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Updated 7:21 AM on Tuesday, March 20, 2007

GW defense downs A&M

By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES - George Washington's matchup zone defense, nicknamed The Blizzard, put a chilling end to Texas A&M women's magical basketball season.

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Buy this photo AP Photo Texas A&M's Damitria Buchanan (2) attempts to shoot under the block of George Washington's Jazmine Adair (21) during the first half of the NCAA women's second round college basketball game at the Galen Center in Los Angeles Monday, March 19, 2007.

The Aggies struggled offensively against the Colonials, who gutted out a 59-47 victory over the Aggies in an NCAA Tournament second-round game at Southern Cal's Galen Center on Monday night.

Fifth-seeded GW, 28-3, advances to the Sweet 16 this weekend in Dallas, where it will play the winner of the game between top-seeded North Carolina and No. 9 seed Notre Dame.

Midway through the first half it was the A&M women who looked poised to return to Texas for the Sweet 16, slugging out a 16-8 lead.

The game's defensive physicalness seemed to favor the Aggies, who swept Big 12 powers Oklahoma and Baylor.

"I thought we had control of the game for the first 12 to 14 minutes," A&M coach Gary Blair said.

But the Colonials methodically gained the upper hand with a zone defense that features one player in the middle out front, who is flanked behind by two rows of two players. The defensive players run at the opponent with the ball from all angles, trying to force a turnover or ill-advised shot. The catch is it's not always the same players applying the pressure.

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Buy this photo AP Photo Texas A&M's Danielle Gant (55) is tied up by George Washington's Jamila Bates during the second half of the NCAA women's second round college basketball game at the Galen Center in Los Angeles Monday, March 19, 2007.

A&M had some success early finding soft spots for shooting guard Takia Starks to hit some mid-range jumpers, but the Aggies couldn't score consistently.

A&M had long stretches where it didn't have a field goal.

The Aggies were 0-for-8 shooting from the field with five turnovers in a 7-minute, 19-span in the first half that allowed GW to turn an eight-point deficit into a 17-16 lead.

"We had too many turnovers in the first half," Blair said. "We weren't dissecting their defense as well."

Late in the second half A&M was held without a bucket for 4:32, missing four shots while commiting two turnovers as GW built a 54-43 lead. Danielle Gant ended the drought scoring off an offensive rebound with 2:34 left, but A&M missed its next two shots, then turned the ball over.

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Buy this photo AP Photo Texas A&M's coach Gary Blair reacts as his team turns the ball over to George Washington during the second half of the NCAA women's second round college basketball game at the Galen Center in Los Angeles Monday, March 19, 2007.

"We actually dissected [their defense] better in the second half, but missed wide-open, wide-open, shots," Blair said. "Kimberly Beck just took over the game in the second half and made good decisions."

Beck, GW's point guard who had a game-high 18 points, put the final dagger in A&M's season with a 3-pointer with 1:41 left to make it 57-45.

GW's matchup zone effectively took away A&M's inside game, denying dribble-penetation baskets. The Aggies scored only 18 points in the paint and were forced to shoot jumpers.

A&M shot only 27.3 percent from the floor in the final 30 minutes - hitting 12 of 44. The Aggies were 3-of-17 shooting 3-pointers.

All-Big 12 point guard A'Quonesia Franklin was 3-of-13 shooting from the field, including 1 of 6 on 3-pointers. She also missed all three free throws. Forward Morenike Atunrase, a preseason All-America candidate who battled through a leg and ankle injury for most of the season, was 0-of-8 shooting.

Foward Danielle Gant, who had 24 points and 14 rebounds in a 58-50 first-round victory over Texas-Arlington didn't score in the first 23 minutes and ended with nine. The 5-foot-11 Gant didn't find any soft spots against the taller Colonials.

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Buy this photo Kevork Djansezian Texas A&M's Takia Starks (3) crashes into the George Washington bench after turning the ball over during the 59-47, loss at the NCAA women's second round college basketball game at the Galen Center in Los Angeles Monday, March 19, 2007.

Starks ended with 16 points, but was only 6-of-14 shooting.

A&M evenly distributed 19 turnover among seven players led by Gant with four. Franklin, Atunrase and reserve center Damitria Buchanan each had three.

While GW's defense gradually wore down the Aggies, the Colonials' offense methodically gained confidence against A&M's man-to-man pressure.

"They didn't hurry or panic," Blair said. "I think they showed they are a veteran team."

GW made 15 of 28 second-half shot (53.6 percent).

Beck was complemented on the perimeter by Sarah-Jo Lawrence, who had 12 points.

A&M ends at 25-7. The Aggies won their first regular-season title in school history, sharing the Big 12 Conference crown with Oklahoma. A&M was seeded a school-record fourth for the NCAA Tournament, and won a first-round game for the first time in 13 years.

"I told these girls to hold their heads up," Blair said. "They had a lot of firsts for this program this year. So, we didn't play well tonight, but we've played well all year. I hate that these kids are hurting, but they gave it their best. They represented the university well. We'll be back next year."

A&M took an 8-2 lead with its defense harassing GW into three turnovers and four missed field goals in its first five attempts.

The Aggies built a 16-8 lead with 9:48 left. Six-foot-2 freshman Buchanan came off the bench to score off back-to-back offensive rebounds.

AGGIE WOMEN GEORGE WASHINGTON 59, TEXAS A&M 47 RECORDS: Texas A&M (25-7), George Washington (28-3) LEADING SCORERS: Texas A&M's Takia Starks, 16; George Washington's Kimberly Beck, 18

The frustrated Colonials missed 11 of their first 15 shots, often rushing attempts against A&M's smothering man-to-man defense.

A&M seemed to catch a break with 6:25 left in the first half when 6-4 center Jessica Adair went to the bench with three fouls.

But GW tightened up its defense with Adair out and scored nine unanswered points. Beck put GW ahead 19-18 on a driving layup with 2:22 left.

The Big 12 Aggies and Atlantic 10 Colonials showed why they led their respective conferences in several defensive categories, including points allowed per game.

The teams combined for 19 turnovers and the same number of field goals in the first half.