WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Buzzer Beats Georgetown Hoyas Fall to ountaineers in OT By Julie Wood Hoya Staff Writer
Charles Nailen/The Hoya Sophomore forward Rebekkah Brunson looks for a teammate earlier in the season. She had 18 rebounds and 18 reboudnds at West Virginia.
The Georgetown women’s basketball team endured a particularly tough defeat Wednesday night in Morgantown, losing to West Virgnia 71-70 in overtime. It was the third consecutive loss for the Hoyas.
“We played tough, we played hard, we just didn’t finish,” Knapp said.
The Mountaineers (13-8, 5-5 Big East) are 8-1 at home after the victory.
The Georgetown women’s basketball team endured a particularly tough defeat Wednesday night in Morgantown, losing to West Virgnia 71-70 in overtime. It was the third consecutive loss for the Hoyas.
“We played tough, we played hard, we just didn’t finish,” Knapp said.
The Mountaineers (13-8, 5-5 Big East) are 8-1 at home after the victory.
Despite playing an excellent offensive second half in which they shot 48 percent, the Hoyas got in foul trouble, allowing the ountaineers to stay in the game. Junior forward Nok Duany fouled out with a minute and a half to go in overtime, and three other players had four fouls by the end of the game.
West Virginia took advantage of their opportunities at the line, shooting 81 percent (22-of-27) in regulation. Freshman guard Sherell Sowho scored 21 points on a 9-for-12 performance at the line. Junior forward Eartha White also had 21 for the ountaineers.
The Hoyas were up by as many as eight in the first half, led by Brunson’s 10 points. However, the Mountaineers went on a 11-0 run halfway through the period to go up 21-17 with 6:44 left before the break. But senior guard Lesley Walker’s jumper and three-pointer to close the half kept the Hoyas close. West Virginia led 29-27 at halftime.
The Mountaineers maintained their lead throughout the second half, going up by as many as six.
But with a 1:45 left, Lisicky hit a three-pointer to make it 63-62. But a Walker foul sent West Virginia to the line, where freshman guard Yolanda Paige sunk both shots. When the Hoyas got the ball back, Lisicky fired again from beyond the arc and was fouled. However, she could only convert one of her three shots, to make it 65-63 with 1:05 to go. It was Duany who would save the Hoyas with a jumper that tied the game with 20 seconds to go and sent it to overtime.
“We could have shot free-throws better,” Knapp said.
In the extra session, the teams went back and forth; there were five lead changes. With the score knotted at 70 and 55 seconds to go, freshman guard Christina Besozzi grabbed a rebound. But Sowho stole it back for the Mountaineers, and, while scrambling for a loose ball, Brunson fouled West Virginia’s White.
She made one of her two free-throws with five seconds left to play, sealing the victory.
“We made some silly mistakes, whether it be ball-handling or rebounding,” Knapp said.
It was White’s first career double-double, as she added 13 boards to her 21 points.
The Hoyas will take this weekend off, as they look to put an end to their three-game skid on Wednesday against Miami.
The Hurricanes lost 72-60 to No. 23 Virginia Tech in their last contest. They lead the Big East in steals with 14.3 per game but are last in three-point field goal percentage at 28.9 percent. Sohomore guard Canivita Bourssard leads the ‘Canes in scoring with 13.9 ppg.
“Our kids played hard and did a lot of good things, and we just have to carry it over and finish against Miami,” Knapp said.
Tip off against the Hurricanes will be at 8 p.m. in McDonough Gymnasium.
