WASHINGTON – Senior Tara Booker was one of four players to post double figures with a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double to lead the George Washington women’s basketball team to a 77-66 exhibition win over Division II UDC Tuesday night at the Charles E. Smith Center.
The Colonials got off to a slow start, missing their first seven field goal attempts of the evening while falling behind, 10-2, but junior Danni Jackson proceeded to ignite the Colonials’ offense by scoring seven of the team’s first 10 points on the way to a 19-point evening on five-of-nine shooting. She added six rebounds, five assists, three steals and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line.
GW battled back to tie the score at 22-22 with six minutes left in the first half. Junior Brooke Wilson then scored five points in a row to start an 11-4 run to close the half and give the Colonials a 35-26 halftime lead. Wilson would go onto finish with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
GW used five first-half three pointers to pace the offense while holding a 26-17 advantage in rebounds to assume a comfortable halftime margin. The margin on the glass led to an 8-2 advantage in second chance points.
The Colonials extended their lead to 12 points early in the second half after Booker scored seven consecutive points. The Galloway, N.J., native finished 9-of-20 from the field and was dominant in the paint collecting 14 rebounds, including eight offensive boards that led to multiple second-chance opportunities.
UDC fought their way back into the game by sinking eight second-half three pointers, including four by Jamilia Bonner. Bonner led all players with 25 points, including seven three pointers.
The Firebirds regained the lead with 3:50 left in the game on a free throw by Lauren Brittingham, but the Colonials responded by closing the game on a 14-2 run. JuniorMegan Nipe caught fire down the stretch as she scored 10 straight points to close the game.
Nipe, who missed all but four games of the 2010-11 season with a knee injury, finished with 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting. She added five rebounds and five assists.
Freshman Chakecia Miller , in her first collegiate appearance, finished with a team-high four steals and two rebounds in 23 minutes off of the bench.
GW was without two of their top players as seniors Sara Mostafa (illness) and Tiana Myers (hamstring) were out of the lineup. Both are expected to ready for Sunday’s season opener at UT Arlington. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Texas Hall.
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