WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a gritty Big East Conference clash defined by defensive pressure and opportunistic offense, the Georgetown Hoyas avenged an earlier loss to DePaul by grinding out a 70-61 victory Wednesday night at Capital One Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 3,422, saw the Hoyas improve to 11-10 overall, while the Blue Demons fell to 12-9. The win split the season series after DePaul’s 56-50 triumph in Chicago on Jan. 6.

The most critical phase of the contest came early in the second half, when Georgetown weathered a fierce DePaul rally to re-establish control. After trailing 34-24 at halftime, the Blue Demons exploded out of the locker room, opening the second period on a 13-2 run fueled by aggressive defense and timely three-point shooting. A three-pointer by RJ Smith and a driving layup followed by another three from Layden Blocker capped the surge, giving DePaul a 37-36 lead with 17:15 remaining and forcing a Georgetown timeout.

The Hoyas’ response was immediate and decisive. Out of the stoppage, Caleb Williams connected on a three-pointer off an assist from Kayvaun Mulready. Georgetown then tightened its defense, limiting DePaul’s clean looks and beginning a methodical pull-away. Over the next seven minutes, the Hoyas orchestrated a 17-6 run. The stretch was emblematic of their night: it featured inside scores from Vincent Iwuchukwu, another three from Mulready, and relentless attacks that drew fouls and resulted in free throws. When Iwuchukwu sank two foul shots with 14:47 left, Georgetown’s lead was back to 43-37, and they would not trail again.

Georgetown’s victory was built on superior efficiency and capitalizing on DePaul’s mistakes. The Hoyas shot 51 percent from the floor (24 of 47) compared to DePaul’s 41 percent (24 of 58). The most glaring disparity came at the free-throw line, where Georgetown was nearly perfect, making 17 of 18 attempts. DePaul, by contrast, attempted only five free throws, making two.

The Hoyas also dominated in transition, outscoring DePaul 16-5 on fastbreak points, and scored 30 points in the paint to DePaul’s 22. While DePaul won the battle from beyond the arc, making 11 three-pointers to Georgetown’s five, and collected more offensive rebounds (11 to 6), they could not overcome 11 turnovers and their inability to get to the line.

Malik Mack, the sophomore guard from Oxon Hill, Maryland, orchestrated the Georgetown offense with a team-high 16 points and seven assists. His penetration and playmaking were pivotal, especially during the key second-half run. The Hoyas’ frontcourt provided a major advantage, with Vincent Iwuchukwu contributing 11 points and Julius Halaifonua adding 11 points and solid interior play. Caleb Williams finished with 10 points.

DePaul was led by Brandon Maclin’s game-high 19 points. RJ Smith scored 13 points, and Layden Blocker added 13, but the Blue Demons’ offense often sputtered against Georgetown’s set defense. DePaul’s offensive rating of 101.0 on 60 possessions paled next to Georgetown’s mark of 119.6 on 59 trips.

The first half set the tone for Georgetown’s efficient night. After a slow start from both teams, the Hoyas used a 12-2 run midway through the period to build a double-digit cushion. Mack and Halaifonua were central figures, with Halaifonua beating the first-half buzzer with a three-pointer to send Georgetown into the break with a 34-24 advantage.

DePaul’s second-half rally provided a brief threat, but Georgetown’s composure and execution in the pivotal minutes that followed proved the difference. The Hoyas managed the game down the stretch from the foul line, with Mack icing the game by making four free throws in the final 45 seconds.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Georgetown entered with a 64.4 percent probability to win and covered the pregame spread of 3.5 points. The total score of 131 fell under the over/under line of 138.

Both teams continue Big East play on Saturday. Georgetown travels to Indianapolis to face Butler, while DePaul visits Cincinnati to take on Xavier.