Sugar Rodgers scores 24 as Hoyas stifle Miami offense

Updated: Dec 22, 2011, 03:29 am

WASHINGTON -- During its 10-day layover for finals, No. 17 Georgetown focused on two things: exams and how to defend against offensive-minded seventh-ranked Miami.

The extra attention paid off, as the Hoyas held the nation's highest-scoring team to nearly half its average and 21 percent shooting in a 71-46 rout Wednesday night.

"We continually preached to them, if we play defense, we can win the game," said Georgetown coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. "It's one thing that we have control over, and that's playing defense."

Sugar Rodgers scored 24 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, to lead the Hoyas (10-2), who stifled the Hurricanes (9-2) from the start. Miami had averaged 87 points per game, and its worst offensive outing had been a 92-76 loss at Tennessee on Nov. 15.

"This was definitely our best defensive effort of the season by far, with as many good players as Miami has," Williams-Flournoy said.

The Hoyas led 34-21 at halftime, holding Miami to just one field goal in the last six minutes while going on an 11-5 run. They maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

"I think we rattled them a little bit, showed them that we were serious this year, and we got 'em," Alexa Roche said.

With just over seven minutes remaining, Suriya McGuire hit a 3-pointer to bring Miami within 15. But the Hoyas answered with a 12-0 run, highlighted by Tia Magee's three-point play, to take a 66-39 lead, their largest of the game.

"(Georgetown) smacked us in the face and we ran and called our moms and asked for help instead of turning to each other," coach Katie Meier said.

Shenise Johnson led Miami with 10 points -- her fewest of the season -- on 1-for-13 shooting. Georgetown also limited the Hurricanes' second-leading scorer, Riquna Williams, to a season-low six points.

"We wanted to bottle those two up and the ball out of their hands as much as we can," Williams-Flournoy said.

Magee scored 13, Rubylee Wright added 10, and Sydney Wilson grabbed 12 rebounds for Georgetown, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to Miami since 2000.