Georgetown (1-2) built an early lead but could not withstand a furious rally from Northeastern (2-2) in the final minutes of the game, losing 63-56 in the quarterfinals of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday afternoon.

Georgetown headed into the game a 13.5-point favorite in Las Vegas over a team that had struggled to throughout the start of its season. Prior to Georgetown, Northeastern had dropped games to Boston University and Stony Brook before stealing a win from Central Connecticut.

The Hoyas began the game with a 9-0 run, punctuated with a three-pointer from senior guard Markel Starks. Sophomore guards Stephen Domingo and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera also nailed treys in the first half, and solid interior play from senior forward Nate Lubick gave Georgetown a 36-25 lead headed into the intermission.

Northeastern clamped down on junior center Joshua Smith at the beginning of the second half, limiting his opportunities to grab the ball around the post with an aggressive zone defense.
Georgetown was initially able to handle the added pressure and extended its lead to 40-26 with just over 17 minutes left in the game.

The wheels came off the wagon in the seven minutes that followed, as the Huskies increasingly overwhelming zone defense – and the Hoyas’ inability to adjust – led to a series of ugly turnovers and badly missed long jump shots.

Stringing together a 14-0 run on the back of redshirt junior forward Scott Eatherton and sophomore guard David Walker, Northeastern closed the gap and tied the game with just over 10 minutes left in the second half. Georgetown missed seven shots in the same 10-minute span.

The Hoyas and Huskies traded baskets for the next few minutes, although Georgetown was playing for much of the time without an exhausted Smith, who was particularly lackluster defensively as the game went on.

Starks, too, struggled mightily in the game’s waning minutes and ended with nine points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field.

Although Georgetown reclaimed a 54-51 lead with under four minutes remaining when Smith-Rivera nailed a two-point jumper, Northeastern responded immediately and managed to tie the game up after grabbing the rebound off a missed Starks three-pointer.

The Hoyas were scoreless in the game’s final two minutes, as Northeastern poured it on and pulled away, with leading scorer Reggie Spencer’s dunk at the buzzer punctuating a 63-56 Georgetown loss.

The Blue and Gray finished the afternoon just 3-for-16 from beyond the arc, and all three treys ca me in the first half. All told, Georgetown missed 13 three-pointers and committed 18 turnovers, while making only nine assists.

The loss was even more disheartening because it means Georgetown will face neither VCU nor Michigan, two highly-ranked participants in the Tip-Off who would have boosted the Hoyas’ strength of schedule.

Instead, Georgetown will match up with Kansas State, who lost to Charlotte on Thursday morning, at noon today. The game will be televised on ESPNU.