WASHINGTON, DC – In a BIG EAST matinee at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C., the Villanova Wildcats tallied a 62-47 road win over the Georgetown Hoyas. With the victory, Villanova improves to 16-8 overall and 9-4 in BIG EAST play, while Georgetown falls to 16-9 on the year and 6-8 in league play.
The first half went back and forth with six lead changes, three ties and neither team able to lead by more than six. Villanova led 12-11 with 2:53 to play in the opening quarter, when the Wildcats scored five of the last seven points of the period to lead 17-13 after one. The five Villanova points included a jumper by senior Bella Runyan, a lay-up by sophomore Megan Olbrys and a free throw by junior Kaitlyn Orihel.
Villanova used a late second quarter surge to take a 27-23 lead into halftime. After Brianna Scott made a lay-up to give Georgetown a 21-19 lead tied with 4:15 remaining in the opening half, the Wildcats went on an 8-2 spurt the rest of the way.
The last five points of the half included a lay-up by junior Lucy Olsen and a three-ball just before the second quarter buzzer by Runyan.
Olsen led the Wildcats in the game's first 20 minutes with nine points and six rebounds, while Georgetown was led by Ariel Jenkins with nine points and five rebounds.
Villanova took control of the game with a decisive third quarter run. Following a lay-up by Hoya guard Kelsey Ransom at the 9:09 mark of the third quarter that tied the game at 27-27, Villanova used a 17-0 run to open-up a 44-27 lead with 2:22 on the clock. Olsen was phenomenal in the run, scoring 13 of her team's 17 points. The other four points included back-to-back buckets by freshman Maddie Webber.
The 17 unanswered points would propel Villanova to a 46-33 lead after three quarters of play.
Following a jump shot by Hoya guard Victoria Rivera that cut the Wildcat advantage to 48-39 with 8:53 remaining, neither team was able to score for the next 3:24. Olsen ended the scoreless drought with two free throws to put Villanova back up double figures at 50-39.
Georgetown scored the next three points on a jumper by Jada Claude and a free throw by Mya Bembry and Villanova led 50-42 at the 4:42 mark.
After each team failed to score on its next possession, Olsen increased the Villanova advantage to 52-42 with a short jumper with 3:35 to go. Georgetown would only get within single digits one more time and Villanova would lead by as many as 17 to earn the win.
In the victory, Olsen led all scorers with 33 points and eight rebounds. Runyan finished with 11 points, while Webber added eight points.
Georgetown was paced by Jenkins with 13 points.
For the game, Villanova was 25-of-54 from the field (46.3%), 5-of-15 from three (33.3%) and 7-of-10 from the foul line (70.0%), while Georgetown shot 37.7 percent from the floor (20-of-53), 16.7 percent from ling distance (1-of-6) and 60.0 percent from the charity stripe (6-of-10). Villanova owned a 33-30 advantage on the backboards.
Villanova returns home on Saturday to host the Butler Bulldogs. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
NOTES: Villanova has won nine in a row over Georgetown and lead the all-time series by a 51-24 margin…Lucy Olsen now has seven 30-point games this season…Bella Runyan is 11-of-27 from three in the last six games.
