Elon Phoenix at Georgetown Hoyas

Georgetown outlasts Elon 85-76

The Hoyas (7-2) trailed by one at halftime and took the lead for good on Josh Smith's layup to begin the second half. Smith had 18, hitting 7 of 9 from the field.

Starks hit three consecutive 3-pointers in less than two minutes to give Georgetown a 56-48 lead with 13:43 left to play.

Elon (5-6) was led by Lucas Troutman and Tanner Samson with 18.

Jack Isenbarger hit a 3-pointer with 5:22 to play to cut the Hoyas' lead to 69-64.

Smith-Rivera hit a jumper, Smith scored on a dunk and Starks hit one of two free throws to give the Hoyas a 74-64 lead with 3:23 to play. Nate Lubick scored on a layup with 1:39 to play, giving Georgetown an 11-point lead.

The pesky Phoenix scored seven straight points, capped by a three-point play by Sebastian Koch to draw within 79-74 with 1:02, but the Hoyas held on.

After Georgetown took an early 10-5 lead, Elon scored eight straight for a 13-10 lead about six minutes into the half. The Phoenix, who entered the game shooting 43.6 percent from the 3-point line, converted on 6 of their first 11 and led 26-25 with 7:38 to play in the first half.

Elon increased its lead to 31-25 with just less than five minutes to play and led 40-39 at the half, thanks to 57.7 percent shooting from the field.

Entering the game, Georgetown hadn't allowed more than seven 3-point shots in a game. They allowed eight in the first half.

In the second half, the Phoenix, which shot 8 for 17 from 3-point range, were 5 for 12.

The Hoyas traditionally feast on nonconference opponents early in the season. This year, after wins against Lipscomb and High Point by a combined 56 points, Georgetown barely squeezed by Colgate.

That narrow six-point win, which preceded a 10-day layoff for final exams, so annoyed Hoyas coach John Thompson III that he refused to allow his players to address the media, saying they hadn't earned the right to speak.

Georgetown, which begins play in the revamped Big East on Dec. 31, plays at No. 17 Kansas on Saturday.

Elon is in its final season in the Big South. They move to the Colonial Athletic Association next season. The Phoenix's first conference game is on Jan. 4.

How can I watch Elon vs. Georgetown?

• TV Channel: Elon at Georgetown 2021 College Basketball, week 7, is broadcasted on CBSSN.
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