Quick takes on GW vs Fordham (and in general)

The good guys triumphed again, beating Fordham 79-59 in their first really solid conference win. The result was never in doubt as the Colonials started the game on something like an 18-2 run, hitting their first 7 shots on 7 assists.

Watching the game on a huge screen at a new sports bar in Petworth, The Pitch, my buddy kept saying the Rams were the worst college team he's seen. I didn't agree with that, but they did make a lot of questionable plays, bad passes, crummy shots and such. But GW took advantage. John Kopriva had his best game yet, scoring an aggressive 19 points on 7/7 shooting and 4/4 from the line. I've been really impressed by Kopriva this year, he's really stepped up and gotten better. 

Patricio Garino wasn't afraid to shoot it, which is a welcome development, hitting two threes, while Joe McDonald also didn't hesitate to shoot, continuing a positive trend over the last few games. 

Kevin Larsen also played aggressively with 11 points, 8 boards and some nifty assists. Personally I want him to always shoot it if he gets the ball down low.

The good guys also got to the line and knocked then down, hitting 21/29 free throws, also continuing a welcome trend in the past few games. If the offense isn't clicking, they'll have to keep that up.

Something else exciting to see was the GW fan base in the stands at Rose Hill Gym: they were numerous and loud. The Fordham fans on the other hand were pretty sparse and quiet -- apparently there's some kind of Fordham fan protest going on. (Also I just realized their acronym is FU.)

On a more somber note, Yuta Watanabe appeared to hurt his ankle early on and didn't return. He was able to limp though, so I hope it's not too bad.

As for the rest, Paul "Prince Harry of Harlem" Jorgensen got a fair amount of playing time and continued to impress. He ran the point well and knocked down some nice shots. Darian Bryant also had a nice jump step-and-floater move too. 

All the starters scored on double figures, but the bench only contributed 8 -- due to Yuta's injury and Coach Lonergan leaving the starters in for most of the game. 

There were a few defensive lapses allowing easy Fordham baskets, but those seemed to have been only in the first half, if my memory serves.

A nice night of basketball, and I hope the good guys keep it up against tougher competition. GW faces Duquesne at 2 pm in Saturday at the Smith Center.