizing his significance in this offense, however, Coach Hobbs is keeping him in the game just as he did against Duquesne when he picked up three fouls mid-way through the second half.

Update, 8:24 p.m. - GW is starting to use that home court to their advantage getting two straight momentum-shifting baskets. The first was a tenacious throw-down from Cheyenne Moore and the second a floater in the lane from Wynton Witherspoon. Both baskets occurred following a missed three-point attempt from Tasheed Carr which could have given St. Joe's their largest lead of the game at 10. The Colonials now trail 42-39.

Update, 8:29 p.m. - Rob Diggs connects on another jumper from the baseline to give him 20 points in this game. He is shooting a perfect ten for ten from the field. The rest of the team is shooting just 10 for 34. The crowd is fired up as the Colonials now lead 47-46.

Update, 8:40 p.m. - As we come down the stretch, important to note that Damian Hollis has picked up his fourth foul. He is not being subbed out of the game. Although he has not scored in this game, he is GW's leading rebounder with 9. Both defenses have really stepped up their perimeter pressure in the second half as St. Joe's has shot just 2 for 11 and GW 0 for 5 from beyond the arc. At the last official's timeout, St. Joe's leads 51-49.

Update, 8:48 p.m. - A momentum-killing off-the-ball foul for GW as Rob Diggs is called for his fifth foul with 1:41 remaining in this game. The Colonials trail 53-49 and needed Diggs' precision down the stretch who ended this game at a perfect 10 for 10 from the field with 10 rebounds to post a double double. St. Joe's hits all four free throws down the stretch to give them a 57-49 lead. GW will not foul with a minute left in this one. They hold off the Hawks for another possession and get a dunk on the other end from Damian Hollis to give him his first points of the game. The Colonials trail 57-51 with 40 seconds remaining as the Hawks call a timeout.

Update, 8:54 p.m. - A three-pointer by Maureece Rice is good to keep the Colonials in this one for the moment. St. Joe's hits the first of a pair at the line and GW ran the floor to get a three-point look from Noel Wilmore, however it was partially blocked to give the Hawks the ball back. They miss both at the line and GW comes back the other way to get a quick 2 from Noel Wilmore. Johnny Lee steals the in-bound pass and gets the ball to Wilmore who hits the 3! The Hawks miss the second on a pair at the line. Timeout St. Joe's. I dare you to script this.

Xavier Alexander passes the ball down court looking for Maureece Rice. He gets hand-checked but no foul call. St. Joe's will escape with a 61-59 victory at the Smith Center.

A valiant effort by GW in this one but they come up on the short end of a hard fought game at home losing to the Saint Joseph's Hawks who now share the lead for the A10 conference with Xavier. Thanks for joining us. Post-game audio to come.

Update, 11.45 p.m. - Postgame audio will be up here at some point; another reporter left the Smith Center with my recorder, so I have to track him down. Sorry for the delay.