2/11/2003

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) _ Jerome Coleman scored six of his 11 points in the final 1:25 and Rutgers offset a big effort by Mike Sweetney in a 66-59 victory over Georgetown Tuesday night.

The victory moved Rutgers (11-10, 3-6) into sixth place in the Big East's West Division while Georgetown (10-10, 2-7) is now alone in last place in the West.

Georgetown, which has lost six straight, got 22 points and 11 rebounds from Sweetney, who is the active Big East leader in career double-doubles with 32.

Neither team could ever take control, as Georgetown's 39-32 lead was the game's biggest until the closing seconds. There were 15 lead changes and nine ties, with the final tie coming at 57-57 after Georgetown's Gerald Riley made two foul shots with 2:35 remaining.

Rutgers took the lead for good when Kareem Wright's foul shot made it 58-57 with 2:15 left. After a Georgetown turnover, Coleman hit an off-balance baseline jumper with the shot clock running out to give the Scarlet Knights a 60-57 advantage.

Victor Samnick made one of two free throws to pull Georgetown within 60-58, before Mike Sherrod made two foul shots and Coleman made four straight to give Rutgers an insurmountable 66-58 lead with 7.8 seconds remaining. Georgetown missed its last three shots from the field.

With Rutgers double and triple-teaming Sweetney in the post, the Hoyas' forward scored just four points in the game's last 11 minutes.

Ricky Shields led Rutgers with 12 points and Sean Axani had 11.

Riley had 19 points for Georgetown, which shot 34 percent overall and 25 percent in the first half. The Hoyas stayed in by making 25 of 37 foul shots.

Georgetown outrebounded Rutgers, 43-36, but committed 17 turnovers.