UNCASVILLE, Conn. - The 10th-seeded Georgetown University women's basketball team escaped with a 58-56 victory over the seventh-seeded Providence College Friars in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament presented by Jeep on Friday afternoon at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. With the win, the Hoyas improve to 12-18 on the season, while the Friars drop to 13-19 on the year. It was a huge game for graduate student Kelsey Ransom who led the Blue & Gray with a career-best 36 points.
 
Head Coach Darnell Haney

• "I just want to give kudos to Coach Batth and the Providence group, they're a tough, veteran group. They came and gave us everything we asked for, but I was proud of our group for persevering. We had so many in foul trouble in the fourth quarter, and we had to kind of do something a little bit off on a tangent. We went to some zone because we had to kind of protect the paint. But overall, our group did a great job. I'm proud of our group for adjusting and doing that. Here we go. It's go time."

How it Happened

• The teams were tied up early on, before a jumper from senior Ariel Jenkins sparked a 10-2 Hoya run including four points apiece from Jenkins and Ransom.
• Providence would knock down a triple late in the quarter to make it 14-9 after one.
• Georgetown held a slight lead for much of the second quarter as the combination of Ransom and junior Victoria Rivera led the way.
• The final two minutes of the half saw the Blue & Gray stage a 6-0 run that featured a pair of free throws from Jenkins as well as buckets from Rivera and Ransom.
• Georgetown went into the break leading 31-24.
• Ransom was in control in the third as she scored 11 of Georgetown's 16 points in the stanza.
• Providence would cut the lead to four, 44-40, late in the third but Ransom answered with a triple to put GU on top 47-40 after three quarters of action.
• Ransom opened the fourth with a 3-pointer, but the Friars came back with a 7-0 run to cut the advantage to three.
• As the game wore on and the Hoyas had foul trouble, Providence was able to pull closer and eventually tied the contest at 56 with 59 seconds remaining.
• Georgetown would come up with a stop, and eventually have the ball with three seconds remaining.
• Always the hero, Ransom was fouled on the final play and sank her two free throws to give GU the lead.
• The Friars called timeout and set up a last second play. The layup rolled around the rim, and out as the Blue & Gray held on for the 58-56 victory.

Of Note

• Ransom put up career numbers with 36 points in the contest. She also added seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the win.
• Freshman Khadee Hession led GU on the glass with eight boards to go along with six points, four assists and four steals.
• The Blue & Gray shot 36.2% (21-58) from the field, and allowed the Friars just 35.2% (19-54) shooting in the contest.
• Georgetown was outrebounded by Providence, 36-34, and forced 18 PC turnovers on eight steals.
• Olivia Olsen led the way for Providence with 21 points as one of two Friars scoring in double figures.

Up Next

• The Hoyas will face second-seeded Creighton in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Saturday at 7 p.m.
• The game will be broadcast live on FS2 with John Fanta, Kim Adams and Meghan Caffrey calling the action.
• Live stats will be available at GUHoyas.com.