Following a 93-41 beatdown of Howard University (0-2, MEAC) in its season opener, the Georgetown Women’s basketball team (2-0, Big East) took care of business in the first road game of the season against Loyola Maryland (1-2, Patriot League) on Thursday night. The Hoyas were able to recover from a shaky start, coasting to a 72-54 victory in Baltimore, Md.
Georgetown had won its previous eight meetings with the Greyhounds, but began the game with sloppy ball handling, racking up five turnovers in the first quarter. With the Hoyas down 17-11, senior forward Cynthia Petke found freshman forward Tatiana Thompson for a 3-pointer to make it a one possession game at the end of the first period.
Loyola went up by as many as eight points in the second quarter, but Georgetown was able claw its way back into the game on the back of senior guard Mikayla Venson, who had 16 first half points including 11 in the second quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Venson followed by a steal leading to a fast break layup for junior guard Dionna White and a mid-range jumper from Petke tied things up at 32 with 1:40 remaining in the first half. By the end of second quarter, the Hoyas were up 37-35, despite Loyola leading for almost the entire game until then.
The Blue & Gray raised their level of play in the second half. At the 3:22 mark of the third quarter, a staggering crossover from Venson left the defense flat-footed as she glided in for the layup to put her team up 50-39. White’s 3-point shot from the corner capped off a third quarter in which the Hoyas outscored Loyola 21-11.
Georgetown kept its foot on the gas pedal in the fourth quarter. With eight minutes to go, White missed a 3-point shot, but sprinted in for the offensive rebound and made the layup, despite being fouled. Less than a minute later, Petke made a layup and Georgetown was up by 20 points. Georgetown head coach James Howard stayed true to his seven-woman rotation throughout the game, and the Hoyas closed the game with a 24-point fourth quarter.
Petke finished the game with 17 points and 13 rebounds, recording her second consecutive double-double to start off the season. Venson scored 20 points, including four 3-pointers to go along with her seven boards. White was also active on the glass with seven rebounds while scoring 23 points after her 27 point performance in the season opener.
Up next for the Hoyas is a road matchup against George Washington (1-2, Atlantic 10) at the Charles E. Smith Center. Tipoff is slated for 2:00 pm on Sunday.
