WASHINGTON – Senior Tara Booker and junior Danni Jackson posted 10 points apiece but the George Washington women’s basketball team was unable to hold off No. 19/20 Georgetown down the stretch, falling, 59-50, on Sunday afternoon at McDonough Arena.
GW (5-4) played a furious defensive tempo, holding Georgetown (9-2) to 35 percent (19-of-55) from the floor while forcing 16 turnovers and holding the Hoyas top scorer, Sugar Rodgers, to 5-of-17 from the field.
The Colonials opened the contest by not allowing a Georgetown field goal over the first three and a half minutes while starting the game with a 4-0 lead. Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half as they combined to shoot just 3-for-20 from the floor over the first seven minutes.
The Hoyas used a 9-0 run to eventually lead by eight, 18-10, with six minutes left in the half. The Colonials responded with a 13-2 run over the final six minutes, punctuated by a corner three from Booker, and trailed by just one at halftime, 23-22.
GW held Georgetown to just 28 percent (9-of-32) on field goal attempts in the first half, including a 2-for-15 mark from three-point range.
Georgetown extended its lead to six points with 15 minutes left in regulation but the Colonials stormed back and tied the score on a four-point play from Jackson. Following a Hoya turnover, Jackson launched a three-point attempt from the left wing as time expired on the shot clock, banking the attempt home and drawing a foul. She hit the free throw to knot the score, 35-35 with 13 minutes left in the half.
With momentum on their side, the Colonials traded physical possessions with Georgetown over the next two minutes, conceding a 5-0 run but eventually using a 7-0 run of their own to take a 42-40 lead on a put back by redshirt junior Brooke Wilson with eight minutes left. Wilson finished with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
GW pushed the lead to 43-40 on a free throw by Booker but Georgetown answered to retake the lead on a jumper by Rodgers. Jackson’s ensuing steal and fast break layup gave GW the lead for the final time 47-46. Jackson finished with a career-high eight steals.
The Hoyas tied the score on a free throw a minute later and took the lead for good on a pair of foul shots from Rubylee Wright. The Hoyas closed the game on a 12-4 run to escape with a 59-50 victory.
Rodgers finished with a game-high 18 points and four rebounds while Sydney Wilson (10 points, four rebounds) and Tia Magee (nine points, 13 rebounds) rounded out the Hoya offense.
Wilson and senior Tiana Myers each contributed eight points for GW and junior Megan Nipe finished with five points and seven rebounds.
George Washington will be idle for the next week for final examinations before returning to action on Sunday, Dec. 18 against Loyola (Md.) at the Charles E. Smith Center. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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