By Zach Gindi-Chiafullo
On the first night that the Buff and Blue honored the legendary Joe Holup at the Charles E. Smith Center’s 50th anniversary, the team rose to the occasion. Surrounded by decades of history and a crowd celebrating one of GW’s greats, they delivered a performance worthy of the moment—and kept their undefeated run alive.
It’s the first time in program history that the team has started 4-0 in back-to-back-to-back years.
“I’m proud of where we’re at, but you know, we’ve got more work to do,” said Head Coach Chris Caputo, who praised GW’s strong start and the way the team handled Old Dominion.
Bubu Benjamin Slams Home a Dunk (Photo by John McDonnell)
The Revolutionaries were notably without Trey Autry, who suited up but did not make an appearance. Caputo explained that he hadn’t planned on playing the guard, saying, “But with some of the other things we have going on, particularly with ties back and things like that, I don’t just work this way back too.”
Despite the absence, the team stepped up and asserted dominance across multiple facets of the game.
Five players finished in double figures, led by Rafael Castro with 20 points, continuing his impressive campaign for GW. Among the other top scorers were guard Garrett Johnson with 17 and Jean Aranguren with 13, both off the bench.
Aranguren, who posted a career night, began his collegiate journey at Iona before transferring to GW. He noted that “People are very welcoming, and they support us a lot, so there are a lot of people at the games,” and that he’s adjusting well to life in D.C., both on and off the court.
The Revolutionaries displayed strong teamwork throughout the night, but the game was far from a breeze.
In the first half, the matchup stayed tight, with Old Dominion finding ways to capitalize. The Monarchs outpaced GW in three-point shooting by a wide margin and were energized by sharp decision-making, aggressive offensive rebounding, and standout moments from players like LJ Thomas and Robert Davis Jr. As GW struggled to knock down shots, Old Dominion seemed to anticipate their every move.
“They hit a lot of big threes in the first half,” said forward Tyrone Marshall Jr., who finished with 10 points and five rebounds on the night. “Basketball’s all about runs. You know, they make their runs — it’s about how we’re gonna come back in the game.” He added, “We had to be tougher based on who wanted it more.”
In the second half, GW showed exactly that.
The Revolutionaries, powered by standout defensive stretches and explosive offense, erupted on a 44–17 run over 13 minutes. Caputo emphasized the approach behind that surge, noting, “It’s not swing, swing, swing, move the ball side to side. You’re never going to get the ball side to side against teams like this. So you have to go on the dribble first and then make great choices,” a strategy that GW executed effectively throughout the run.
Even as Old Dominion made a final push to claw its way back, GW had already seized control. The Revolutionaries held firm, closed out the night with authority, and secured a 96–73 victory.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Caputo said, “I was proud of my guys because, again, I thought, without much practice — we had a great practice on Friday, and then we just were a little banged up across the board, one guy after the next.” He also noted that the team hadn’t practiced in the Smith Center that day, instead using the Lerner Health and Wellness Center a few blocks north, which he suggested may have contributed to some of GW’s missed free throws.
Caputo hopes this win becomes something the team can build on as the season progresses and they continue preparing for conference play.
GW will look to capture its fifth straight victory when it takes on the UMBC Retrievers at home on Wednesday.
