Georgetown defeats Marquette 69-78

Georgetown Upsets Marquette at Fiserv Forum, 78-69

In a tightly contested conference matchup, the visiting Georgetown Hoyas outlasted the home crowd and the Marquette Golden Eagles, taking down their Big East rivals by a score of 78-69 on Friday night.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets in the opening half. The Hoyas took an early lead, but the Golden Eagles responded with a surge of their own, leading 33-37 at the break. However, Georgetown's Julius Halaifonua had other plans for Marquette in the second half.

A Turning Point

With just over five minutes remaining and the score tied at 58-58, Georgetown took control of the game on both ends of the floor. The Hoyas' offense began to click, with Halaifonua scoring 10 points in a span of four minutes, including a clutch three-pointer that put his team up by eight.

Meanwhile, Marquette struggled to contain Georgetown's defense, which held the Golden Eagles to just two field goals over the final 2:30. The Hoyas' bench also played a key role in securing the win, as Jeremiah Williams sank several crucial shots down the stretch.

Key Performers

Julius Halaifonua led all scorers with 21 points on an impressive 70% shooting clip from the field. His teammate, Jeremiah Williams, chipped in with 15 points and five assists off the bench.

Damarius Owens paced Marquette with 15 points, while Nigel James Jr. added five assists to round out the Golden Eagles' top scorers.

Advanced Statistics

While neither team shot the ball exceptionally well, Georgetown's ability to control the paint was a key factor in their victory. The Hoyas outscored Marquette by 10 points in the paint and limited the Golden Eagles to just 11 fast break points.

Georgetown's free throw shooting also proved crucial, as they converted 20 of 23 attempts from the line compared to Marquette's eight successful free throws on 12 attempts.

Post-Game Analysis

The win keeps Georgetown's hopes for a conference title alive, while it dealt a significant blow to Marquette's postseason aspirations. The Golden Eagles' struggles against teams that can control the paint and shoot efficiently were exposed once again.

For the Hoyas, this victory will serve as a confidence booster heading into their next matchup. With Halaifonua's continued dominance on offense and Williams' reliable playmaking, Georgetown appears poised to make a deep run in the conference tournament.

Game Summary

- Field Goals: 27/58 (47.0%) - Georgetown

- Field Goals: 27/64 (42.0%) - Marquette

- Largest Lead: 15 points (Georgetown)

- Fast Break Points: 12 (Georgetown)

- Turnovers: 9 (Marquette)