A 19-point loss to Villanova remains fresh in the minds of the Georgetown faithful as they await a rematch against the rival Wildcats Saturday.
The Blue and Gray (12-7, 4-5 Big East) begin the second leg of conference play, as they host a Wildcats’ team riding a five-game winning streak.
Both teams enter the game with momentum from stringing together consecutive conference wins. The Hoyas have won three straight games, two of which came on the road, this past weekend. Georgetown beat Xavier (10-10, 2-7 Big East) on Friday in a close overtime win 69-64 and defeated Butler (5-15, 2-7 Big East) 58-52 on Sunday.
Villanova (11-9, 6-3 Big East) currently sits at fourth place in the Big East standings. The Wildcats are coming off a dominating 72-47 road win against Butler, a game in which they scored 24 points off three-pointers.
In the last meeting of the two teams, the Blue and Gray lost to the Wildcats 70-51 at Villanova on Jan. 4. The game was only tied for 2 minutes and 21 seconds, and Georgetown never held the lead.
“I felt like we just didn’t lock in defensively,” Georgetown Head Coach Natasha Adair said of her team’s efforts during the first contest. “We have to have more of a defensive focus and just get back to playing Georgetown basketball.”
At the end of the first quarter, the Hoyas trailed 12-5. The Hoyas missed several jumpers and layups in the first, shooting only 20 percent from the floor. Throughout the game, Georgetown struggled to shoot consistently, while Villanova shot above 46 percent in three of the four quarters.
Two Hoya starters reached double-digit point totals, and both played all 40 minutes; sophomore guard Dionna White led the team with 18 points and five steals while junior guard Dorothy Adomako added 14 points and eight rebounds. However, in the overtime win against Xavier, Adomako, senior forward Faith Woodward, senior guard Mykia Jones and White all had 12 or more points.
White remains Georgetown’s offensive catalyst, leading the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, which ranks third in the Big East. Along with her impressive three-point shooting — converting on 36.4 percent of three-point attempts, White grabs 5.2 rebounds per game and creates scoring chances for her teammates, dishing out 2.9 assists per game.
This weekend, the Hoyas must contain sophomore guard Adrianna Hahn, who was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. Hahn caused problems for Georgetown’s defense, scoring 23 points and shooting 5-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first game between the Big East foes.
“Hahn is a phenomenal player in this league,” Adair said. “She’s someone that when she steps on the court, she’s open. We have to recognize that. We should know that.”
Hahn received support from three other Wildcats who scored in double-digits. Junior forward and guard Jannah Tucker contributed 12 points, and junior center Megan Quinn and freshman guard Kelly Jekot contributed 10 points apiece.
“We were a step slow,” Adair said of her team’s attempts to contain Hahn in the first game. “So that’s been a focus and that will be the focus up until the time we play them.”
Adair believes the team must clean up its defensive play and hold the Villanova offense under its 62 points per game total.
“That’s not us. That’s not how we want to play, that’s not what we emphasize,” Adair said of the team’s defensive performance in the first game.
The game comes at a critical time for Georgetown. The Hoyas struggled in the beginning of conference play, going 0-4, but have since improved to 4-5 in the Big East. A win against the Wildcats can help the Hoyas maintain their momentum as the season moves toward the Big
East tournament in March.
“I feel like we are back in sync,” Adair said. “We want to get out, and we want to play the right way in hope of getting that win here at home.”
The game is set to tip off at 1 p.m. in McDonough Arena.
