GW Women's Basketball

Monday I went to a GW women's basketball game. They played cross town rival American.

There was a pretty good crowd considering it was the last day most people had off for the holidays.

GW ended up winning 60-49 but at one point American was within 3 points. It was a very entertaining game. You can read more about it here.

BB&T Classic

Stu and I went to the BB&T Classic at the Verizon Center on Sunday. It was GW against Virginia Commonwealth and Maryland against Notre Dame.

GW didn't do very well against VCU. The final score 75-60 didn't exactly reflect how close the game was. VCU was able to get off too many three point shots. In fact they had more points on 3-point baskets than GW had the whole first half:

“We were supposed to go under screens and we were helping too much,” GW Coach Mike Lonergan said. “We let [Bradford] Burgess get off to a great start, then we tried to change some things and three or four guys may have been on the same page, but a few guys would have a breakdown on every play. . . . We tried to trap a little, but the rotation was a little slow, which gave them more open threes.”

Maryland did better. They won against Norte Dame 78-71.

I forgot to bring my regular camera so these pictures were taken with my iPhone. I think they came out pretty well. As you can see there were not many people there. It did fill in a little for the second game.


















Here's the GW pep band getting ready to play.



















































This young GW fan couldn't stand to watch the game at the end.




















Stu and I mugging for the camera.

GW vs. Harvard

I went to my first GW men's basketball at Smith Center on Saturday. GW took on Harvard. GW lead for a large part of the game but in the end could not pull it off. They ended up loosing 67-62. This best sums up what happened:

Not long after the first scheduled timeout of the second half, the momentum shifted against GW. The Colonials had gone up 41-34 on David Pellom's alley-oop dunk and seemed poised to break the game open. But then the Colonials started having trouble putting the ball in the basket. After making 48.1 percent of its shots in the first half, GW struggled against Harvard's zone defense, making only 37.9 percent of its shots from the floor after halftime.

It was a rather frustrating game to watch because they should have won easily. But as they say that's why you play the game.

GW Looses to Navy

The Midshipman arrive at Verizon Center.


















The Midshipman try to distract a GW player while he shots free throws.










This sums up the performance of the GW Colonials on Sunday:

Navy defeated George Washington, 64-57, on Sunday evening in the BB&T Classic at Verizon Center, the Midshipmen's first win against the Colonials since Feb. 14, 1980 and only their second win against GW in their last 17 meetings.

And one of the major reasons they lost the game was this:

GW, which went long stretches in this game without a field goal, tried to counter Navy's three-point shooting - the Midshipmen made 11 shots from behind the arc - by attacking the basket and drawing fouls. It was a successful strategy, in part. The Colonials went to the free throw line 28 times in the game. The problem was, they made only 18 foul shots.

If they'd done a little better with their free throws, the outcome of the game might have been very different. Hopefully this will be the last year the GW coach is there.

The Most Successful Team on Sunday

The Most Successful Team on Sunday turned out to be the GW women. They won their game but it took them a little while to do so. They only scored 17 points in the first half. Less than a point a minute. But they made up for it in the second half. They scored 50 and ended up winning the game. They now have almost as many wins as they had for all of last year.

Basketball-athon

Sunday my friend Stu and I took in 9 hours of college basketball. Four games (well actually 3 1/2 since we only saw the second half of one).

It started out at GW where the women played George Mason. We then headed over to the Verizon Center to watch the BB&T Classic. American took on Florida, the GW men played Navy and Maryland played Temple.

I'll have more about this in a post later today.

GW Women's Basketball vs. North Texas

GW women hosted North Texas on Sunday. It was the first time I'd been in the remodeled Smith Center. It is still very much a work in progress.


I like the additional space in the lobby area. Also the ticket area is so much better. It is still a work in progress. There's nothing up on most of the walls so far.

The new score board is very state of the art.

GW Women's Basketball vs. North Texas, Part II

GW took a big lead in the second half but then allowed North Texas back into the game. North Texas go to within 6 points. They had several chances to get within 4. GW finally put there foot down and won the game.

GW Women's Basketball

I went to a GW women's game on Saturday. The day it was so very cold out. It was a very exciting game. They played Rice. GW had a lead in the second half but could not hold onto it. They lost 65-57.

Here are some pictures. I discovered that with the sports setting on my new camera it will take pictures one right after the other. This is sequence at the free throw line.

GW Against Oregon State with the First Family

Some shots of the new set up at the Smith Center and then the arrival of the First Family.

Once my friend Stu and I heard about this game we were fairly certain that if the Obamas were in town they would be showing up for the game.

GW Against Oregon State with the First Family, Part II

This clip is the introduction of the players. Oregon State is introduced first. Mrs. Obama's reaction to the announcement of her brother's name is just great.

GW Against Oregon State with the First Family, Part III

This is the last few minutes of the game when GW made a run at trying to win. With 33.8 second left in the game GW was down by 2 points. Also Oregon State just lost focus and allowed GW to get way too close.

GW Basketball with the First Family, Part IV

The Colonials came close to winning the game in the last minute but fell short. It was interesting that the GW players came over and shook hands with the first family. The Oregon State players were heading toward the locker room when one of them motioned for them to come over and shake hands. He's the first guy you see from the Oregon State team shaking hands.

I also thought it was nice that the President picked up his used water bottle.

It was just a very very cool afternoon. To think I watched a game with the President. Sweet!

GW Plays Oregon State

This is the first game of the GW season that I've been to. Here are a few shots of the remodeling they've done so far.

There also was a special guest for the game.

Obama at Colonials Game

Pictures of President Obama at the GW game against Oregon State. When we heard about this game on the GW schedule, my friend Stu and I figured there was a very good chance Obama would be there. After all the Oregon State coach is Michelle's brother.

Obama at GW

Here are some more pictures of the President. The first picture is the last play of the first half. GW fell behind 16-0 in the first half. They came back in the second had the ball and could have cut the lead to 4 but blew it. Then in the last couple of minutes Oregon State allowed GW back in the game. GW was behind by just 3 with a minute left. But alas it was not to be.

This from the Post:

Obama stayed after the game was over to shake hands with players and coaches from both teams.

"He told us good game, great effort," Bynes said. "Personally, I felt like . . . I can't even explain the words right now. I was very excited to shake his hand. Even with the loss, that was a bright spot of the day."

Once again I'll say I love living in Washington, DC.

GW Women's Basketball, Part I

Went to a GW Women's basketball game tonight. They played St. Joseph's. For a while in the first half GW was behind. But in the last few minutes of the first half GW built a 14 point lead which they took into half time. The first two pictures are the introduction of the players.
















































This was a three point shot that went in.



















A foul shot that went in. GW had a little trouble at the free throw line. This is something that drives me nuts that college level players are not better at this. I'd say in general the women seem to be a little better at it then the men.