Fuller and Houlette Lead Hoyas Past Orange

Jan. 3, 2009

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University women's basketball team started off BIG EAST play on the right foot Saturday with an 80-73 victory of the Syracuse Orange (11-3, 0-1 BE) at McDonough Arena. The Hoyas built up a big lead in the first half and managed to hold on in the second as the Orange made a comeback. GU had significant contributions from almost every player on the squad including some big minutes from a number of freshmen. The Hoyas are now 11-3 overall and 1-0 in the BIG EAST.

The Hoyas came out fired up with Karee Houlette (Houston, Texas/Cypress Springs) hitting the opening three of the game in her first career start. Georgetown continued to roll taking a 7-0 lead before Syracuse could get on the board. Adria Crawford (Alexandria, Va./Thomas Edison) and Shanice Fuller (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River) both contributed to the early run.

SU cut it to two seven minutes in, but that would be as close as they would come in the half as GU staged a 15-0 run spanning the next eight minutes. Jaleesa Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Alton) started it with a layup while Fuller added nine points including a three. The Georgetown defense forced eight turnovers during the run to take a 22-5 lead.

Another three from Fuller gave GU an 18-point advantage with 2:30 left in the half, but the Orange started to make things happen in the closing minutes with a 6-0 run making the score 31-18 at the break.

Fuller led all scorers in the first with 16 points while Crawford and Butler each had four. Georgetown out-rebounded Syracuse 24-20 and forced 15 Orange turnovers. The Hoyas shot 36.4 percent in the half and held `Cuse to 23.1 percent shooting from the field.

It was Syracuse's turn to come out hot in the second half as the Orange quickly reduced the lead to just one point six minutes in. However, the young Hoyas managed to stay composed and clinged to a small lead throughout the remainder of the half.

"It's the BIG EAST, it's very good teams and it's going to be a game of runs," said Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "It happened up there last year and it happened again here at home, that's just the BIG EAST with teams that will make runs at each other."

At 13:43 Kenya Kirkland (Brooklyn, N.Y./Grand Street Campus) hit a jumper to move ahead by three and Fuller added another jump shot to make it five. The Orange found a way to come back and tie it with nine minutes left but after a huge offensive rebound from Latia Magee (Jenks, Okla./Jenks), Fuller drove the lane and got fouled, sinking the free throw to lead 55-52.

In the closing minutes as GU clung to a small advantage, it was the freshmen who found ways to win. Forward Tia McBride (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) played quality minutes after the Hoyas experience foul trouble down low and the rookie had two huge layups. Classmate Morgan Williams (Dickinson, Texas/Dickinson) also made some big shots at point guard. The Dickinson, Texas native swished a three with 2:30 remaining to put GU up by four and then hit four free throws in the closing seconds to secure the win. Despite a number of SU comebacks, Georgetown was able to hold on for the 80-73 victory.

"Tia (McBride) and Morgan (Williams) were unbelievable, just unbelievable," said Williams-Flournoy. "That just shows that they practice hard and they are ready. They never know when their number is going to be called but every time it is they are ready."

Fuller led the Hoyas with 25 points and Houlette added 17 as well as a team-high seven rebounds. Williams scored a career-best 10 points going 7-10 from the line in the game. Georgetown out-rebounded Syracuse 41-35 and shot 43.3 percent for the game. The Hoya defense forced 21 SU turnovers and allowed 40.4 percent shooting. Erica Morrow led the Orange with 29 points.

Georgetown will have the week off before traveling to No. 12/6 Notre Dame for a BIG EAST contest at 2 p.m. Live stats and a webcast will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.

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