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No. 18 Butler looks to ride momentum vs. Georgetown (Jan 07, 2017)
What can No. 18 Butler do for an encore after toppling top-ranked and undefeated Villanova for the biggest regular-season win in program history?
Well, help traditional Big East power Georgetown spiral further downward.
The Bulldogs (13-2, 2-1) ended the national champion Wildcats' 20-game winning streak with a 66-58 victory Wednesday night in front of a raucous home crowd at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Andrew Chrabascz and Kethan Savage each scored 13 points for Butler, which won its second straight after opening conference play with a surprising loss to Saint John's.
Villanova, one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, only shot 37.3 percent from the field and 6 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.
"We felt like if we could make it ugly on the defensive end, we'd give ourselves a chance," coach Chris Holtmann told the Indianapolis Star.
Savage, playing his first season with Butler after transferring from George Washington, scored five points during a decisive late run. His three-point play put the Bulldogs up 58-52 with 1:46 to go. Fans stormed the court soon after.
"This is the type of game I've always wanted to play," Savage said. "I came to Butler to win games like this."
Saturday's noon tipoff at Verizon Center will be a homecoming for Savage, who grew up in the nearby Northern Virginia suburbs and spent his first two years of college basketball playing locally for the Colonials.
Nobody could use some home cooking right now more than the Hoyas. Georgetown's 76-70 loss at Providence Wednesday dropped its record to 8-7 overall, but 0-3 in Big East play for the first time in program history.
"We're frustrated," Coach John Thompson III said moments after the Hoyas' latest loss.
The Hoyas entered conference play with momentum thanks to a six-game winning streak. The tides shifted after losing at Marquette and home to No. 17 Xavier. The latest setback occurred despite a career-high 26 points from Marcus Derrickson. The sophomore forward didn't receive much help offensively and the Hoyas once again showed help on defense is what they need most.
Guards Rodney Pryor (19.8 points per game) and L.J. Peak (15.6) have carried the offense most of the season, but both labored from the field against the Friars, finishing 8 of 30 for 22 points.
"There's a big difference between being frustrated and thinking the season's over," said Thompson, who coached Georgetown to a 15-18 record last season. "We're going to keep fighting. We're going to figure this out together. We're in a place right now where we have to pull ourselves up from. In this league, no one's going to help you. No one's going to care about you. And so we have to pull ourselves up."
Butler went 7-of-7 on free throws in the closing 1:46, finishing a perfect 15-of-15. Georgetown clanked at the line for a second straight game, finishing 8-of-16 in the eight-point loss.
One of the most foul-prone teams in the nation, the Hoyas put the Friars on the line 30 times. They were outscored 22-8 on free throws.
The Bulldogs swept the head-to-head series last season, including a 90-87 road win on Feb. 27.
