On Tuesday night at the Pavillion arena in Philadelphia, the Georgetown women’s basketball team was able to sneak by the Villanova Wildcats. The game was within four points in the final minute, but a few key defensive plays allowed Georgetown to extend their lead to six, eventually pulling out a 60-54 victory.
The win came after a close five-point win over Seton Hall and an 80-38 pummeling by No. 3 UConn. Last year, the Hoyas gave the Huskies a run for their money during the regular season and the NCAA tournament. Despite the crushing defeat, the Hoyas stayed physical against the Wildcats, and did not merely give up. Off-kilter offense is not something that the team is accustomed to, and so it is important to note that their recent unlucky shooting run is not in their nature.
The game against Villanova was slightly better for the Hoyas. They were able to raise their field goal percentage from 25 percent to 34.4 percent, and got off more shots. Junior Sugar Rodgers and senior Rubylee Wright were more effective, combining for 31 of the Hoyas’ 60 points. Perhaps there was a bit of a hangover from Connecticut, as coming off tough losses is always difficult, especially when the team is forced to stay on the road.
“We knew this would be a tough game because it always is against Villanova,” Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. “I told the girls to throw out everything and just concentrate on getting the win.”
The women did just that, and consequently were able to secure the much-needed win after the Huskies’ blow to their confidence. Much of the press that they have received in the past year has stemmed from their success in coming close to the media darling Huskies. At the beginning of the year, Wright said that winning against UConn was a “given,” and Williams-Flournoy said that their Sweet Sixteen loss had been a give-away.
The team’s elongated adjustment period is partially due to the lack of fulfillment of their preseason goals. While their season is winding down, the team still has a few opportunities to continue their upwards trend. They will face an unranked squad from Providence on Saturday, when McDonough Gymnasium hosts Senior Day. The Hoyas should be able to secure another Big East win against the Friars, but it may not be as easy as they had anticipated—the Friars recently beat Seton Hall by a much more convincing 15-point margin.
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday. Seven seniors will be honored before the game for Senior Day.
