WASHINGTON, D.C. – Butler and Georgetown battled it out in Washington D.C. on Saturday afternoon and the Hoyas were able to hang on for a 70-63 win over the Bulldogs on their Senior Day. Kelsey Ransom scored a game-high 31 points for GU and the Bulldogs were led by a 21-point effort from Riley Makalusky.
 
Butler hit three 3-pointers over the first four minutes of the game to grab a 9-2 lead at Georgetown. Rachel Kent scored on the first BU possession, hitting a corner 3 in front of the Hoya bench and Riley Makalusky made the next two forcing a Georgetown timeout.
 
Makalusky's third 3-pointer of the first quarter gave Butler a 12-6 lead over the Hoyas, but Georgetown would end the opening frame on a 7-0 run to lead BU 15-13. The 7-0 scoring run was highlighted by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Victoria Rivera.
 
Makalusky and Kent were the only Bulldogs to score over the opening 10 minutes for Butler, but Jordan Meulemans quickly changed that by hitting a 3-pointer on Butler's first possession of the second quarter.
 
Eight of Butler's 11 made shots in the first half were hit from behind the arc. Norman hit her first 3-pointer of the game to regain the lead at 21-20 and Meulemans hit her second to put BU in front 24-23.
 
There were 14 lead changes over the opening 20 minutes, but the two evenly matched teams would head to the locker room tied up at 33-33. Georgetown scored 18 of their 33 points in the paint and Butler used the opposite approach with their perimeter shooting.
 
Makalusky stayed hot for the Bulldogs in the second half and was responsible for Butler's first four points of the third quarter. She hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game to give BU a 44-43 edge, but Kelsey Ransom answered with a bucket before the media timeout to push GU back on top 45-44.
 
Makalusky and Ransom each had 18 points with 3:55 to play in the third. Ransom was 6-of-10 from the field with six free throws and Makalusky was nearly perfect shooting 7-for-8. Ransom stayed aggressive to score seven points over the final two minutes of the third and the Hoyas used a 6-0 scoring run to take a 57-52 lead into the fourth.
 
Ransom supplied Georgetown with five of their first six points of the fourth quarter to give her 30 in the game. Her 3-point play gave the Hoyas their largest lead of the contest at 63-54 with 5:46 to play, but the Bulldogs would get back within four after five-straight points from Meulemans.
 
Butler got the ball inside after a stop and Sydney Jaynes would score from the right block to make the game 63-61. Georgetown didn't give up their lead, but the deficit went back to two points after a driving layup by Caroline Strande.
 
Strande followed up her field goal with a steal and the 'Dawgs had a chance to tie the game with less than a minute remaining. The Hoya defense got a stop and Butler was forced to foul. Jada Claude hit a pair from the line to double the GU lead at 67-63 and the Bulldogs would exit D.C. with a seven point loss.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Riley Makalusky only missed two shots vs. GU to end the game with 21 points in 35 minutes
- Caroline Strande just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds
- Jordan Meulemans came off the bench to score 11 points for the 'Dawgs
- Sydney Jaynes had eight points, but played just 18 minutes due to foul trouble
- Karsyn Norman hit a 3-pointer and added a team-high four assists
- Kelsey Ransom led Georgetown to victory with 31 points
- The Hoyas shot 46 percent from the field
- BU shot 41 percent from 3-point range (12-29)
- Georgetown made more free throws (18) than BU attempted (11)
- GU had 18 fast break points
- There were 25 lead changes in today's contest
 
Up Next
Butler's final road game of the season will be played at DePaul on Wednesday night. The Blue Demons will host the Bulldogs at Wintrust Arena. Tip is set for 8 PM Eastern / 7 PM Central.