Jan. 30, 2008

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MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's basketball showed true character Wednesday night and came away with a hard-earned victory over Georgetown, 60-55. With the win, the Golden Eagles improve to 12-8 overall, 4-3 in BIG EAST play.

Junior Krystal Ellis paced four Golden Eagles in double figures as she posted 14 points. Junior Kelly Lam earned her first career double double, notching 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Senior Svetlana Kovalenko also posted 11 points, while freshman Angel Robinson chipped in 10.

Kovalenko and redshirt freshman Jocelyn Mellen had eight boards each, and Robinson took down seven. MU out-rebounded the Hoyas 52-34, one rebound shy of the team's season best.

In a game that combined for 49 turnovers, Marquette was able to score 23 points off of 25 Georgetown miscues and shot 22-of-61 from the field for 36.1 percent.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 13-0 advantage as Georgetown committed 10 turnovers, attempting just two shots is the first five minutes of the game. MU connected on 6-of-9 from the field before the first media timeout. The Hoyas got on the board with 15:18 remaining in the game, as they hit two free throws.

As Georgetown threatened with 6:51 left in the first half, Robinson grabbed her own rebound, then tipped the ball in with 4:30 remaining and a 25-15 MU advantage.

The Hoyas used a 7-0 run on back-to-back treys to pull within 25-21 of the Golden Eagles with 2:53 to go in the first half.

Mellen connected on 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, followed by Janelle Harris hitting one attempt after two Georgetown lane violations, to give MU a 27-21 advantage.

Neither team sank a shot in the final 1:38 of the first half as MU held on to a 27-21 lead heading into the locker room.

Marquette combined for 11-of-38 from the field in the first half, for 30 percent, led by six points from Kovalenko.

The Golden Eagles dominated the glass in the first half, taking down 33 boards while the Hoyas grabbed just 14 as Mellen pulled down seven and Kelly Lam had grabbed six rebounds.

Robinson hit a layup to give Marquette its first second half points and Lam followed with a layup of her own to keep MU in front, 31-24 with 18:43 left in the game.

Ellis hit a jumper with 15:04 remaining to push MU's lead to 37-28, but a three from Georgetown's Monica McNutt closed the gap to 37-31.

With 11:51 left in the game, Georgetown to cut the lead to four points, 39-35. McNutt connected from long range again to bring the Hoyas within three points with 10:41 remaining.

Georgetown was fouled after a layup with 9:01 left in the game, but would not make the free basket. The Hoyas pulled within a point, 43-42, at the 7:39 mark, and then stripped the Golden Eagles of their lead as McNutt sank another trey with 7:17 left in the game.

Robinson countered to tie the game at 45 apiece following a jumper, but a free throw put Georgetown back in front, 46-45. MU called a timeout as the Hoyas had a clear path to basket for an open bucket, increasing their lead to 48-45 with 6:00 to go in the game.

After a steal from Robinson, Kovalenko sank a short jumper to regain the lead, 49-48, and send the Hoyas into a timeout. Lam hit 1-of-2 from the line to extend MU's lead to 50-48, but Georgetown responded with a jumper to tie the score at 50, with 3:02 left in the game.

With 2:10 remaining, Kovalenko sank a three-point shot, putting MU back in front 53-50.

After pushing its lead to 56-50, MU was challenged again as McNutt hit another trey closing the gap at 56-53 with 1:00 left in the game. Ellis hit 1-of-2 from the line following a foul, holding onto a 57-53 advantage.

Two missed free-throws from Georgetown with 43 seconds left kept the lead in MU's favor and with 5.9 seconds left, Ellis was fouled and hit both from the charity stripe to seal Marquette's victory, 60-55.

The Golden Eagles head back on the road and will face St. John's Saturday, Feb. 2. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. CT.