One year removed from the Colonials’ first ever NIT win, George Washington will look to build upon that, and try to make a run to the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden. But their road won’t be easy, as they’ll face a tough Hofstra opponent in the first round, and then Monmouth in the second, and likely Florida or Ohio State in the Quarterfinals, should GW advance that far. The gauntlet has been thrown, and its time to see if the Colonials are up to the task. Here are three keys to making a run to New York:
1. Stay Out of Foul Trouble
When GW has been successful this season, they have been able to stay out of foul trouble. We saw how much the loss of even one player- in this case it was Tyler Cavanaugh- affected GW in their loss to Saint Joseph’s in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. In the season-ending loss at Temple in the NIT Second Round last year, four players had at least four fouls, which crippled the Colonials’ lineup down the stretch. While this sounds simple, it will be essential to any postseason success.
2. Feed Kevin Larsen
Hofstra’s lineup featured just two players 6-10 or taller, which should open the door for Kevin Larsen to become a major factor. Coming off a near triple-double in the A10 Quarterfinals, Larsen’s confidence has got to be sky-high, and GW should capitalize on that while they have the chance. Larsen has been a player that rides momentum, and has been throughout his four years in Foggy Bottom. The time is now for Larsen to go out with a bang.
3. Make a Splash!
Right now, GW has absolutely nothing to lose. They’re in a bracket with two power-conference teams that had off-seasons (Florida and Ohio State), and a Monmouth team the probably feels dismissed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. So why not go and knock out some big-name teams on the way to New York? Last year’s NIT First Round win over ACC big-name Pitt was very satisfying, so why not take out the Buckeyes or Gators? It will only make the run more memorable!
