While the Washington weather was significantly warmer than usual this week, Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena was even hotter. Cincinnati (10-4, 1-1) won its first Big East game of the year, topping Georgetown (10-4, 0-1) 69-49 in the Hoyas’ conference opener. The Bearcats shot 41 percent from the field but a blistering 11-of-23 from the three-point line downed Georgetown. “Georgetown fouled us a lot late trying to get some possessions,” Cincinnati Head Coach J. Kelley Hall said. “That was really a 10-point game.” According to Hall, the Bearcats shot well early, and Georgetown could not respond. Cincinnati began the game 5-of-7 from the floor, including 4-of-4 from the three-point line, expanding a 14-2 lead just five minutes into the game. That lead stretched to as much as 16 points in the first half, and Cincinnati led 31-20 at halftime. In its first Big East test, Georgetown failed to accomplish the goals Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy set out: rebound and defend well. “We were in a good place, and we’re trying get back there,” Williams-Flournoy said. “For us, we did not shoot the ball very well. . Now it’s a matter of getting our team back into place.” Georgetown shot just 33 percent from the field and made 4-of-10 free throws. Senior forward Kieraah Marlow led Georgetown with 14 points and sophomore guard Meredith Cox had 12 on 4-of-11 three-point shooting. Cox hit all but one of Georgetown’s threes as the Hoyas made just 5-of-21 from downtown. Sophomore guard Kenya Kirkland made the other. In her first action in three games after suffering a sprained right knee, senior center Aminata Diop had four points and four rebounds in 20 minutes but is still working her way into game shape, according to Williams-Flournoy. Freshman forward Monica McNutt had an off game, going 2-of-8 from the field and 0-of-3 from behind the arc. McNutt had scored in double figures in each of the last three games. The Bearcats’ starting five did most of the damage against the Hoyas – only seven Cincinnati players saw action, and the two bench players only played a combined 13 minutes. Sophomore Kahla Roudebush made four of her 11 three-pointers and attempted eight free throws, double that of Georgetown’s four made foul shots. Roudebush led all scorers with 21 points. Freshman guard Tenisha Benson had 10 points and continues to impress her first-year head coach with outstanding play. The Akron, Ohio, native is averaging 12 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and has started all but one game this season. “I had never seen [Benson] play. We inherited her,” Hall said. “I didn’t expect it but it’s been a nice surprise.” While Hall lamented his team’s upcoming schedule, the Hoyas will have no easy time of it in the following weeks. Their next nine games are against Villanova, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Marquette, Syracuse, Connecticut and Louisville, teams that were a combined 189-104 last season and 8-1 against Georgetown. Syracuse and Villanova accounted for 41 of those losses and just 17 wins. Currently, those nine teams are 95-20. Georgetown begins its grueling stretch tomorrow against Villanova, who went 10-3 against non-conference opponents but has dropped its first two Big East games. The Wildcats lost a laugher to No. 1 Connecticut, 88-38, and a two-point nail-biter to the 11-2 Seton Hall Pirates. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Pavilion in Villanova, Pa.