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 Senior Jessica Adair paced all players with 18 points to lead GW past South Alabama, 64-59, Friday. The Colonials host Hartford in their Thanksgiving Classic title game Saturday at 5:30 pm. |
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GW Advances to Thanksgiving Classic Title Game With 64-59 Win Over South Alabama
Nov. 28, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC - Seniors Jessica Adair and Antelia Parrish combined for 33 points and 56 percent shooting to lead the George Washington women's basketball team past South Alabama, 64-59, and into Saturday's championship game of its Thanksgiving Classic at Charles E. Smith Center Friday evening.
GW (3-2) will host Hartford (4-2) in Saturday's championship game at 5:30 pm. The Hawks defeated Liberty, 46-39, in Friday's Classic opener to advance to the title tilt. Liberty (1-3) and South Alabama (4-1) will tip-off Saturday's consolation game at 3:00 pm.
Jessica Adair led all scorers with 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Parrish connected on a career-high tying five 3-pointers to finish with 15 points as the Colonials extended their Smith Center winning streak to 16 games.
Adair, along with freshman Tara Booker, added a game-high three blocks and Parrish grabbed a game-best seven boards to prevent GW from losing three straight games for the first time since 2002. Booker and redshirt sophomore Ivy Abiona chipped in eight points apiece.
GW appeared to take control of a tight game when it grabbed a nine-point cushion at 40-31 on Parrish's fourth 3-pointer with 16:04 remaining. However, USA scored seven straight points to close the margin to two, 40-38, with 14:27 left and stayed within two possessions of GW for the next nine minutes.
Jessica Adair and twin sister Jazmine converted inside the paint on three successive offensive trips to give the Colonials their largest lead at 59-49 with 4:41 to play. The Lady Jaguars quickly sliced their deficit to four on a trio of Shakira Nettles' free throws and a Jessica Starling triple, but Parrish responded with her fifth 3-pointer to make it 62-55 at the 1:03 mark and seal the victory.
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The two teams' combined to hit 11 shots from behind the arc in a first half that featured five ties and eight lead changes. Parrish and Booker hit consecutive three-pointers as GW closed the first half with a 10-2 run to lead 31-25 at the half.
Nettles and Starling led USA with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Karina Sproal also reached double figures with 10. The Lady Jags hit nine 3-pointers, but went just 9-of-35 (25.7 percent) inside the arc.
GW equaled a season-high with eight 3-pointers and shot 49.0 percent (25-of-51) from the field. The Colonials also had a season-high 10 blocked shots and 28 turnovers.
