Williams’ Shot Wins for Hoyas : Three-Point Basket Hands DePaul First Loss of Season, 74-71

Down by a basket with time running out, Georgetown had plenty of options but turned to the “old man” in an effort to drop No. 6 DePaul from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Georgetown veteran Reggie Williams delivered, hitting a 3-point field goal with 28 seconds left to boost the 15th-ranked Hoyas to a 74-71 victory over the last major undefeated college basketball team Sunday. Williams’ clutch basket highlighted a 13-1 run that enabled Georgetown to overcome a 9-point deficit and beat the Blue Demons for the third time in three years.

“We had several ways to go with that last shot,” said Georgetown Coach John Thompson. “But everybody knows Reggie is the man.”

Williams, the only senior on the squad, said he wasn’t looking for the 3-point field goal. “But they didn’t play me tight so I just stepped back and put it up,” he said.

The basket gave the Hoyas a 72-71 lead, and Williams later added two free throws with 16 seconds left. DePaul’s Dallas Comegys tried a 3-point field goal with five seconds remaining, but the shot bounced off the rim and the Blue Demons were losers after 16 straight victories.

“I’m the old man of this group,” said Williams, who led all scorers with 23 points. “I was really hoping to take that last shot.”

Georgetown trailed 70-61 with 2:44 remaining, but guard Mark Tillmon made two straight 3-point baskets to cut the deficit to 70-67. A free throw by Comegys made it 71-67. But Tillmon hit a running one-hander to put Georgetown within two and after DePaul’s Rod Strickland missed the front end of a one-and-one, Williams made his game-winning shot from the right corner.

Tillmon finished with 19 points and Perry McDonald added 11 as Georgetown improved its record to 14-2.

DePaul trailed by 13 early in the second half and by 51-40 with 14:32 remaining, but Strickland scored nine points in a 30-10 run that gave the Blue Demons an 11-point advantage.

Comegys scored 19 for DePaul and Strickland 18, including 13 in the second half.