Work Samples

GW's Kimberly Beck exposes Flyer's 'D'

Colonials are 23-0 against UD women after winning Atlantic 10 contest, 81-73.

January 30, 2008

By David Driver
Used with permission

The University of Dayton women's basketball team lost track of Kimberly Beck early in the second half, and the George Washington senior point guard made the Flyers pay.

Beck scored 10 straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to give the Colonials a 56-41 lead with less than 15 minutes to play to break open a close game.

GW (17-4, 5-1), ranked No. 16 this week by the Associated Press, went on to post an 81-73 win in an Atlantic 10 Conference game Tuesday before 801 fans. Beck had 18 points and nine assists for the Colonials and played the entire game.

"If you give her some room, she will go off," said Dayton sophomore guard Kendel Ross, who had 14 of her career-high 16 points in the first half.

"She is such a good player," Flyers head coach Jim Jabir said of Beck. "We just missed some defensive assignments."

"I was hoping tonight was the night," Nikki Oakland said. "We wanted to prove we could play with anyone. They are obviously a great team." It was the third loss in four games for Dayton, whose 16-game winning streak was stopped at Duquesne on Jan. 19. The Flyers are now 0-23 lifetime against GW.

The last time Dayton beat a ranked team was Nov. 28, 2001, at No. 25 Maryland, a 56-53 win. The Flyers have lost their last six games against ranked teams, including the past three against GW.

Jessica Adair added 17 points for GW, and Antelia Parrish and Sarah-Jo Lawrence each added 15 for the Colonials.

Brittany Holterman had 14 points for Dayton (17-5, 3-3), Oakland had 13, reserve Kiki Lund had 11 and Karah Cloxton had nine points and nine assists. Ross, in her seventh career start, entered the game with a scoring average of 6.2 points per contest.

"I really thought we didn't back down," Jabir said. "We got them frustrated. We took their best shot. I don't mind losing when we compete. We competed tonight."