#8 Tigers take down #9 Bethel

The 8th-ranked Georgetown Tigers began a daunting 4-game stretch on Thursday with the MSC home opener against #9 Bethel. In a highly skilled game, Georgetown gradually flexed its muscle in pulling away from Bethel for a 97-78 win. With the triumph, the Tigers improved to 16-1 on the season, marking the best start in program history.

To no surprise, the early action was back-and-forth and the score was tight. Neither team had a lead of more than 4 in the opening quarter. Both teams showed their balance has a combined 12 players scored points in the quarter. Georgetown shot 62% but thanks to offensive rebounding, Bethel took a narrow 21-20 lead to the 2nd.

Georgetown began to make its move to start the 2nd. Teionni McDaniel got going with a 3-point play for the first points of the quarter to push the Tigers ahead. She was joined in scoring by Kayra Freeman, who got to the foul line multiple times and knocked down the shots. The pair combined for the first 11 points of the quarter for Georgetown. Meanwhile, the defense tightened up as Bethel only scored 2 points in the first 4:45 of the quarter. It allowed Georgetown to build a lead of 33-22 after a pair of Abby Varney free throws. Bethel got those points back, but McDaniel then drilled a three-pointer to push the lead to 11. With 2:35 to go, Trinity Klock scored inside to give Georgetown a 40-29 lead. Bethel then scored 8 of the next 11 to cut the margin to 6 late. An AJ Stevenson free throw led Georgetown to a 44-37 halftime lead.

Jordan Rogers started the 3rd with a quick 3 and capped an 11-3 start with another as the lead swelled to 15 at 55-40 with 7:26 to go. The lead got as high as 21 at 70-49 with just over 2 minutes to go after another Rogers 3 and Teionni McDaniel steal and layup. Bethel's Micah Hart was determined to get her team back into it. The freshman guard went on a personal 8-0 run, scoring 16 of her game-high 37 points in the quarter. It cut Georgetown's lead to 14 at 71-57 entering the 4th.

Hart wasn't finished. To start the 4th, she outscored Georgetown, 11-3, and cut the Tiger lead all the way to 6 at 74-68. It was part of a run that saw Hart score 24 straight Bethel points between the 3rd and 4th quarters. Georgetown called a timeout to adjust with 7:43 to play. The change on Hart worked as after her 3 to cut the margin to 74-68, she went scoreless the rest of the way and could only muster 1 more shot attempt. Offensively, Georgetown continued its inside-outside attack with Callie Jackson free throws and an AJ Stevenson 3 to push the lead back out to 11 at 79-68. Bethel would get no closer than 9 points the rest of the way as Georgetown was consistently getting to the foul line for points. The Tigers made 11 free throws in the quarter and fouled out 3 Bethel players en route to the 19-point win.

The Tigers shot 32-39 from the line in the game, a +18 point advantage over Bethel. Teionni McDaniel led the Tigers with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Kayra Freeman went 10-12 at the line en route to a 13-point night. AJ Stevenson came out strong late to finish with 12. Sophie Smith turned in a strong overall night with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals. Jordan Rogers knocked 3 of 4 three-pointers to finish with 11.

The grind continues as the Tigers welcome #7 Freed-Hardeman to Davis-Reid Alumni Gym on Saturday. Tip time is set for 1:00pm.