The Hoyas women’s basketball team dropped its second straight game to a top-25 team, losing 72-60 to Boston College Wednesday night at McDonough Arena. Despite junior forward Rebekkah Brunson’s seventh double-double of the season, the Hoyas’ record now stands at 11-4 (2-3 Big East).
Georgetown began the game sluggishly, scoring only one field goal in the first four minutes. The Eagles started off at a blistering pace, using an early 10-2 run to set the game’s tone. Boston College junior guard Amber Jacobs drained two three-pointers during the run.
The Hoyas could manage little on offense as the Boston College guards stymied sophomore guards Mary Lisicky and Sarah Jenkins.
“The tale of the first half was their guards,” said Head Coach Pat Knapp. “We didn’t neutralize their guards.”
The Eagles’ guards gave Lisicky fits all night, especially senior Brianne Stepherson. Stepherson’s blanket defense held the Hoyas’ guard to zero of 5 shooting in the first half.
“[Stepherson] was getting into my body,” said Lisicky. “We had counters for that, but we just didn’t run them tonight.”
Despite the Eagles’ tough defense, the Hoyas had good looks at the basket. Brunson had several good chances from inside that simply wouldn’t fall, as did Lisicky and Bruce. Brunson shot three of 12 for the half, while the team managed a paltry 22 percent from the field.
The Eagles shot 54.5 percent from the field in the first half, including five of 8 from behind the arc. Sophomore forward Clare Droesch shot three of three from behind the arc to lead all scorers at halftime with 13 points. Following Boston College’s torrid scoring run, the Hoyas found themselves facing a 43-21 halftime deficit.
“It seemed like they did everything in the first half and we didn’t answer back,” said Lisicky.
The second half opened the same as the first, with Boston College parlaying strong defense into potent offense. The Eagles ran their lead up to 28 before the Hoyas awoke for the game’s final five minutes.
With Boston College’s reserves in, Georgetown began chipping away at the Eagles’ lead in the hopes of sparking a miracle comeback. Using solid pressure defense, the Hoyas forced Boston College into several turnovers that turned into easy baskets. Bruce drained two treys during the 15-0 Hoya run, but it was scarcely enough as the final horn sounded to the tune of a 72-60 defeat.
The Hoyas ran into the same problems against Boston College that they found against Connecticut: strong guard play that limited Lisicky’s ability to create shots for herself and her teammates.
Georgetown was plagued in the first half by offensive execution. The Eagles had an answer for every attempt the Hoyas made at moving the ball. The Hoyas’ inability to set screens is partly to blame. In a motion offense that relies on screens, the Hoyas appeared unwilling to play the physical game that a team of the Eagles’ caliber requires.
“Running an offense is a five-person proposition. It takes three people to make an entry pass,” said Knapp.
“It takes a game like this to bounce back,” said Bruce. “We’ll go in to practice on Friday ready to go and play hard against Virginia.”
The Hoyas will head to Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday for a tilt with the University of Virginia at 2 p.m.
