WASHINGTON – The George Washington women’s basketball team opened Saturday’s game with a 23-0 run and led by as many as 35 points en route to a convincing 83-59 victory over visiting Radford at the Charles E. Smith Center.
The victory snapped a three-game skid for GW (2-3), which scored the first 23 points of the game while holding Radford (4-1) scoreless though the opening 9:47 of action. The Colonials forced eight of the Highlanders’ 15 first-half turnovers in the opening nine minutes as they cruised to a 40-11 lead at intermission.
GW shot 50 percent (16-of-32) from the field in the first half, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, to post its best opening-half point total of the season. The Colonials’ defense held Radford to just four field goals (4-of-34) in the first period while converting 15 Highlander turnovers into 17 points, including 10 on the fast break.
Junior Danni Jackson scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the first 20 minutes while hitting both of her three-point attempts.
Saturday’s first half was GW’s best since Jan. 6, 2008, when it led Brown 51-11 at the half on the way to a 98-22 victory. Like Saturday, the Colonials sprinted out to a 23-0 lead against the Bears.
The Colonials would lead by as many as 35 points in the second half and maintained a cushion of at least 20 for the remainder of the game.
In addition to Jackson, two other GW players finished in double figures as seniors Sara Mostafa and Tara Booker contributed 11 points apiece. Mostafa added five rebounds and three blocks, while Booker hit three 3-pointers to go along with eight rebounds. With 123 career triples, Booker is one 3-point field goal shy of moving into a tie for seventh all-time in GW history.
Redshirt junior Brooke Wilson paced the Colonials on the glass with a game-high 11 rebounds, while sophomore Chelisa Painter added eight boards, seven points and a steal in 14 minutes off the bench.
GW held Radford to 25 percent (19-of-76) shooting from the field for the game, their best defensive showing since holding Saint Louis to 24.1 percent (13-of-54) from the field in a 49-36 victory last February. Additionally, GW finished with advantages in points in the paint (30-24), fast-break points (14-4), bench scoring (35-19) and points off turnovers (19-18).
The win marked the biggest margin of victory for the Colonials since a 77-36 victory over Coppin State in November 2008.
Radford, coached by GW alumna, all-time leading scorer and Athletic Hall of Fame member Tajama Abraham Ngongba (’97), was led by Ashley Buckhannon (19 points) and Da’Naria Erwin-Spencer (13 points).
GW returns to action Wednesday evening as it hosts Old Dominion in a non-conference game at Smith Center. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the contest will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. The Colonials will look to avenge their 60-35 loss to the Lady Monarchs on Dec. 8, 2010.
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