By Zach Gindi-Chiafullo
The George Washington Revolutionaries, under first-year head coach Ganiyat Adeduntan, marked their first postseason run in nearly a decade with a thrilling 63-60 victory against the Bradley Braves on Thursday night.
“That was a very hard-fought game and a win for our team,” Adeduntan said. Adeduntan’s inaugural coaching campaign garnered 15 regular-season wins for the Revolutionaries, surpassing the previous two seasons’ win totals.
GW made their first appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament since 2017, while Bradley entered the competition for the first time.
Gabby Reynolds Handles the Ball (Photo by GW Athletics/John McDonnell)
It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams, taking place in the Charles E. Smith Center two weeks after GW had suffered a loss to the Dayton Flyers in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Championship.
The matchup was demanding, as for most of the game, the Braves played like WNIT naturals, demonstrating three-point accuracy and aggressive playmaking. They outscored GW 32-25 in the first half, and maintained a lead for over 30 minutes.
Key to Bradley’s offensive success was All-Missouri Valley Conference first selection Kaylen Nelson, who scored 21 points and seven rebounds in the contest, and guard Maya Foz, who contributed 20 points, establishing a difficult tandem to control.
“We wanted to be aggressive whenever they came off those ball screens, handoffs, and type actions. I wanted to try to limit the touches as best as we can,” Adeduntan said, referencing her strategy to defend the Bradley players.
“With the start of the game, we just didn’t guard the three-point line well enough,” she added, “but we picked it up.” That fight carried into a second half where the Revolutionaries accelerated, clearly settling into Bradley’s scheme on the court.
GW quickened their drives and executed them well, matching the Braves’ grit. Guard Gabby Reynolds especially stood out, notching a double-double on the night with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
“Being able to continue to trust my coaching staff and also my teammates really helps me to be able to play to my full potential in every single game,” Reynolds said while reflecting on her performance. She stated that “making the right reads and plays” is something she will focus on as the NWIT continues.
Reynolds, who hit two consecutive three-pointers with three minutes left in the third quarter, said that her teammates excelled in finding her in open coverage to fuel her scoring. “That was a really good momentum shift for us,” she said.
Guard Kamari Sims was also a major contributor to GW’s effective courtside presence, tallying 12 points on the night. “I thought Kamari made some big plays for us. She essentially was switching everything with handoffs and ball screens and not allowing them [Bradley] to turn the corner,” said Adeduntan.
The fourth quarter was extremely neck-and-neck. Both teams displayed equal grit, but GW outscored Bradley 15-9 in the quarter. Despite the Braves’ offensive pulses, the Revolutionaries made timely plays late to secure the victory.
With 49 seconds to play, an and-1 by Sims gave GW a one-point lead, and a spew of timeouts followed as each team tried to hold on to the ball in the game’s final moments.
Thanks to some clutch last-minute defense, the Revolutionaries ultimately prevailed as the clock hit zero, sealing the win and punching their ticket to the next round of the WNIT in spectacular fashion.
“We wanted to make sure that the product that we were putting on the floor was one that people could be excited about and could be proud of,” said Adeduntan. “They always say growth is not linear, and it has not been linear for us. But when you have a group that, despite some setbacks, keeps coming back with a willingness, that’s all you can ask for from a coach,” she added.
The Revolutionaries’ second round WNIT matchup will occur at Liberty Arena in Evansville, Indiana, where they will face the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles at 7:00 PM this Monday.
