The Georgetown Hoyas came into Saturday’s home game against Notre Dame needing a signature victory to cement their place as one of the top teams in the Big East. The Hoyas did not disappoint.
Before a program-record crowd of 2,471, Georgetown beat the Fighting Irish 76-66 for the first win over Notre Dame in the team’s history. The Hoyas built a 58-47 lead with 8:17 remaining and withstood a late rally by the Irish, who closed to 62-60 on two free throws with 5:21 to play.
The Hoyas scored the game’s last seven points to secure the win and forced Notre Dame into 21 turnovers compared to their 10. Sugar Rodgers continued to do the heavy lifting for the Hoyas, scoring a game-high 24 points.
Hoyas coach Terri Williams-Flournoy recognized how enormous the win was.
“I do. I do. It’s not only a big game because it’s a ranked opponent, because we’ve never beaten Notre Dame before,” Williams-Flournoy said. “We’re supposed to beat opponents who are supposed to be better than us.”
Georgetown kept pace in the race for the conference title with an easy 70-54 win over Villanova on Tuesday night, improving to 12-2 in conference play, one and a half games behind Connecticut.
Huskies tested down stretch
As was expected, the Connecticut Huskies took care of an improved Providence Friars team, 85-53, Saturday afternoon. The win was the 25th straight for the Huskies over the Friars. Tina Charles matched a season high with 26 points and Maya Moore chipped in 21 to lead Connecticut to an easy victory.
Connecticut won yet again on Wednesday night, 87-66 over Syracuse. Moore had a season-high 38 points and a career-high 20 rebounds to help the Huskies notch their 67th straight victory.
Connecticut has now beaten Syracuse 18 straight times, and the loss was just the fifth in 17 home contests for Syracuse this season.
The upcoming stretch of games before the Big East tournament may test the Huskies on their run to the history books, however.
The Huskies will host Georgetown on Sunday and finish the regular season at Notre Dame on March 1.
Two games to watch
Rutgers at Providence, Saturday Feb. 27
Rutgers dropped a 60-52 home decision to St. John’s Wednesday night and is now 7-7 in conference play, the same mark Providence currently holds. The Scarlet Knights dropped a 76-45 decision to Syracuse at home on Feb. 21 before a season-high crowd of 4,640. The Friars notched a 72-62 win over South Florida Tuesday night, just the second time Providence has beaten South Florida in the all-time series.
Connecticut at Notre Dame, Monday March 1
The Huskies took care of Syracuse on the road and must still defeat Georgetown at home before hosting the Fighting Irish in what will be the last home game for Tina Charles and Kalana Greene, among others. The Fighting Irish must first defeat Seton Hall on the road Saturday before traveling to Storrs, Conn. Notre Dame hopes Melissa Lechlitner, who had a career-high 23 points in a win over Marquette on Tuesday, will help spark the Irish to an upset.
Player of the week
Monique Reid, Louisville, Sr., F
Reid led the Cardinals to a 77-61 win over Marquette on Feb. 16 to snap the Cardinals’ five-game losing streak. Reid recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 26 points and 15 rebounds. The senior forward went 9-of-14 from the field and 8-of-9 from the foul line. Reid’s points and rebounding totals tied her career-best marks, while she set a career high with five blocks and chipped in four assists.
Points per game: 16.7
Rebounds per game: 9.2
Assists per game: 1.1
Free throw percentage: 80.3
Field goal percentage: 42.9
