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In the 2015-16 regular season finale, Villanova defeated Georgetown 84-71 in an unsurprising result as the 13-point victory capped off a season in which a third consecutive BIG EAST title was picked up by the Wildcats.
Georgetown once again was plagued by a slow start, as 'Nova built up a double digit lead in the first five minutes of the game. The Hoyas were sloppy at best early on, as they turned the ball over nine times while only converting 10 field goals in the opening half.
Offensively, the Wildcats were their usual efficient selves, shooting 48 percent for the game. They showcased their variety of scoring options, having seven players record five points or more. Josh Hart led the team with 18 points, while Kris Jenkins and Ryan Arcidiacono contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Jenkins continues to emerge as a more aggressive player on offense, which may be key for any Villanova postseason run, since his combination of size and shooting ability makes him a very difficult matchup.
After falling behind by as many as 22 points, Georgetown eventually began to make their patented second half comeback, but their efforts went for naught against the conference champions. L.J. Peak caught fire for the Hoyas in the second half, again showing flashes of great play. The sophomore finished with a game high 31 points, on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor.
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera had a disappointing last game of his otherwise great Big East career. The senior guard scored only seven points in the game, going 1-of-11 on field goal attempts.
As both teams close out their regular season, Villanova hopes they can continue their stellar level of play, and finally make a run deep into March. Georgetown, on the other hand, should be disappointed in their results this season, but the Hoyas have shown that they can compete with the best in the league for periods of time. They will need to find that level of play more consistently if they are to turn their season around in the conference tournament.