MILWAUKEE – The Georgetown University women's basketball team put in a huge effort, but came up short against the No. 8/7 Marquette University Golden Eagles (20-3, 11-0 BIG EAST), 59-52, Friday evening at the Al McGuire Center.  With the loss, the Hoyas drop to 11-12 overall and 5-7 in BIG EAST Conference play.
 
"It was a tough game, we just went out there and we tried to play our way but in the end we just couldn't finish," said Georgetown Head Coach James Howard.  "How we get back from this is the biggest thing.  There are six games left in the regular season and everyone is coming to play so we just have to refocus and get ready for Sunday."
 
Graduate student guard Dorothy Adomako (Midlothian, Va. / Cosby) was one of three Hoyas in double figures leading the way with 17 points and six rebounds.  Freshman guard Nikola Kovacikova (Levice, Slovakia / UKF Nitra) had a career-high 13 points going 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.  Senior guard Dionna White (Baltimore, Md. / Milford Mill) contributed 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. 
 
The Hoyas shot 31.7 percent (19 for 60) from the field while allowing the Golden Eagles to shoot 40.0 percent (22 for 55). Georgetown was outrebounded by MU 44 for 26, but forced 17 Marquette turnovers to the Hoyas' nine.
 
Defense was key early on as Marquette led 6-2 midway through the first quarter.  As MU pulled ahead, an Adomako three-point play and a jumper from White cut the lead to four.  A pair of key defensive plays gave Kovacikova the chance to shine as she hit back-to-back 3-pointers, including a buzzer beater, to put the Blue & Gray ahead 13-11 at the end of the first.  It was an 11-0 run to end the period.
 
The squads traded baskets to begin the second as Georgetown clung to a small lead.  Despite the efforts, back-to-back 3-pointers from the Golden Eagles forced a GU timeout to set up the press as Marquette led 23-19.  It was Kovacikova who continued to spark the offense as she knocked down a jumper and her third trey of the game to cut it to one.  There would be just one basket for the remainder of the period as a layup by the Golden Eagles made it 27-24 at the break. 
 
Marquette scored first in the third quarter as the squads traded 3-pointers back-and-forth.  A three-point play from junior guard Morgan Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md. / Riverdale Baptist) helped the Blue & Gray keep it a one-possession game as it continued to be a battle.  Every trey had an answer as neither team could find a way to go on a run.  A hard drive through the lane late made it 43-42 as Adomako's layup trickled in.  With 2:55 on the clock, Adomako sank a pair of layups to put the Hoyas back on top.  Late free throws would tie the score at 44 going into the final period.
 
MU opened the final stanza with back-to-back 3-pointers forcing a Georgetown timeout.  Georgetown battled back to make it a three-point game on a trey from White, however, Marquette managed five quick points as GU struggled to match.  The Blue & Gray would never find the answer eventually falling 59-52.
 
The Hoyas will continue their road swing at DePaul University on Sunday.  The opening tip is scheduled for 3 p.m. at McGrath-Phillips Arena.  The game will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) with Dave Bernhard and Trish Babock McGraw calling the action.  Live stats will be available at www.GUHoyas.com.
 
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