After a sluggish start, the Georgetown women's basketball team cruised to a tournament-opening victory Tuesday in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena.
Natalie Butler spearheaded the 67-55 win over Nicholls State with her fourth double-double in five games. The 6-foot-5 freshman proved a problem in the post for the Colonels, scoring 17 points and pulling in 14 rebounds.
The win earned Georgetown a spot against UAA in Wednesday's championship game at 5 p.m.
Georgetown (3-2), which also got 16 points from Andrea White and 10 rebounds from Faith Woodard, won the rebounding battle 49-32, but struggled to make short-range shots in the first half. The Hoyas trailed 24-15 with 7:52 to play in the opening stanza, but rallied to trail 28-26 at the half.
After shooting 34.5 percent from the field in the first half, Georgetown found some rhythm and shot 48.5 percent in the second half while pulling away for a comfortable win.
Nicholls State (3-2), nailed six 3-pointers in the first half, but couldn't keep the hot shooting up throughout. Led by a game-high 18 points from Emani White (four 3-pointers), the Colonels shot 31.3 percent from the field, having to settle for long-range shots most of the game.
K.K. Babbin added 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Nicholls State, with Jenny Nash pitching in 13 points.
The Colonels will play UC Riverside for third place at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday.
NICHOLLS STATE -- Scott 0-3 0-0 0, Lilly 4-10 1-2 9, White 5-21 4-4 18, Babin 4-16 0-0 11, Nash 5-11 0-0 13, Arnick 1-1 0-0 2, Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Ellis 0-0 0-0 0, Morrison 0-1 0-0 0, Guillory 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 20-64 5-6 55.
GEORGETOWN -- White 6-11 4-4 16, Woodard 3-14 1-2 7, Butler 7-15 3-4 17, McCormick 3-9 0-0 9, Powell 3-6 1-1 7, King 1-1 0-1 3, Freedman 0-0 0-0 0, Martin 0-0 0-0 7, Mutton 0-0 0-0 0, Cooper 0-0 0-0 0, Vitalis 3-6 2-2 8. Totals: 26-62 11-14 67.
Three-point goals -- Nicholls 10-33 (White 4-15, Babin 3-11, Nash 3-6, Morrison 0-1), Georgetown 4-11 (McCormick 3-7, King 1-1, Powell 0-1,Woodard 0-2). Total fouls -- Nicholls 12, Georgetown 13 23, UAA 31. Fouled out -- None. Rebounds -- Nicholls 32 (Lilly 9), Georgetown 49 (Butler 14). Assists -- Nicholls 18 (Babin 7), Georgetown 16 (Powell 4). Turnovers -- Nicholls 13 (Babin 4), Georgetown 15 (Powell 3, Vitalis 3). Steals -- Nicholls 5 (Five with one), Georgetown 7 (Powell 2). Blocks -- Nicholls 3 (Lilly 2), Georgetown 5 (Butler 3). Officials -- Graves, Corson, Leitch. A -- 3,724.
Nicholls State 28 27 -- 55
Georgetown 26 41 -- 67
Results and schedule
At Sullivan Arena
Women's Tournament
Tuesday's results
Georgetown 67, Nicholls State 55
UC-Riverside vs. UAA
Wednesday's games
Consolation -- Nicholls State vs. UC-Riverside-UAA loser, 2:30 p.m.
Championship -- Georgetown vs. UC-Riverside-UAA winner, 5 p.m.
Men's Tournament
Wednesday's games
Tulsa vs. Indiana State, 7:30 p.m.
Texas Christian vs. UAA, 10 p.m.
Thursday's games
Pepperdine vs. Green Bay, 5:30 p.m.
Denver vs. Harvard, 8 p.m.
Anchorage Daily News
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