Georgetown finds its range against No. 8 Orange
WASHINGTON – DaJuan Summers hit a 3-pointer on Georgetown’s first shot of the game, and the Hoyas didn’t miss many more after that.
No. 13 Georgetown had its best 3-point shooting game of the season, going 12 for 21 in an 88-74 victory over No. 8 Syracuse on Wednesday night.
Summers led Georgetown with 21 points, and Austin Freeman, who added 19, led the way from behind the arc, going 4 for 5.
“Everybody was knocking down shots. We were looking for each other, and when teammates were open they knocked down shots,” Freeman said. “We just looked at each other, and said, ‘Let’s go.’ ”
The Hoyas (12-3, 3-2 Big East) had focused on jump shots in practice leading up to the game, knowing they’d face the Orange’s zone defense. Georgetown’s shooters did so well Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim switched from the zone to man-to-man defense in an attempt to slow down the Hoyas.
“We gave them open looks, and they knocked them down,” Boeheim said. “We played equally bad in both defenses.”
Eric Devendorf had 20 points and four 3-pointers for the Orange (16-2, 4-1), who had won seven straight. Rick Jackson had 17 points and Paul Harris added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Syracuse.
Georgetown started quickly, following Summer’s opening 3 by taking a 10-2 lead.
But the Hoyas really got hot midway through the first half, taking over the game with a 21-4 run that gave them a 37-18 lead with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The run was sparked by two 3-pointers by sophomore Nikita Mescheriakov, who had only two field goals all season entering the game. Mescheriakov’s first 3 was answered by Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn, but he immediately followed with another from the top of the key.
“Nikita comes in, and he’s been a little bit of a deer in headlights,” Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. “I said, ‘Let’s just throw him in there,’ and he bangs two shots in a row.’ ”
That basket started a string of 14 straight points by Georgetown, including thunderous dunks by Summers and Henry Sims.