Photo credit: Peyton Stoike
By Liam O’Murchu
Despite a disappointing season for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, there were still plenty of memorable moments. As we get into the offseason, I’m going to take some time to break down the 10 most memorable moments of the 2023-24 basketball season.
- James Bishop game winning shot at VCU
In what was undoubtedly the best win of the season, James Bishop had his signature moment at GW when he hit a circus shot with 1.7 seconds remaining to will his team to an 84-82 victory over the Rams. His 28-point performance on 7-for-13 shooting from the floor earned the Revs just their second win at the Siegel Center in program history.
- Men’s Senior Night win
In their final home game of the season, the team broke out of a 12-game losing streak with an emphatic 86-75 victory over St. Bonaventure. While three players were honored, the spotlight was on James Bishop, who was playing in his 107th game in Buff & Blue. The Baltimore native did not disappoint, dropping 27 points and dishing out six assists in his farewell to the Smith Center, even throwing down the first dunk of his career.
- Men’s 2OT win over Ohio in the Bahamas
Whatever bad memories lingered in the minds of GW fans about their tropical tournament the year previous were put to bed with a thrilling 99-94 over Ohio in the opening game of the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship on Black Friday. This game served as a coming out party for redshirt freshman forward Darren Buchanan Jr, who had 25 points and six rebounds on 9-for-12 shooting and would be honored on the A10 All-Rookie Team at the end of the year.
- Nya Robertson’s 8 threes vs Howard in the season opener
Coming into the year as the reigning A10 Sixth Woman of the Year, sophomore guard Nya Robertson wasted no time putting her imprint on the season in a 64-58 GW win. She set a career high (which she broke later in the season) with 29 points and a single-game program record with 8 made three pointers. On the year as a whole, she had 16.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, making the All-A10 Third Team.
- Garrett Johnson’s college debut
With 11 newcomers, the opening game of the season was ripe for someone playing their first game for GW to burst onto the scene. Ultimately, it was redshirt freshman wing Garrett Johnson who starred with 21 points and nine rebounds in his first competitive basketball game in over three years. His electric performance garnered attention from national and local news outlets alike and pushed his team to an emphatic 89-44 win.
- Women’s A10 Tournament collapse
Up 56-45 heading into the fourth quarter of their opening A10 tournament game, the Revs were outscored 30-12 in the final stanza as the wheels fell off en route to a 75-68 loss to St. Louis. The collapse especially stung since the team had eight players graduating who were stunned as they allowed 15 points in the final four minutes, including all time appearances leader Mayowa Taiwo.
- Cream cheese spill on highway headed to final game at Gola
Although it had nothing to do with actual basketball, the truck that crashed across the median outside of Baltimore that spilled cream cheese containers seemed emblematic of the GW men’s basketball season. Later that day, Abe Rothstein and I would watch them lose their 12th consecutive game, 72-66, in the final game played in the iconic Tom Gola Arena, which is renowned for being such a dump it’s legendary, before offseason renovations.
- Babatunde Akingbola’s 11 blocks in one game
When Babatunde ‘Stretch’ Akingbola first stepped on the floor in Foggy Bottom, his defensive prowess was evident. But Stretch took it to the next level on December 5 when he set the single game program record for blocks with 11 in a 79-77 OT win over Navy. The block party continued for the rest of the year and Akingbola finished tied for the most blocks in a single season in program history with 84.
- Thanksgiving morning women’s basketball loss
The true sickos know about this one. Women’s basketball’s 54-51 loss to West Virginia (who was tied with Caitlin Clark-led Iowa at the final media timeout of their NCAA Tournament game) was a lowlight of Thanksgiving Day. The late game execution had our families questioning where they went wrong in raising us and why Caroline McCombs elected not to foul in crunch time.
- James Bishop crossover vs Loyola Chicago
Other than his game winning shot at VCU, this was probably the most memorable James Bishop moment of the year. Up two points at home against Loyola Chicago, Bishop turned Des Watson inside out, sent him to the floor and knocked down the jumper to put a bow on it. Despite the hooting and hollering in the crowd, it wasn’t enough to will GW to victory and they fell 81-73.
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