Georgetown rallies to claim first trip to Big East semis since 1999
By Jack McCarthy
Box Score | Georgetown Quotes | Villanova Quotes
CHICAGO — Georgetown delivered some payback and earned a trip it hasn’t made in nearly 20 years with Sunday’s 63-58 Big East quarterfinals victory over third seed Villanova.
The No. 6 seed Hoyas, who dropped a pair of close regular season decisions to the Wildcats, will continue their post-season run on Monday against second-seed and host DePaul, Georgetown's first semifinal appearance since 1999.
Cynthia Petke scored a game-high 24 points — including 13 in the second half — while Dionna White added 20 points for Georgetown (15-14). Petke also pulled down 11 rebounds, recording her BIG EAST leading 18th double-double of the season.
Petke, a senior forward from Cameroon, gave the Hoyas the lead for good at 53-50 after knocking down a 3 pointer with 5:10 left in regulation.
Alex Louin collected 13 points and 11 rebounds for Villanova (22-8). Adrianna Hahn and Mary Gedaka each added 12.
The Wildcats kept the Hoyas at arm’s length though a first half that featured just one lead change and a tie and seven different Villanova players scoring on the way to a 29-23 halftime lead.
Georgetown rallied to a 36-36 tie on Petke’s layup with 4:10 left in the third but couldn’t grab the lead. That changed in the waning seconds when Mikayla Venson connected on a free throw line jumper for a 42-41 Hoya edge with 15 seconds remaining in the period.
Hahn’s pair of free throws with no time showing put Villanova back on top at 43-42 entering the fourth quarter.
DePaul and Georgetown will square off in the second game on Monday, at 5:30 p.m. Central, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Tuesday, March 6 at 6 p.m.