Jan. 18, 2005

GW Men’s Basketball Starts Strong

The GW men’s basketball team is off to its best start since the 1992–93 season. The Colonials opened the year at 10–2, moved up three spots to No. 21 in the Associated Press men’s basketball poll for the week of Jan. 9, and have been ranked for six consecutive weeks — the second-longest streak in school history.

GW upset the University of Maryland (then ranked 12th by the AP) 101–92 to win the BB&T Classic Championship Dec. 5. The team earned its spot in the championship round against the Terps with a 96–83 win over then No. 11 Michigan State.

The Colonials opened the season with a 97–76 loss to second-ranked Wake Forest in the Preseason National Invitation Tournament (NIT) first-round game, Nov. 15, but followed that NIT loss with an eight-game winning streak.

Prior to the start of the season, GW and Saint Joseph’s were tabbed as the teams to beat in the Atlantic 10 men’s basketball race, according to a poll of conference coaches.

GW received 48 of the 54 votes to win the Atlantic 10 West division. The confidence was based on the return of five starters and 13 players from last year’s 18–12 team, which finished second in the West division, advanced to the A-10 semifinals, and earned an NIT berth.

In that same poll, the coaches and media named T.J. Thompson to the preseason All-Conference First Team. Mike Hall and Pops Mensah-Bonsu were second team selections and Carl Elliott was chosen for the All-Defensive team.

GW returns to campus for A-10 conference match-ups against Xavier Jan. 25, at 7 pm, and Dayton Jan. 30, at 2 pm.

GW Basketball Takes Big Brothers and Big Sisters of DC Out to the Movies
The GW basketball team, led by head coach Karl Hobbs, and including Loews Theatres, and Paramount Pictures, hosted the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Washington, DC, for a private advance screening of the new Samuel L. Jackson film, “Coach Carter,” at the Loews Cineplex in Georgetown, Jan. 7.

“I’m excited to take part in this opportunity to join the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization in viewing a very entertaining and educational film,” Hobbs said.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu

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