It’s been three years since George Washington lost three straight games, struggles reminiscent of head coach Karl Hobbs’ first two seasons in Foggy Bottom. It doesn’t get any easier for the Colonials (15-7, 6-4 Atlantic 10), who face St. Joseph’s (14-10, 6-4) tonight at the Palestra in Philadelphia.

Q How do you stay positive after Saturday’s blowout loss to Xavier?

A Every basketball team every season has to face some type of adversity, this is the first time this year for us. It’s funny because one game changes everything, one win. I’m not looking at this like it’s the end of the world. The nice part is that we’re in a rebuilding year with a winning record. That tells me we’re at least doing some things right.

Q Two problem areas were exposed against the Musketeers: transition defense and turnovers. What do you have to do to improve those aspects?

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A Transition defense is largely communicating with one another. In the halfcourt as well as the transition, we’re not doing a good job.

As we watched the [Xavier] tape, one guy forgets to switch — boom, they score a layup. Another guy is hugging his man at halfcourt while he should be in help position. Those miscommunications we have to shore up.

The turnovers are a level of focus. We’re taking unnecessary risks too many times, and we have the wrong players being too daring. Carl Elliott should be daring. I don’t think Robert Diggs should be more daring.

Q How do you feel personally about where your team is?

A I’m fine. I had 10 straight losses [in 2001-02]. Every year for me is a challenge of how can I get this team to overachieve? How can I get a team that’s always an underdog, given our disadvantages, to be just as a good as a program like Xavier’s? How can I get us, year-in and year-out, to be able to compete in this league against teams that can attract the more talented players because of what they can offer them, by way of facilities, locker rooms, and all stuff that influences kids? That’s a huge advantage.

At the same time, I’ve got to have a sense of reality, too. I can’t expect these guys to be undefeated in the league.

How can I get Dokun [Akingbade], a guy who’s never really played basketball, now to be competing against guys that NBA scouts are looking at? How can I get Travis [King], a freshman, to run the team better? And I’ve got to find creative ways to recruit and attract kids to GW.

I told my team [after the Xavier game] in film session that if we can find a way to win [at St. Joseph’s], we can conceivably be in second place. But you’ve got to play a damn-near-perfect game, and I don’t know if we’re at that point yet.

Q How many teams in the A-10 can play a near-perfect game?

A I don’t know but you’ve got to at least strive to play a perfect game because if you fall somewhere close to it, you’re going to consistently win.

— As told to The Examiner’s Craig Stouffer