GW pulls away from Hampton 75-61 at Smith Center to open 2-0

George Washington won its second straight game to open the season, beating Hampton 75-61 at the Charles E. Smith Center. The Revolutionaries were in control for much of the night, and the final margin flattered no one.

Jean Aranguren was the story. The forward finished with 17 points on a night where he seemed to find his range early and never let go of it. He connected on a 23-footer off a Lovro Urbiha assist, then turned around and buried a 25-footer on his own. Four assists, too. Hampton had no clean answer for him.

Aaron Davis III did damage from the perimeter as well. He hit a pair of 24-foot three-pointers in the first half, both set up by Nehemiah Lawrence, whose four assists led Hampton even in a losing effort. Davis and Aranguren combining to knock down shots from beyond the arc early put pressure on the Pirates that they never fully shook.

Dylan James grabbed nine rebounds to lead GW on the glass. He also converted a layup off an Omari Witherspoon assist that kept the offense moving. Urbiha added a free throw and a layup of his own. The Revolutionaries spread the scoring around enough that Hampton could not key on any single player.

For Hampton, Seth Hubbard led with 14 points, including a 9-foot floater and a layup assisted by Cornelius Robinson III. He worked hard to keep the Pirates competitive, but the deficit was too deep. Tyler Jackson knocked in a 24-foot three-pointer to give Hampton some life, and Promis N'Landu added a driving layup, but GW answered each time.

Max Frazier opened the scoring with a tip-in layup for Hampton and led the Pirates with five rebounds. It was not enough. GW moves to 2-0. Hampton drops to 0-2.

Aranguren's four assists were as important as his scoring. He ran the offense in stretches, found cutters, and kept Hampton's defense rotating all night.