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Rodgers scores 23 to lead Georgetown over Nova

Feb 24, 2010 - 2:52 AM PHILADELPHIA(AP) -- Just as they have done all season long, the Georgetown Hoyas leaned on Sugar Rodgers when things weren't going their way.

The superb freshman scored 23 points, including nine during a pivotal second-half run, to lead No. 13 Georgetown to a 70-54 victory over Villanova on Tuesday night.

Trailing at halftime, Rodgers hit two 3-pointers and had a steal and lay-up during a 16-4 run that gave the Hoyas (23-4, 12-2 Big East) a 12-point lead.

"She's an unbelievable freshman," Georgetown head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. "The numbers she puts up are incredible. The way she can score so explosively makes it easier for our other kids. It's not new for us (to see that)."

Latia Magee added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Hoyas (23-4, 12-2 Big East), who have won six of their past seven games after their school-record 16-game winning streak was snapped.

Maria Getty scored all 17 of her points in the first half for the Wildcats (13-14, 2-12), who were out-rebounded 39-26 by the Hoyas.

Georgetown was coming off an uplifting 76-66 win over No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday. But the Hoyas started out flat against Villanova, shooting just 36 percent from the floor in the first half.

Getty had no such problems, hitting six of her nine shots in the period to help Villanova jump out to a 34-29 lead at the break.

But Georgetown tightened its defense in the second half, focusing intently on Getty. The senior only managed to get three shots in the second half and missed every one of them as the Wildcats faded.

"We have a really bad habit of not playing as hard as we can all the time," Magee said. "At halftime, we talked about picking up our intensity. In the second half, we stopped worrying about what they were doing and just did what we do."

Shannon Elliott added 11 points and seven rebounds for Villanova.

The only loss for the Hoyas in the past seven games came at West Virginia on Feb. 14. After hosting Jacksonville State on Feb. 25, the Hoyas travel to No. 1 Connecticut.

"We're ready," Magee said. "We're definitely ready."