Jesse Edwards collected 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks as Syracuse defeated visiting Georgetown 83-64 on Saturday in a matchup of long-time former Big East rivals.
Judah Mintz chipped in 16 points and 10 assists for the Orange (6-4), who lead the all-time series 53-45. Joe Girard added 15 points for Syracuse, while Benny Williams had 13.
Primo Spears scored 22 points to pace the Hoyas (5-6), who shot just 37.3 percent overall and 24 percent (6 of 25) from the 3-point arc. Jay Heath added 14 points for Georgetown.
After leading by 11 points at halftime, Syracuse scored the first five points of the second half to go ahead 50-34. Georgetown responded with 10 of the next 12 points, including six by Spears, to make it a 52-44 game.
Edwards then scored the first four points in a quick 6-0 run as the lead swelled back to 14 with 12:34 remaining.
The Hoyas clawed back within 64-57 with under five minutes left. However, seven straight points by the hosts — the final four by Williams — ended any chance of a comeback.
Syracuse shot 50 percent from the field and made 20 of 21 free throws.
Georgetown stormed out of the gates with nine straight points — five by Spears and four by Akok Akok — before Syracuse even got on the board. Heath’s 3-pointer gave the Hoyas a 17-6 advantage less than six minutes into the contest, but the Orange responded with 12 straight points — four apiece by Edwards and Girard — to take their first lead of the game.
The teams then jockeyed back and forth for several minutes before Syracuse went on a 16-2 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 45-32 advantage. Chris Bell and Girard each knocked down a 3-pointer during that burst, which Williams capped with a jumper in the lane.
Spears made a bucket in the waning seconds of the half, helping Georgetown get within 45-34 at the break.
Girard led all scorers with 12 first-half points, while Heath had 11 points before the break.
–Field Level Media
