VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Georgetown University women's basketball team battled down to the wire, but fell 71-64 to the Villanova University Wildcats on Wednesday evening in a BIG EAST Conference matchup at the Finneran Pavilion. With the loss, the Blue & Gray drops to 8-7 overall and 1-5 in BIG EAST play.

Head Coach James Howard

• "Tonight showed that we are better than our last game. The team I saw tonight was the team that played at DePaul and at Seton Hall. We fought and we played together, but Villanova is a top-25 caliber team and Maddy is one of the leading scorers in the country. We did a good job, but we bailed her out on the free throw line. We will continue to grow with consistency learning who we are when we come back in games like this. We can't settle for moral victories, we have to learn how to win these close ones against good teams. That's the challenge going forward."

How it Happened

• Villanova (13-3, 4-1 BIG EAST) jumped out to a small lead, but midway through the first, a steal resulted in a three-point play for freshman Kennedy Fauntleroy who drove the lane and hit the free throw to make it 11-10 in favor of the Blue & Gray.
• It was a 13-2 run, including seven points from Fauntleroy, that put the Hoyas on top as the defense was stifling on the other end of the floor.
• At the end of the first period, the Hoyas held the 19-14 lead.
• The 'Cats opened the second quarter with an 11-1 run forcing a GU timeout. Out of the break, GU managed a pair of quick buckets from senior Jada Claude and junior Kelsey Ransom to chip away at the deficit.
• Trailing by seven, GU would manage the 6-0 run before Nova hit a triple. In the final minute, Fauntleroy scored on a long jumper to make it 37-35 in favor of Villanova at the half.
• A 3-pointer by Claude to begin the second half gave the Blue & Gray the 38-37 lead, but the Wildcats answered right back.
• Georgetown would continue to battle and keep it a two-possession game until late when an 8-0 run gave VU a 14-point lead.
• The Blue & Gray would find points in the final minutes with a 6-0 run to make it 61-53 at the end of the third.
• The Hoya defense was stifling, holding the Wildcats scoreless for the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, and managed to cut the deficit to one on huge plays from Fauntleroy.
• Despite the comeback, Villanova would get baskets down the stretch as GU fell 71-64.

Of Note

• Fauntleroy led the way with 24 points to go along with three rebounds, two steals and a block.
• Ransom tallied 12 points, and Claude had 10 as well as a squad-best nine rebounds to round out those in double figures.
• The Hoyas shot an impressive 44.4% (24-54) from the field, while allowing just 36.8% (21-57) shooting by the Wildcats.
• Free throws made the difference as the Wildcats managed 19 points from the line, and the Blue & Gray hit just 59.1% (13-22)..
• Both teams committed 12 turnovers, and Georgetown was slightly outrebounded by VU 36-35.

Up Next

• Georgetown will have the weekend off and continue BIG EAST Conference action on Wednesday as the squad hosts the Butler University Bulldogs in a matchup at McDonough Arena. The opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
• Fans can tune in online on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports. Click here for special University pricing.
• Live stats will be available at GUHoyas.com.
• Tickets can be purchased at wearegeorgetown.com/wbbtickets. Additionally, Georgetown students as well as GU faculty and staff will be admitted for free for all games at McDonough Arena with a valid GoCard.