by WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite a valiant second-half defensive effort, Marquette was unable to complete the comeback in its BIG EAST road opener as Georgetown held on for an 80-70 win inside the Verizon Center Saturday evening.
Sophomore Duane Wilson poured in nine of his game-high 17 points in the second half to lead the Golden Eagles (10-4, 0-2 BIG EAST), while freshman Henry Ellenson chipped in 13 points and Sandy Cohen, III (Oneida Tribe) and Luke Fischer added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
After shooting 59 percent from the field as a team in the first half, Georgetown was held to just 33 percent from the floor and committed 11 turnovers. Marquette cut what was a 19-point deficit early in the second half down to six points following a Jajuan Johnson dunk with 2:40 remaining.
Both teams traded baskets before the Hoyas (9-5, 2-0 BIG EAST) would eventually pull away for the 10-point victory.
Marcus Derrickson led five Georgetown players in double figures, scoring 13 of his career-high 16 points in the first half. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera scored all 15 of his points in the second half and added four rebounds and eight assists in the win.
Marquette will stay on the road to conclude a two-game road swing with a matchup at 12th-ranked Providence on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Game time is set for 6 p.m. Central time and will be televised on FOX Sports 1.
Postgame Notes:
• With the score tied, 11-11, Georgetown used a 15-2 run to take a commanding lead, which it made last going into halftime (49-36).
• Marquette used a 13-2 run, capped by a pair of Sandy Cohen, III free throws, to cut the deficit to 8 points (57-49) with over 12 minutes left to play.
• Over a span of 10:35 in the second half, Marquette held Georgetown to just six points, while cutting the deficit to 8 points (57-49). Similarly, the Golden Eagles went a stretch of more than 8 minutes without a field before a Sandy Cohen III dunk with 5:08 left made it 62-53 Georgetown.
