A new year means a new season for many of the local area teams. While some programs have flourished with their non-conference portion of the schedule, some have endured a few letdowns. The tipoff of conference action wipes the slate clean so to speak, and with March not so far off in the distance, the next few months will really determine who will be dancing come Selection Sunday.
George Washington Men: The Colonials (14-3, 2-1 Atlantic 10) get the top billing in our roundup this week because they are honestly the hottest program in the area right now. Last night’s 76-66 victory against Virginia Commonwealth further cemented George Washington as a legitimate contender in the Atlantic 10 as sophomores Patricio Garino and Kevin Larsen both had career-scoring nights with 25 points and 22 points apiece. Senior forward Isaiah Armwood was also a presence on the boards with 14 rebounds and four blocks. The Buff and Blue head up to St. Bonaventure this Saturday and then get a bye before playing at George Mason the following week. (See photos from their game against Rhode Island last week in the gallery above.)
George Washington Women: The Lady Colonials (12-4, 3-0 Atlantic 10) are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak and are 3-0 in conference action for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. They face Dayton on the road tomorrow evening.
Maryland Men: We are midway through January and it has already been a rough month for the struggling Terrapins. Maryland (10-7, 2-2 ACC) just wrapped up a brutal road jaunt, dropping games to both Pittsburgh and Florida in blowout fashion. In fact, it’s the first time Maryland has lost by twenty points or more in two consecutive road games since 2008. The Terps face a similarly desperate Notre Dame squad tonight at the Comcast Center. With 14 games left on the schedule, the Terps need to right the ship fast or are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year in a row.
Maryland Women: The sixth-ranked Lady Terps (14-1, 2-0 ACC) have continued their dominating season with an impressive road win against #10 North Carolina followed by a 76-49 drubbing of Wake Forest. Preseason All-American Alyssa Thomas was recently named to the 2014-16 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool and collected her 13th consecutive double-double against the Tar Heels. Maryland now hosts ACC newcomer Syracuse at the Comcast Center this Thursday night. As an added bonus, the first 1,000 fans will get free… orange juice? Okay then
Georgetown Men: The Hoyas (11-4, 3-1 Big East) have endured an up-and-down week during a pivotal three-game road stretch. After being upset by a depleted Providence squad, Georgetown bounced back in a gut-check, overtime 70-67 victory against Butler. Both games were played without junior center Josh Smith, who has been sitting out due to a lingering academic issue. The Hoyas will be without Smith once again as they travel to Cincinnati and face a challenging Xavier team tonight before finally returning to the friendly confines of the Verizon Center on Saturday against Seton Hall.
Georgetown Women: The Lady Hoyas (7-9, 1-3 Big East) finally snapped their six-game losing streak against Butler last Saturday. They head up to Rhode Island and face a winnable game against Providence tonight.
George Mason Men: It’s been a difficult January for the Patriots (7-9, 0-2 Atlantic 10) as they are in currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Winless in the conference, they host a Top 25 Massachusetts team at the Patriot Center tonight.
American University Men: After dropping three in a row in December, the Eagles (8-7, 4-0 Patriot) have won five straight and are undefeated in the Patriot League. They travel to Lehigh tonight and host Lafayette on Saturday.
Howard Men: The Bison (3-15, 1-2 MEAC) haven’t won a game since December 15, and it took an extra five minutes of basketball against Delaware State to make it happen. Howard hosts University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday.
American, Howard, George Mason Women: The Eagles (10-3, 3-1 Patriot) host Lehigh tonight, the Bison (6-10, 2-1 MEAC) host University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, and the Patriots (6-11, 0-4 Atlantic 10) play on the road against Richmond today.
