Photo Credit: GW Men’s Basketball
By: Scott Greaney (@ScottGreaney_)
Less than 24 hours after a 12-point loss to Kansas State marred by a slow start and struggles shooting the three-ball, the George Washington Revolutionaries were able to shoot their way back into the win column Saturday night with an 83-74 win over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Darren Buchanan Jr. had a strong bounce-back performance with 17 points and 10 rebounds after being limited to just nine points the night before. He knocked down his first two three-pointers of the season, including one during a 19-5 run over five minutes that gave the Revolutionaries a 13-point lead by the under-12 media timeout. GW maintained control from there, securing the win at the free throw line down the stretch.
Trey Autry had another career night, posting 16 points – all coming in the second half, with a perfect trifecta of three-pointers off the bench. Rafael Castro also had his third double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points including seven made free throws.
With the win Saturday night, the Revolutionaries are now 5-1 for the second consecutive season and will play for a fourth-place finish in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Monday afternoon against Illinois State.
At the start of the game, it was a similar struggle for GW as they missed four of their first five shots. However, unlike against Kansas State, they were able to keep it close as Louisiana had similar struggles out of the gate, missing five of their first six shot attempts.
Amid such offensive struggles from both teams, Castro returned to the glass against the Ragin’ Cajuns’ smaller lineup, grabbing five rebounds in just six minutes of opening play.
The scoring then rolled off following a three-pointer from Gerald Drumgoole Jr. and the game was a solid back-and-forth the first 10 minutes of the first half.
A pair of threes from Drumgoole Jr. and Trey Moss, as well as a layup from Moss, capped an 8-0 run for GW, giving them a 12-point lead with a little over eight minutes left in the half.
The Revs were able to get their first-half lead as high as 14 by returning to their go-to strategy of attacking the paint and getting to the free-throw line. GW made 14 of their 17 free-throw attempts in the first half.
However, three turnovers in the last five minutes of first-half play allowed the Ragin’ Cajuns to get back into the game and cut the GW lead to just five heading into the break.
“I thought we got good shots for a good portion of the first half and then we got stuck in the mud a little bit to end the half,” head coach Chris Caputo said.
Turnovers continued to be an issue throughout the start of the second half as the Revs had four turnovers before the under-16 media timeout. By that break, GW had committed as many turnovers as they had all game against Kansas State.
The Revs would finish with 18 turnovers against a feisty Louisiana defense that averaged 15.2 turnovers forced per game coming into Saturday’s contest, which was tied for 77th nationally.
“I thought we had some interior passing that was a little inexplicable, just some weird plays,” Caputo said. “18 turnovers is a little uncharacteristic for us, but it’s what they (Louisiana) do so you maybe might have expected it.”
After a tightly contested start to the second half, the Revolutionaries broke the game open with a crucial stretch of hot shooting. Darren Buchanan Jr. knocked down his first three-pointer of the season, followed by Trey Autry sinking a corner three while drawing a foul. Sean Hansen then capitalized on Autry’s missed free throw with a putback layup and nailed a corner three on the next possession, extending GW’s lead to 13.
“I challenged the guys to get out of the mud to start the second half, and the game got very close, then we were able to get on a run,” Caputo said. “I thought we responded well to a little bit of adversity.”
Perimeter shooting has been a key area of growth for the team early this season, including for Darren Buchanan Jr., who focused on improving his outside game during the offseason.
“It’s not going to be his main thing, but he’s going to have the ability to make one or two a game,” Caputo said of Buchanan Jr.’s outside game. “He knows it opens a lot in his game if he can make one.”
Caputo also mentioned the “yellow-light” approach he’s embraced since his time at Miami when it comes to forwards like Buchanan Jr. shooting from deep.
“I don’t mind him taking one,” Caputo said. “I think if he makes the first, then maybe he can take the second.”
In order to prevent Louisiana from creating some madness and getting back into it, GW was able to close it out down the stretch at the free throw line, making their last 12 attempts of the game. GW made 21 of 25 free throw attempts in the second half, totaling a season-high 35 made free throws off 42 attempts.
After playing two games in less than a day, the Revolutionaries will have a much-needed day off before wrapping up their Paradise Jam trip against Illinois State, who just got past UAB thanks to a pair of late free throws. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday and will be livestreamed on ESPN+ again.
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