GW Hoops / GW versus St. Louis University Game Thread

**Posted by xAC** 12/30/2021 4:20 pm

The A10 starts for GW (perhaps) with a Smith Center encounter on New Year’s Day.

St. Louis University (the Billikens) was projected to finish 4th in the preseason A10 polls. Their record stands at 4-8 in what appears to be a solid schedule, so it should be discounted as a major factor for our game. Their losses include the likes of Kansas, Missouri, and Florida Gulf Coast. They have two common opponents with GW, Florida (54-69 loss) and UT-Martin (59-54 win), which mirror GW’s outcomes. They defeated Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) 63-57, interesting because in that contest, ex-Colonial Gabbie Nikitinaite scored a game high 22 points against them on 7-11 shooting. Their last scheduled game OOC was to be against Bradley on the 28th, but it was canceled.

St. Louis will be a tall order for GW. I say “tall” because they are led by 6’5” senior Brooke Flowers, who averages a double-double, 11.1 ppg and 11 rpg. Although only a preseason 3rd team selection for All A10, she is 1st team All Defense and already has more blocks this season (33) than the entire GW team. She is complemented by Ciaja Harbison (All A10 1st team pre-season pick), a senior guard who leads the team in scoring at 16.3 ppg. The inside-out duo of Flowers and Harbison poses a big challenge for GW. The Billikens average 62.5 ppg, while giving up the exact same number. St. Louis shoots 39.9% (26.9 from distance) as a team.

GW comes into the game completing their OOC schedule at 7-6. They are shooting 34.1% (29.2 from 3pt range) as a team, and averaging 52.2 ppg, while giving up 53.6 ppg. With the challenges the defense will face, it’ll be important to be more consistent on offense and to minimize the number and duration of scoreless periods of play. In our last outing, our shooting percentage was pretty bad, but on the positive side, our offense created numerous inside and outside opportunities. Now, we just have to hit more of them.

It will be interesting to see what GW’s A10 rotation looks like, especially if everyone is healthy. Laureano (ankle) is a question mark. If Haydon and Taiwo are still out, it will be even more difficult for GW to battle St. Louis’ height. The A10 season is finally starting. Exciting times.

Last edited by xAC (1/01/2022 9:55 am)

**Posted by xAC** 12/31/2021 1:33 pm

Game has been postponed. I assume it's due to Covid on St. Louis side because they cancelled their last game, but I don't know for sure. Hopefully, Richmond game comes off.

**Posted by GW Alum Abroad** 12/31/2021 2:20 pm

As per the A10, SLU has COVID issues.
https://gwsports.com/news/2021/12/31/atlantic-10-makes-changes-to-saturday-womens-basketball-schedule.aspx

**Posted by xAC** 2/12/2022 10:47 pm

GW versus St. Louis Make-Up Game

We were supposed to open our A10 slate against the Billikens on New Year’s Day, but Covid protocol prevented that from happening and the game was rescheduled for a Valentine's Day matinee. St. Louis is 7-14 overall and 3-6 in the A10, coming off a big win against Davidson on Saturday night. Their best player Ciaja Harbison (18.1 ppg on 41.4% shooting) was out due to an injury, making the win even more significant.

If Harbison does play on Monday, the Billikens will look a lot like the Bonnies, with Harbison providing dominating guard play and Brooke Flowers providing the inside threat. Harbison plays a lot like the Bonnie’s Asianae Johnson but is not shy about taking 3’s. Flowers is the A10’s leading rebounder and averages a double-double (10.8 ppg, and 11.3 rpg).

If Harbison doesn’t play, we’ll see the lineup that beat Davidson, featuring 6’5” Flowers and 6’4” Sevval Gul playing together. Both had double-doubles in the game-- Flowers (13,15) and Gul (14,11). St. Louis’ height was effective on defense, holding the Wildcats to 31.2% overall field goal percentage and only 20% from 3-point range. The downside to this lineup was that Davidson was able to force 17 TOs, and the Billikens could only hit on 1-11 from distance.

St. Louis’ height is going to be a challenge, but Taiwo and Engel have been holding their own down low. Our offensive rebounding has been great, but we have to take advantage and increase our number of second chance points. Our offensive flow has been improving every game. We are not taking bad shots and that is allowing our transition defense to get set. We need to hit our open shots. 4th quarter rallies are great, but just how long can we rely on them?

**Posted by gwstudent2024** **Online!** 2/14/2022 1:39 pm

Does anyone know why this game is being played at 2 PM on a Monday? Why couldn't they have played it tonight instead?

**Posted by BC** 2/14/2022 3:39 pm

Women win 3rd straight 63-41.

**Posted by xAC** 2/14/2022 4:18 pm

GW wins 63-41 against a Billikens squad with only seven players suited up.

Our defense was once again stout, and our offense looks really good when we’re hitting shots. Harbison was out due to concussion protocol and St. Louis was shorthanded, but they had a very tall lineup. Taiwo and Engles did a great job on their twin towers, limiting Flowers to only 12 FG attempts in the game and totally neutralizing Gul (0 points and 2 rebounds). On the offensive end, Laureano and Engles, with 16 points each, scored in a variety of ways to preclude any long scoring droughts. The offense was fluid, especially when we were passing the ball around, but it was our defense that created many transition baskets that really helped us out (GW led 18-2 on fast break points).

We had a big lead and I wish we could have seen more minutes from some of the subs. Everyone with the exception of Ojo got into the game, but none played enough minutes to make any solid impressions.

At 0-8, I would have said winning 3 in a row is a big stretch, but here we are. Next, a rematch on Wednesday with George Mason, who beat us a few weeks ago in a game we should have won. Stay tuned.

**Posted by BC** 2/14/2022 4:51 pm

Is Engel really a walk-on? Kerr keeps saying she is, but if she is, she's the best walk-on in a long time.

**Posted by xAC** 2/14/2022 4:58 pm

Engel is a walk-on, but only I think, because we ran out of scholarships. Given her performance, I'm sure that'll change. She had the best High School credentials of any of our recruits, and you can tell that the game comes to her naturally. She was a big deal in Memphis, so I'm sure she could have gone to other schools.

https://gwsports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/maxine-engel/8135

I'm not sure what led her to choose GW given the scholarship situation, but I'm glad it turned out this way.

Last edited by xAC (2/14/2022 5:05 pm)

**Posted by gwstudent2024** **Online!** 2/14/2022 5:08 pm

Story from the Hatchet today on Engel: https://www.gwhatchet.com/2022/02/14/womens-basketball-walk-on-makes-strides-in-first-season/

She picked GW for purely academic reasons (she's a public health major) and got a chance to walk onto the basketball team. She reached out to the coaching staff once she decided to come to GW and it seems like the expectations were low coming in. I know she spent the first half of the season on the scout team and now she has taken advantage of her opportunity once it came. She's a really gifted offensive player and I'm excited to see her continue to grow over the next few years.

Last edited by gwstudent2024 (2/14/2022 5:08 pm)

**Posted by xAC** 2/14/2022 5:31 pm

Wow, after reading this, I'm liking her even more. Sounds like a great young woman with her head on straight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlHLKW3MlsE

Last edited by xAC (2/16/2022 1:16 pm)