Georgetown women’s basketball struggles, but sends Seton Hall to its 13th straight loss

After playing five of six home games against opponents ranked at the time, the No. 14 Georgetown women’s basketball team finally appeared in line for a breather at McDonough Gym on Wednesday night as it faced Seton Hall, which entered having lost 12 games in a row.

The Hoyas extended the Pirates’ ignominious streak to a school-record 13 straight, but twice failed to expand on 16-point leads and had to withstand a late flurry to escape, 56-51.

Loading...

Comments

• Weigh In
• Corrections?

Personal Post

For the Hoyas, it was their fourth consecutive victory and sixth in their last seven games.

“Honestly we always struggle with teams that we’re supposed to beat really bad,” said senior forward Tia Magee, the Hoyas’ second-leading scorer on the season who went 1 for 10 with four points against Seton Hall. “I think today it was a matter of chemistry, and then when I’m one of the top scorers and playing like that, it really hurts us.”

Junior guard Sugar Rodgers led Georgetown (19-5, 8-3 Big East) with game-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds.

And it wasn’t until she collected a loose ball in the closing seconds and dribbled out the clock that the team could relax.

Moments earlier, Seton Hall had come roaring back to get within six after two free throws from Rodgers had provided the Hoyas with a 50-34 cushion.

Senior guard Jasmine Crew scored the last six points during that 10-0 run for the Pirates, who were coming off a 30-point loss to St. John’s on Saturday. Crew first scored while getting fouled, made the bonus free throw and then was fouled taking a three-pointer as the shot clock expired.

Crew made all three foul shots and Georgetown’s lead had dwindled to its narrowest margin since 31-25 less than two minutes into the second half.

With 1 minute 49 seconds to play, Rodgers made both ends of a one-and-one. After Seton Hall called timeout, Hoyas senior guard Rubylee Wright made two foul shots for a 54-44 lead.

The Pirates (7-18, 0-11) cut it to 54-46 with 31 seconds to play when Crew (team-high 20 points) made 1 of 2 free throws.

Rodgers made 1 of 2 to answer, but Seton Hall sophomore guard Jazzmine Johnson swished a three-pointer from the left baseline with 15 seconds to play.

Wright made 1 of 2 foul shots before Johnson connected on another jumper with six seconds left for the game’s final points. Johnson then missed a jumper, and Rodgers was able to get her hands on the ball to run out the clock.

“I watched a lot of tape of Seton Hall, and I never really thought they were an 0-10 team,” Georgetown Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. “They have some really good guards. They play extremely hard, and as long as you let them stay in the game, it’s almost like the better they get with the confidence level. I thought they played extremely hard.”

The Hoyas did limit Seton Hall to 19 points in the first half and 34 percent shooting for the game, including 6 for 23 from three-point range. They also forced 14 turnovers and outscored the Pirates, 16-8, in points off turnovers but missed 9 of 20 free throws.

Junior center Sydney Wilson (St. John’s High School) added nine points and nine rebounds for Georgetown, which next plays No. 3 Connecticut on the road Saturday afternoon.