Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Hoyas Take on Wake In Rematch of WNIT

Saturday’s matchup between Georgetown and Wake Forest features two teams playing excellent basketball this season. After losing two games earlier in the season, the Hoyas have won five straight games, highlighted by a Nov. 22 defeat of Purdue, ranked 23rd in the nation at the time.

Georgetown has learned from its early season losses, and Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy recognizes her team’s growth.

“I think those two losses have helped us to grow and win recently,” Williams-Flournoy said.

The Hoyas have also developed from playing on the road, away from the comfort of McDonough Arena.

“The last two games have been very easy, but just playing away has allowed us to improve as a team,” Williams-Flournoy added.

Unlike the Hoyas, Wake Forest is not used to life on the road and will be tested on Saturday. The Demon Deacons have only played away from Winston-Salem once this season in eight games.

So far this year, the Hoyas have shown marked improvement on the defensive side of the ball. Over the past few games, Georgetown has had incredible defensive performances and looks to continue this trend against Wake Forest. The Hoyas held LaSalle to only 40 points last Sunday and kept nationally ranked Purdue to a meager 39 points.

In order to maintain this form, however, Georgetown will have to stop junior Brittany Waters, Wake Forest’s leading scorer, averaging 21 points per game.

“We are definitely going to try and contain her. Having said that we will play the same defense that we have played in our recent games and will not change for her,” Williams-Flournoy said.

Georgetown will counter with an offense led by freshman guard Ta’Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers. Rodgers leads the Hoyas in scoring with 20.1 points per game. But it will be the Hoyas’ rebounding that will make the difference in the game, as they have continued to improve on the glass. Senior forward Jaleesa Butler has been the Hoyas’ top rebounder so far this season, averaging seven boards per game.

No matter how confident the Hoyas are in their capabilities, they know they will be facing a very strong opponent Saturday afternoon.

“Wake Forest is obviously a very good team who we have had several tough games with in the past,” Williams-Flournoy said. “They have lost several players since we played them last year in the [WNIT], but several young players have stepped up for them.”

On Wednesday, however, Wake Forest suffered its first loss of the season against a formidable Illinois team, falling 65-50. The Demon Deacons had won their previous seven games, including two by a 40-point margin.

“We just have to continue to win. Obviously, Wake Forest is a much better team than what we’ve played this year,” Butler said.

The Demon Deacons will be looking for some measure of revenge on Saturday afternoon. Their first loss of the season to Illinois and their loss to Georgetown in last year’s WNIT are fresh in their memory.

Saturday’s game will be a rematch of last year’s WNIT matchup, a 72-61 win for the Blue and Gray that sent them to the quarterfinals and ended Wake’s 2008-2009 campaign.

“We beat them in the NIT last year and we’re looking forward to beating them again this year,” said Butler, just before laughing. “

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