PHILADELPHIA -- Austin Freeman scored 10 of Georgetown's final 12 points and finished with 30 to lead the Hoyas (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) to a 69-66 victory over Villanova (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) on Saturday.
Freeman, the Big East preseason player of the year, took over the offense by himself as the Hoyas (16-5, 5-4) lost most of a nine-point lead with 5 minutes to play.Georgetown entered the game second in the nation in field goal percentage (50.8) and finished 24 of 46 (52.2 percent).The Wildcats (17-4, 5-3) cut the lead to one point three times in the final 1:15 and each time Freeman found a way to get the lead back to three.Corey Fisher and Maalik Wayns each scored 15 points for Villanova. Wayns made two free throws with 33 seconds left to get Villanova within 65-64. Freeman's hard pass from just inside halfcourt found Nate Lubick alone under the basket for a dunk with 24 seconds to go.Wayns brought the Wildcats within one for what would be the last time at 67-66 on a drive with 16 seconds to go.Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
