Georgetown vs. Charlotte final score: Hoyas escape disaster, edge out 49ers

Georgetown eluded a disastrous 6-6 nonconference slate with a 62-59 victory over the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday night.

Despite inefficiency running rampant, the Hoyas were able to salvage their nonconference slate - for now, at least - with a 7-5 record going into conference play. The Hoyas will tangle with old BIG EAST rival UConn next month in Hartford, but for now, they will pleased simply with getting out of danger despite walking along a tightrope.

Isaac Copeland and D'Vauntes Smith Rivera combined for 23 points Tuesday night with Copeland leading the way with 12 of his own. L.J. Peak had 10 points despite only making one field goal all night - a clutch 3-pointer in the waning moments of the game. Freshman Marcus Derrickson bounced back after two dismal performances with 10 points on the night as well.

Here are three things we learned from this game.

1. Georgetown looks like a team that took an enormous step back

Even in their losses to Maryland and Duke at the start of the year, Georgetown played pretty damn well. Particularly in the Maryland game in College Park, the Hoyas looked like a high-caliber team that got unlucky. Well... as we head into conference play, Georgetown looks to have taken a step back or two from where they were a month ago. The Hoyas have been dismal defensively and although Charlotte's numbers were down across the board, the Hoyas let a team that came into the night with just two wins hang around for almost the entirety of the game. That simply cannot happen, and it's only going to get worse for Georgetown if this play continues.

2. Marcus Derrickson is, in fact, able to bounce back

After taking his lumps the last two games, Marcus Derrickson bounced back big time on Tuesday night with 10 points and four rebounds in the win over the 49ers. While he committed four turnovers and three personal fouls in 23 minutes, you like to see a young player such as Derrickson work himself out of a hole as he had been in in Georgetown's latest doom stretch. That said, he'll have his hands full when he's matched up with fellow freshman Henry Ellenson next time the Hoyas hit the floor.

3. Free throw shooting paid dividends

In a close battle, free throw shooting becomes that much more important. The separation between Georgetown and Charlotte in the free throw shooting department was 31.8 percent, as the Hoyas connected on 18 of their 22 attempts while the 49ers converted on only 10 of their 20. The game of inches was won by the Hoyas, who haven't had much positive news around them lately. You'll take that right now and hope that things are figured out soon enough.