April 6, 2004

Short Postseasons Promise Long Off Season for Men’s and Women’s Basketball

The GW men’s basketball team, making its first post season appearance since the 1999 NCAA tournament and playing in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) for the first time since 1997, fell to the University of Virginia Cavaliers (79–66) on their home court March 17 in the opening round of the NIT.

J.R. Pinnock led the Colonials with 19 points, while fellow freshman Pops Mensah-Bonsu had 13 points and sophomore Omar Williams scored 12. GW lost despite out rebounding Virginia 44–32 and getting 23 second-chance points to the Cavaliers’ four.

Women Fall to DePaul In NCAA Opener
GW’s women’s basketball team lost to the DePaul Blue Demons, 83–46, in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament March 20 in Tallahassee, FL, before a crowd of 2,247 at Tallahassee Leon County Civic Center. The loss dropped the Colonials’ NCAA Tournament record to 22–8.

In what turned out to be their final game in GW uniforms, Ugo Oha led the Colonials in scoring with 15 points, followed by fellow seniors Cathy Joens with 12 points and Valerie Williams with 10 points. The Colonials committed five turnovers in the first seven minutes of the second half as the Blue Demons opened a 20-point lead. GW turned the ball over 24 times.

Joens Named AP All-America Honorable Mention
Joens was named All-America Honorable Mention by the Associated Press. The six-foot shooting guard from Irvine, CA, led the Colonials in scoring at 19.4 for the season and was one of only two players in the country to finish the season averaging more than 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals a game.

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