The Tribune

THE 8-seed vs. 9-seed match-up was every bit of the tightly contested affair that it was billed to be when No. 8 George Washington met No. 9 Kansas State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Colonial Life Arena.

In a contest in which neither side would back down with six ties and three lead changes and the game within single digits for the duration, GW ultimately fell, 56-51. In the final game of her decorated and prodigious collegiate career, Jonquel Jones looked like every bit of the future pro that has rewritten the GW record books.

Jones, who scored GW’s final 11 points of the game, finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks in a ballyhooed battle with 6-foot-5 All-Big 12 post player Breanna Lewis.

Jones was able to foul out Lewis with 20 seconds to play on a drive to the bucket and promptly buried two free throws to cut GW’s deficit to 52-51 with the Wildcats in possession of the ball. After a pair of Kansas State free throws with 17 seconds remaining, a game-tying three-point try from Jones just missed its mark, and the Wildcats closed out the game with two more foul shots.

Jones wraps up her career with 1,249 career points (1,171 at GW for 23rd all-time), 1,041 rebounds (961 at GW, 3rd all-time) and 194 career blocks with 177 coming at GW (5th all-time) in just three seasons in the Buff and Blue. Her double-double effort against Kansas State marked her 18th of the season and the 54th of her career.

Junior Hannah Schaible also hit double-figures for the Colonials with 11 points in the defensive battle. Junior Caira Washington grabbed 12 rebounds alongside Jones to key a GW effort that outdid the Wildcats, 50-33, on the boards. Grad student Lauren Chase had a team-high five assists as the Colonials assisted on 12 of 15 made field goals.

Chase finishes her career with 479 assists, including 316 in two years as a Colonial, good for 17th all-time at GW, and her 196 assists in 2015-16 rank fourth on GW’s single-season list.Lewis finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Kansas State, while Megan Deines led the Wildcats with 14 points.

The game was tied 14-14 after the first quarter before GW led 31-22 at the break for its largest lead of the game. Kansas State clung to a 39-38 entering the final stanza after taking its first lead with 37.7 seconds left in the third. GW concludes its 2015-16 campaign with a 26-7 record, tied for the fifth-most wins in programme history, and as back-to-back Atlantic 10 champions.