Hoya, Saxa (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Otto Porter had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Georgetown beat Providence 74-65 Wednesday night.
The Hoyas (12-3, 2-2 Big East) have won eight straight over the Friars (9-8, 1-4).
Bryce Cotton, who entered the game leading Big East players with 21.6 points per game, paced Providence with 21 points.
Markel Starks added 16 points and seven assists for Georgetown.
The Hoyas were playing their second straight game without forward Greg Whittington, who was declared academically ineligible.
''Greg will not participate in competition until further notice,'' Georgetown coach John Thompson III said in a statement.
Whittington ranks second on the team in points (12.1) and rebounds (7.0) per game.
The offensive struggles that have plagued the Hoyas this season -
scoring 37 against Tennessee, 46 against Towson, 48 against Marquette
and 45 against Pittsburgh - scarcely appeared in the first half
Wednesday. Georgetown shot 67 percent from the field (16 of 24) and 4 of
8 on 3-pointers in the opening frame.
Porter went on a personal 8-0 run early in the first half and made a
floater at the buzzer to cap an 8-0 Georgetown run that gave the Hoyas a
38-19 halftime lead. That was the Hoyas' biggest halftime advantage of
the season, and they're now 11-0 when leading at the break.
Providence went on a 15-2 run early in the second half as
Georgetown's offense stalled, but the Friars came no closer than seven
in the second half.
Porter fouled out with 1:29 left.
The Hoyas' victory opens a two-game stretch against the only two
teams that took longer to win a Big East game this season. Georgetown
plays Saturday at South Florida (9-6, 0-3).
After opening Big East play with losses to Marquette and Pittsburgh, the Hoyas have won two straight.