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Cincinnati • All of the 12-point lead was gone, wiped away in a few wild minutes. The Hoyas' top scorer was on the bench in foul trouble. No. 15 Georgetown's long winning streak was very much at risk on the road.
The two players who have steadied them through the last few weeks had a few good moments left.
Otto Porter Jr. scored 16 points while playing in foul trouble, and Markel Starks hit the biggest shots down the stretch, rallying the Hoyas to their seventh straight win Friday night, 62-55 over Cincinnati.
Starks hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and made five free throws in final minute, helping the Hoyas (19-4, 9-3) stay atop the Big East. They were tied with Syracuse and Marquette heading into the weekend games.
Starks finished with 17 points. Freshman D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera added 14 points, and Nate Lubick had a team-high four assists.
"Coming down the stretch there, Otto and Markel, along with Nate, are the guys that have to make plays," coach John Thompson III said. "And tonight, they did."
Cincinnati (19-7, 7-6) has lost three of its last four games with poor shooting. The Bearcats shot only 31.5 percent from the field and went 4 of 24 behind the arc. JaQuon Parker led with 15 points.
After Parker's driving basket put Cincinnati ahead 51-50 with 6:53 to go, the Bearcats managed only one field goal and two free throws the rest of the way against one of the nation's stingiest defenses.