Game 54: Women vs. Fordham

The #15/15 women's team hosts Fordham (0-28, 0-13) this afternoon at the Smith Center on Senior Day. GW (23-5, 11-2) is coming off of a 75-59 win at Richmond on Wednesday night. In that one, three Colonials reached double figures in scoring: Sarah-Jo Lawrence (19 points, three assists, three steals), Jessica Adair (17 points, five rebounds), and Whitney Allen (11 points, 10 rebounds, three steals). GW shot 31-55 (56.4%) from the field, including 6-14 (42.9%) from three-point land.

The Rams, who were picked to finish last out of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference, return two starters from the squad that went 3-25 and failed to qualify for the conference tournament. Fordham has two players averaging double figures in scoring: 5-7 freshman guard Megan Mahoney (15.5 points, 3.8 rebounds per game this season) and 5-9 junior guard Annie Zopf (10.9 points, 2.9 assists). Coach Cathy Andruzzi is 3-53 in her second year with the Rams; she is 127-147 in 10 seasons as a head coach.

Fordham is coming off of a 79-55 home loss to Charlotte on Wednesday night. In that one, three Rams reached double figures in scoring: Zopf (18 points, five rebounds), Mahoney (14 points), and 5-11 senior forward Beth Troutt (14 points). However, the 49ers led by 20 at intermission and held the home team to just 16-56 (28.6%) shooting from the field. Fordham comes into this one having lost 33-straight games dating back to last season. In 13 conference losses, the Rams have stayed within single digits of their opponents in only four of those contests. Fordham's average margin of defeat is 15.6 points per game.

This is the 14th-ever meeting between these programs; GW is 13-0. The last meeting came on January 12, 2007 in the Bronx, NY, which the Colonials won 77-51. In that one, three GW players reached double figures in scoring: Adair (19 points, seven rebounds), Kenan Cole (12 points), and Lawrence (11 points, six assists). The #12/14 Colonials led 46-10 at intermission and held Fordham to just 3-21 (14.3%) shooting from the field in the first half. GW is 7-0 all-time against Fordham at the Smith Center with an average margin of victory of 26.3 points per game.

Expect an inspired effort by GW in the final home game for seniors Kimberly Beck, Lawrence, Allen, and Lora Mitchell. The pick here is for the Colonials to at least clinch a share of the A-10 title with a win.

Steven Smith and Alex Tainsh have the call for WRGW with Max Feinblatt handling production duties. You can listen here starting at 1.40 p.m.

Game notes: GW must win today and hope Massachusetts upsets Temple in order to gain the top seed in the A-10 Tournament...A Colonials loss or Owls win will give GW the #2 seed...The Colonials have won at least a share of the A-10 title 12 times, a conference record...Beck is believed to be the only player in Division I women's basketball history to have at least 1,300 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 200 steals, and 60 blocks in her career...Beck is the only A-10 player ever to do so...Beck currently leads the conference in assists...She is looking to become the 11th player in Division I women's basketball history to lead her conference in assists for four-straight seasons...GW has won 12-straight at home and is 13-1 at the Smith Center...The 12-game home winning streak is tied for the ninth-longest in the nation...The Colonials have won 14-straight home conference games dating back to a 67-63 loss to Richmond on February 19, 2006...The current senior class is 28-1 at the Smith Center in regular season conference games...The current senior class is 53-5 at the Smith Center...The senior class is 97-27 in four seasons...GW has won 25 of its last 28 regular season A-10 games...The Colonials have won at least 20 games in each of the last nine seasons and in 17 of the last 18 years...Lawrence has been named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-America Third Team...She joins Kenan Cole (first team in 2007) and Jennifer Shasky (second team in 1993) as the only Colonials to ever be named national Academic All-Americans...GW has been ranked for 35-straight weeks in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll, a program record...GW has made at least one three-pointer in 83 consecutive games...The Colonials are averaging 1,851 fans per game at the Smith Center this season...The previous record was an average of 1,637 during the 1995-1996 season...The total attendance at GW home games this season is 25,919...That is a program record...Adair needs 25 points to become the 25th player in program history with 1,000 career points...The Colonials are 5-2 on Saturdays, 14-0 when holding opponents under 60 points, and 13-0 when scoring at least 70 points.

Starting lineups and other notes to follow from Smith Center once we get closer to tip-off.

Update, 1:57 p.m. - The 4 seniors and the three-year student manager are being honored here for their great work for the GW women's program. It has been a superb four years of basketball but the Colonials with six recruits and talented transfer Yolanda Lavender should have the pieces in place to continue its success under head coach Joe Mckeown. As for this season, the Colonials will look for a strong run in the A-10 tournament to get seeded for the NCAA tournament where they will look to accompish their pre-season goal of making it to the final four. Here are the starting lineups for both squads:

Fordham
G - Megan Mahoney (5-7 freshman from Staten Island, NY)
G - Kristina Bell (5-9 freshman from West Bloomfield, MI)
G - Annie Zopf (5-9 junior from Wexford, PA)
F - Takita Earl (6-1 junior from Elkhart, IN)
C - Kassie Humphries (6-2 junior from Frankton, 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 - Lora Mitchell (6-1 senior from Orem, UT)
C - Jessica Adair (6-4 junior from Washington, DC)

Great to see Lora Mitchell get the start on senior day as she has just scored the first point of the game.

Update, 2:31 p.m. - An 18-0 Colonials run has opened up a 21-5 lead midway through the first, a sluggish start for the Colonials but they have picked up the intensity on both ends of the court. Lora Mitchell is getting some extended time and she earned it scoring the game's first three points. GW will look to put this one away by the half.

Update, 3:03 p.m. - A 31-10 halftime lead for GW who has this game very much in hand. No one in double figures for the Colonials but Jessica Adair had eight points and eight boards controlling the pain. Whitney Allen had six points and seven rebounds as GW held a team to the fewest points allowed in a half this season. Expect to see a lot of reserves and Lora Mitchell in half number two and look for more offense as the Colonials shot just 35% themselves.

Update, 3:46 p.m. - That is a wrap, GW wins 66-27 in a rout that was more about the four graduating players. Stealing the spotlight was Junior Jazmine Adair who scored a career-high 15 points to lead GW. It was a memorable afternoon as Beck, Lawrence and Allen will be remembered for thier superb play throughout their four years at Foggy Bottom. Keep it here as we will be back for coverage from the Cintas Center tonight. So long everyone and thanks for a great women's regular season.