WASHINGTON – George Washington begins its 37th season of women’s basketball Sunday afternoon with a visit to Arlington, Texas, to face the UT Arlington Mavericks. Tip off from Texas Hall is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
Sunday marks the first meeting between GW and UT Arlington. In fact, the Colonials have only played two members of the Southland Conference to date. GW fell to Northwestern State (La.) on March 26, 1993 and Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 5, 1979.
GW is 20-16 all time in season-opening games, including a 7-14 mark when opening the season away from Charles E. Smith Center. However, GW is 4-1 in its last five season openers, including a thrilling 84-82 win at North Texas in nearby Denton, Texas, to begin the 2009-10 campaign. Then freshman Shi-Heria Shipp converted a tip-in with 3.3 seconds left for the game-winning basket against the Mean Green, while then sophomore Sara Mostafa finished two blocks shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks.
Senior Tara Booker was one of four players to post double figures with a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double to lead the Colonials to a 77-66 exhibition win over Division II UDC Tuesday night at Smith Center. Also posting double figures were juniors Megan Nipe (18), Danni Jackson (19) and Brooke Wilson (13).
GW was without two of its top players as seniors Sara Mostafa (illness) and Tiana Myers(hamstring) were held out of the exhibition. Both are expected to play Sunday.
UT Arlington is coming off an 8-21 campaign in 2010-11, and enters its fourth season under the direction of head coach Samantha Morrow.
This season marks the 49th and final season in the Southland Conference for UTA. Starting with the 2012-13 academic year, the Mavericks will begin competition in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
UTA was predicted to finish fourth out of six teams in the West Division of the Southland Conference in both the Coaches’ Poll and the Sports Information Poll.
UTA opened the 2010-11 season Friday night, falling to visiting North Texas, 66-47. Both Bianca Sauls and Desherra Nwanguma contributed 10 points apiece. Four other players added at least five points each as the Mavericks shot 34 percent for the game.
UTA struggled from behind the arc, hitting just two of 10 attempts, but were efficient at the free-throw line, hitting 11 of 14.
In the heart of the nation’s capital with additional programs in Virginia, the George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries. The George Washington University Department of Athletics and Recreation fields teams in 22 varsity sports (10 men’s, 12 women’s), 16 of which compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference, as well as offering extensive club sport, recreation, and health and wellness programs to the entire University community.
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