PHILADELPHIA - The nationally-ranked George Washington Colonials (11th in the AP/12th in the Coaches' Poll) held the La Salle University Women's Basketball team to just 22.7% shooting for the game - 12% in the first half - as they left Tom Gola Arena with a 71-47 victory Sunday afternoon in Atlantic 10 Conference action.

George Washington (18-2, 7-0 A-10), whose only two losses this season are to currently-ranked #3/3 Maryland and #4/4 Tennessee, jumped out to a 12-point lead in the game's first six minutes as the Explorers were 0-for-7 from the floor and committed five turnovers.

Senior Jenna Graber (Clarksburg, NJ/Peddie School) ended the drought with a three-pointer at the 13:36 mark, but from that point until classmate Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) scored on a lay-up with 2:18 left before the break, La Salle missed 15 straight shots. However, they were 7-of-10 from the foul line in the stretch and converted 13-of-16 free throws in the first half to keep the game within reach.

After a Kimberly Beck fast-break lay-up pushed the Colonial lead to 31-9 with 4:05 left in the first, the Explorers scored the next nine points to cut their deficit to 13 at 31-18, and trailed by 14 heading into the locker rooms.

In the second half, junior Melanie Gibbons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) scored on a jumper with 18:32 left in the contest to make it a 12-point game, but George Washington responded with 12 straight points to push its lead to 24, and La Salle would get no closer than 22 the rest of the way.

Sarah-Jo Lawrence led the Colonials with a game-high 20 points, with eight boards, seven assists and four steals. Jessica Adair added a double-double - 18 points, 12 rebounds - while Beck finished with 12 points and five assists.

Ricketts finished the day with a team-high 16 points, converting 8-of-10 free throws. Now, third all-time in career points at the school (1,518 points), Ricketts is also now second in both free throws made (424) and attempted (578).

The 24-point loss is the worst at Tom Gola Arena for the Explorers since Rhode Island beat La Salle, 77-40, Jan. 13, 2002. Also that season was the last time they lost two games in a row at home by more than 20 points, dropping a 21-point decision to Richmond, Jan. 25.

The same year - Feb. 3, a 26-point loss versus George Washington; and Feb. 7, a 32-point loss at Richmond - was the last time the Explorers dropped back-to-back games by 20 or more points.

La Salle (15-7, 3-4 A-10) will look to end its three-game slide when they host Duquesne, Friday, Feb. 2 with a 7 PM tip.

In today's game, La Salle Women's Basketball, along with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, the A-10, and Coaches vs. Cancer, showed support for all coaches in the profession who are battling cancer by wearing pink. They are also taking all ticket revenue from a $2 admission charge and donating directly to cancer research.