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November 2007 GW Basketball Teams Gear Up for New Season
It’s back to the court for GW’s men’s and women’s basketball teams this month. The men will rebuild their young team in hopes of once again reaching the NCAA tournament, while the women set their sights on the 2008 NCAA Final Four in Tampa, Fla. Men’s basketball coach Karl Hobbs says the team’s two returning starters, senior Maureece Rice and junior Rob Diggs, as well as sophomores Damian Hollis and Travis King and junior Cheyenne Moore, will be key in defending their Atlantic-10 title against a tough 2007-08 schedule. “Our strength is our speed and athleticism, which has become our trademark,” says Hobbs. “Our weakness is our lack of experience in the five positions where we have two freshmen and a sophomore.” The team kicks off the season Nov. 10 against Mount St. Mary’s at the Charles E. Smith Athletic Center. The team also will co-host the 13th annual BB&T Classic with the University of Maryland at the Verizon Center Dec. 2 and will make road trips to California and Alabama. The women’s team is looking to repeat last season’s school record-tying 28 victories and an end-of-the-year top-15 ranking. The Colonials are returning 13 players, including senior guards Kim Beck and Sarah-Jo Lawrence, and women’s basketball coach Joe McKeown and the team hope to be top contenders for the 2008 Final Four. The women’s season starts Nov. 9 against University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the team’s first home game is Nov. 14 against the University of Kentucky at the Charles E. Smith Athletic Center. The women face tough competition this season, including teams from last year’s NCAA tournament. “Coaches tend to understate possibilities, but I think with four returning starters and an accomplished roster coming off a Sweet 16 appearance, our expectations are obviously high,” says McKeown. “We have a team with a lot of senior leadership and players who want GW to be considered among the best teams in college basketball.”
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