2023-11-24 22:21:37
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SAN JUAN, PR – The Charlotte women’s basketball will be looking to conclude the 2023 Discover Puerto Rico Shootout with a win on Saturday (Nov. 25) as they prepare to face George Washington.
SCOUTING GEORGE WASHINGTON
The Revolutionaries entered Puerto Rico with a 3-1 record, starting the season with three straight wins over Howard, Manhattan, and American before dropping a close 62-59 game on the road at Maryland Eastern Shore.
LOOKING FOR A WIN
Both Charlotte and George Washington came up short in their first two games of the 2023 Discover Puerto Rico Shootout, losing to Southern Illinois and West Virginia.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mayowa Taiwo put up a double-double in the loss once morest West Virginia with 11 points and 10 rebounds, the only player for George Washington that was in double figures. Turnovers proved costly in the loss as the Revolutionaries totaled 25 as a team leading to 23 points off turnovers for the Mountaineers.
Nya Robertson leads the team in scoring by averaging 14 points per game with her best performance coming in the win over Howard when she scored 29 points on 8 three-pointers in 34 minutes of action. While she was kept in check once morest West Virginia, only scoring 2 points on 1-7 shooting, she scored a team-high 23 in the loss versus Southern Illinois. In 2023, she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Freshman Team and earned A-10 Sixth Man of the Year.
HEAD COACH CAROLINA COMBS
Coach Combs enters her third year as head coach of the George Washington women’s basketball program, coming off an 18-13 season (9-7 A-10) when the team set a new school record for most three-pointers made in a season with 253, including three players earned all-conference honors.
Previous stops for Combs include Stony Brook (2014-2021) where she was named the 2020 America East Coach of the Year, leading the Seawolves to their first NCAA tournament appearance. Over a 15 year period, she was an assistant with four NCAA Division 1 programs (Auburn, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, and Valparaiso) appearing in five NCAA tournaments, including two trips to the Sweet 16. Combs helped develop a pair of AP All-Americans and three WNBA players.
GETTING TO THE FREE THROW LINE
Charlotte came out with a sense of urgency once morest West Virginia, attacking the defense and getting to the free throw line. The Niners shot 30 free throws in the loss, making 25 of them (83.3%). Dazia Lawrence and Aylesha Wade each shot 6-for-7 from the line.
SOLID FIRST QUARTER
A silver lining from Friday’s loss was the way Charlotte played in the first quarter. The 49ers came out attacking offensively, getting to the free throw line, resulting in foul trouble for West Virginia. Charlotte reclaimed the lead with a minute remaining when Imani Smith got the steal, and found Aylesha Wade open in the corner for a three-pointer to take a 17-16 lead. As time was expiring, Smith drove to the basket, drew the contact, and converted on the and-one opportunity to give Charlotte the 20-19 advantage.
TRYING TO STAY CONSISTENT
West Virginia flipped the script following the first quarter, seizing control of the game. The Mountaineers turned up the pressure defensively, forcing 10 turnovers in the second period and getting Charlotte out of their rhythm offensively. The Niners made just one field goal in the second quarter, coming at the 6:40 mark on a jumper from Dazia Lawrence. Charlotte finished the contest with 30 turnovers, with West Virginia capitalizing with 29 points of the turnovers.
COACH CONSUEGRA ON THE LOSS
“Over the course of these two games, we have been disappointed with our performance. We know we are a better basketball team. Turnovers and shot attempts have been a big issue. The season is still young, we must continue to gel and come together as a group. West Virginia played their zone differently today and executed it well. They did not allow Dazia to touch the ball and made it tough on her.”
COACH CONSUEGRA ON THE TEAM’S MINDSET
“We must come out and put 40 minutes of Charlotte basketball together. That’s taking care of the ball, and moving the ball offensively to get better shots. We must have a short memory and move forward. Our team is excited for another opportunity.”
NEXT UP
The 2023 Discover Puerto Rico Shootout concludes tomorrow at 12:30 pm EST (1:30 pm AST) with Charlotte taking on George Washington. Fans can stream the action on Flo Sports (subscription required), while live stats and radio links will be available online.
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