Georgetown had not beaten Cincinnati in four tries, including a painful double-overtime loss in the Big East Tournament in 2012 in a game that had been well in hand.
This time, they overcame the Beatcats- and in the process, claimed sole possession of First place in the topsy-turvy Big East.
Georgetown got 16 points and 7 rebounds from star Otto Porter, as well as 17 points from Markel Starks, as the #15 Hoyas slipped by Cincinnati 62-55 to win their 7th straight game.
The Hoyas had built a 12 point lead in the second half, before the Bearcats clawed back to a 1-point lead with 6:53 remaining on the hot shooting of JaQuan Parker (15 points).
Starks came to the Hoyas’ rescue however, hitting a big 3-pointer and sealing the Hoyas’ lead with five free throws in the final minute of the game.
“You have to keep your composure because the crowd gets going, and your nerves start to go,” Starks said of icing the game in the final minute. “You just have to stay calm. You practice this shot every day.”
In a season in which the Hoyas lost to South Florida and Marquette in heartbreaking fashion, they sit alone atop the Big East at 9-3. They return to action Wednesday against DePaul before meeting #6 Syracuse in a showdown for first place next weekend.
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