Final - OT
Georgetown pulls away in overtime to beat Memphis
Dec 14, 2008 - 12:39 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Georgetown's homecourt winning streak was in jeopardy Saturday, but the 19th-ranked Hoyas escaped with a hard-fought victory by playing their patented tenacious defense down the stretch.DaJuan Summers scored 21 points for the Hoyas, who held off No. 15 Memphis, 79-70, in overtime to extend their home winning streak to 27 games.
"I think we're adjusting well," Summers said. "The guys are doing the things they need to do in order for us to adjust well. It's supposed to be a transition from last year to this year. Guys are working hard in practice and everyone is on the same page so I think we're doing a good job of it."
It was anything but easy, however, as Saturday's intense early-season contest featured 14 ties and 17 lead changes.
However, the Hoyas (7-1) allowed only two baskets in the final 4:54 of regulation and overtime.
"It was back and forth," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "It was two teams that will probably continue to get better. It was a tight, tense game. There was no breathing room."
One of Memphis' late field goals came with four seconds left in the second half when Robert Dozier tipped in freshman Tyreke Evans' missed layup to force overtime at 66-66.
Summers scored the first point of overtime by hitting 1-of-2 free throws with 3:46 remaining, giving the Hoyas (7-1) a lead they never relinquished.
"We have to get to the point where we can get contributions from more (players)," Thompson added. "That was a good college basketball game, the flow of the game was, we could never pull away, they could never pull away."
After Summers' layup gave Georgetown a 71-68 lead with 1:36 left, Memphis' Shawn Taggart hit a pair from the line 16 seconds later. Taggart scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
However, Georgetown finished the game with an 8-0 spurt. The Hoyas' nine-point margin of victory was the largest lead for either team in a physical game.
"I thought it was a great game and I'm really proud of my guys," said Memphis coach John Calipari, who lost three starters from last year's 38-2 club. "We're not ready for this kind of game."
Evans scored 20 points, but missed seven of his last eight shots to finish just 8-of-24 from the field.
"I thought Shawn Taggert played with unbelievable energy in the first half," Calipari added.
"We all have to play with that type of energy. If we do we're so long and so big we become a force and then we'll figure out how we'll finish games."
Austin Freeman added 18 points for Georgetown and Chris Wright contributed 14.
The Tigers hurt the Hoyas on the boards, holding a 28-11 edge in second-chance points. However, Georgetown got to the line more frequently, hitting 27-of-36 free throws, compared to just 11-of-15 for Memphis.
"We made stops, we got the rebounds, made the free-throws (and) we stuck together in overtime and we got the win," Freeman added.
- NCAA BB
FINAL IN 1ST OT 1ST 2ND 1OT TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MEMPHIS (15) 38 28 4 70
GEORGETOWN (19) 37 29 10 76 FINAL IN 1ST OT
Dec 13 4:25 PM - NCAA BB
(15) MEMPHIS 66
(19) GEORGETOWN 66 END 2ND HALF, GOING INTO OVERTIME
Dec 13 4:08 PM - 173
rootsRUWTbot Added 68 roots (Close Finish, Overtime, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Memphis(15) 66, Georgetown(19) 66 End of Reg.Dec 13 4:08 PM - 95
rootsRUWTbot Added 20 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Memphis(15) 64, Georgetown(19) 65 2nd - 2:35Dec 13 3:59 PM - 70
rootsRUWTbot Added 34 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Memphis(15) 62, Georgetown(19) 63 2nd - 3:21Dec 13 3:54 PM - NCAA BB
(15) MEMPHIS 38
(19) GEORGETOWN 37 HALFTIME
Dec 13 2:57 PM - 26
roots
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