SWEEP: Georgetown Beats Villanova, 75-73

Epps’ late layup caps off comeback run for Hoyas

Your Georgetown Hoyas completed the regular season sweep of the Villanova Wildcats this evening, ending the game on a 15-4 run to take this contest by a score of 75-73. Jayden Epps led with 20 points, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. Micah Peavy had another big night, with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, all while maintaining constant surveillance on Eric Dixon. Jordan Burks and Malik Mack joined them in double figures, adding 14 and 10 points respectively.

The Hoyas were coming off a weekend loss to the Marquette Golden Eagles, while Nova secured a double-digit win over Butler their last time out. Last time these two teams met, we stole one with lockdown defense that held the Wildcats scoreless for nearly five minutes at the end of the game.

Epps got on the board first for Georgetown, while Jordan Burks and Curtis Williams Jr. picked up where their strong weekend performances left off with strong rebounding and a confident shooting stroke. The Wildcats’ early offense came from Longino and Poplar, with Peavy putting in work to lock down nation-leading scorer Eric Dixon.

Peavy was getting it done in the other direction as well, with a smooth jumper and an intercepted pass into breakaway layup. A three from Burks off the feed from Williams Jr. put the Hoyas ahead 12-9 at the 14:06 mark of the first half. Mack picked up a phantom second foul soon after, though he stayed in the game as Ed Cooley complained and the crowd treated the officials to some surprisingly audible boo-ing.

Villanova endured a 3+ minute scoring drought with errant shots and turnovers, but Georgetown was unable to extend their lead because for more than four minutes they too were unable to pry the lid off the basket. Williams Jr. finally broke through from the corner, and Epps followed up with a triple of his own.

Sorely missing Thomas Sorber, the Hoyas were not asserting themselves enough on the defensive glass, allowing too many second chance points. However, a pair of baskets by Mack helped to maintain the slim advantage, 23-22 with 4:12 to play before the break.

Strong D by the Hoyas wasn’t paying dividends, pressuring their opponent into a bad look to avoid the shot clock violation only to turn it right back over on an errant pass. The Wildcats got baskets from Perkins and Longino, briefly putting the visitors on top until Drew Fielder snagged a rebound and Peavy knocked it down from behind the arc. A Nova three and an and-1 from Burks kept things locked 29-29 at intermission.

Fielder fought through, around, and over Dixon for the first bucket of the second half, followed soon after by a pair of triples from Peavy. The Wildcats followed with a pair of their own — including one from Dixon for his first points of the game — before Peavy struck again from deep. Epps hit a contested shot from beyond the arc late in the shot clock to put Georgetown ahead 43-35 coming out of the U16.

A three from Poplar and multiple high degree of difficulty buckets from Dixon whittled the Hoyas’ lead down to a single point. Dixon notched another, Mack and Epps both responded, then we heard from Dixon yet again before Burks had the answer from three, bookended by an additional bucket from Dixon. It was 57-53 Hoyas with 9:09 left to go. The pace had been ratcheting up considerably, and after being held scorleess in the opening half, the nation’s leading scorer rallied & tallied 15 straight for Villanova.

Suddenly Epps couldn’t hit a clean look, nor could his teammates. Things appeared to be going off course for the Hoyas until a second-chance three from Mack clawed back some ground. The Hoyas found themselves behind 69-63 with 3:23 remaining.

Active Georgetown defense forced a turnover, which Epps parlayed into a pair of made freethrows. Burks’ active hands forced another turnover and Mack found Fielder for a dunk, cutting the Nova advantage to two. Dixon cashed two freethrows; Burks finished a patient layup under double coverage. With only 1:46 on the clock, the Hoyas trailed 71-69.

Peavy forced Dixon into a long contested jump shot, which he (finally) missed. Epps was fouled by Poplar and drilled both ends of a 1-1 to tie it up. When Georgetown regained possession after a Perkins miss, Mack slowed the pace and gathered his offense to run the play being called out by Coach Cooley. The PG passed it off to Epps, who found Fielder, who fed Burks for the dunk & finish. Georgetown had retaken the lead, 73-71, 32.9 to go.

The Hoyas allowed a wide-open layup on the subsequent possession, placing a dangerous bet that their offense would get it done in the other direction. Electing not to call timeout to reset, that strategy paid off. Epps drove and finished to put Georgetown back on top of Villanova, 75-73.

As the clock ran out, I think Epps may have fully picked up Burks at halfcourt and given him a shake. This was the first time the Hoyas had managed to take both regular season matchups against the Wildcats since 1993, or so the announcing duo told us. This Georgetown team may fall behind, but once again they showed solidarity and the skill & composure to regroup. It was impressive and heartening to see their resilience pay off with a win.

The final game of the regular season is coming up this Saturday, as the Hoyas travel to take on the DePaul Blue Demons. That one is set for a 2pm tipoff on FS1.

We are Georgetown. Hoya Saxa.