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Green blocks Villanova from pulling off sweep

Feb 17, 2007 - 10:03 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Jeff Green was a force on the defensive end of the court for Georgetown. He wasn't too bad offensively, either.

Green posted a career-high eight blocked shots and scored the final four points of the game to lead No. 16 Georgetown to a 58-55 victory over Villanova in a Big East Conference matchup.

With the Hoyas (20-5, 10-2 Big East) trailing 55-54, Green hit a 14-foot jumper from the right wing to give Georgetown the lead, 56-55, with 19 seconds left.

"I just wanted the ball," Green said. "I was confident in my shot."

After Shane Clark missed a 3-pointer from the corner, Green made two free throws to extend the lead to 58-55 with 3.6 seconds to play.

Villanova (18-8, 6-6) got a decent look at the buzzer but freshman Scottie Reynolds' 3-pointer from the top of the key was off the mark.

"I came down. I stopped and I kind of lost my footing, but I saw the (defender) come flying at me," Reynolds said. "I was off-balance, so I couldn't jump into him. When it left my hands, I thought it had a chance. I wish I can get that one back."

"Obviously, a tough loss. To us, it's just part of the journey," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "We've just got to move on from this. I felt we played a good basketball game. We didn't make some plays down the stretch. They did. That's why they won."

Green scored 19 points and added nine rebounds for Georgetown, which has won nine straight games since a 56-62 loss to Villanova on January 8.

"Jeff Green was pretty good today, huh?" Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "We were extremely fortunate to come in here and walk away with the win. We felt we just wanted to grind it out slowly, methodically as we do, just try to get back in it."

Reynolds had 18 points for the Wildcats, including 13 in the first half.

Green scored 11 of his points in the opening 20 minutes to help the Hoyas hang close despite playing most of the half without center Roy Hibbert, who picked up a pair of fouls in the first four minutes and did not return until after the break.

Jessie Sapp gave Green some help in keeping the Hoyas in the game early on. His heave from just beyond half-court at the buzzer pulled Georgetown within 29-27 at the half.

Sapp finished with 16 points and played solid defense on Reynolds in the second half. In fact, the entire Georgetown team ratcheted up the pressure on the defensive end, limiting Villanova to 8-of-26 shooting (31 percent).

"At halftime, I told Coach that I wanted to defend him," Sapp said.