PC’s Brian McKenzie, left, and Georgetown’s Chris Wright battle for a loose ball during the second half of yesterday’s Big East game.

AP / Nick Wass

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After playing with plenty of poise and confidence for the opening 25 minutes yesterday, the Providence Friars’ offense somehow disappeared for six critical minutes. So did the team’s unblemished Big East record.

Georgetown put together an impressive 21-2 run that opened a 15-point lead just inside the 10-minute mark of the second half. The Hoyas then held off a PC rally down the stretch and came away with an 82-75 win at the Verizon Center.

Georgetown, which is ranked ninth in this week’s media poll, improved to 11-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big East. PC fell to 11-5 and 3-1, and left D.C. wondering what had gone wrong in the critical, ugly stretch.

“I still don’t know what happened. I’m shocked,” said Marshon Brooks, who led the Friars with 18 points. “We hit a brick wall in that second half for five minutes. We struggled to score. They played real good defense. You have to credit them.”

PC coach Keno Davis thought his team failed to steady itself when the Hoyas, and especially impressive freshman center Greg Monroe, turned up the heat.

“It was an interesting stretch,” said Davis. “Sometimes when teams go on the road and there’s physical play, there’s a gut-check time and we didn’t react very well to those minutes. We got frustrated because they made some good shots during that stretch. You push and pressure yourself into making something happen instead of letting the offense come to you.”

The game-turning reversal flipped a 44-40 PC lead into a 61-46 Hoya advantage. Ironically, the Hoyas got moving once leading scorer DaHuan Summers went to the sideline with four fouls. That’s when Monroe began to dominate. A huge jam past PC’s Jon Kale juiced the Hoya crowd, and his two free throws capped a 15-0 run. Defensively, the Hoyas scrapped for the loose balls and benefited from some ill-timed shots by the Friars.

Monroe scored just one basket in the first half but nearly finished with a triple-double by posting 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Summers added 12 points and guard Chris Wright had 16.

Weyinmi Efejuku added 13 points for the Friars, but managed just two in the second half. Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier added 10 points apiece.

“That run was key,” said Georgetown coach John Thompson III. “We talked at halftime about the game not coming down to offense or defense.”

Leading by 66-50 with 7:52 left, it seemed the Hoyas had the game won. But the Friars didn’t go away easily. In a finish that was eerily reminiscent of PC’s narrow loss at Boston College last month, the Friars started hitting 3-pointers and getting turnovers off their press. Two Xavier threes helped spark the Friars, and when the slithery Brooks began making plays, PC closed to 76-71 with 1:33 left.

“We thought that we were in danger, and the shots started falling for us,” said Brooks. “We weren’t running any plays. It was just freelance, trying to get quick baskets. We made a little comeback, which was good.”

When Wright stepped out of bounds against the press, PC took advantage as Geoff McDermott scored inside to slice the lead to 76-73. Another turnover by Wright gave the Friars a golden opportunity, but Efejuku’s driving attempt rolled off the rim with a minute to play. The Hoyas quickly converted at the other end, with Monroe dunking to push the lead to 78-73.

PC’s Davis recognized his team’s late-game comeback but noted the execution on several layups and easy shots was lacking at critical junctures.

“Sometimes on those moves to the basket we have to be a little bit more precise. You want to draw fouls, and to do that you make a better move, you make a better pump fake and just a solid move instead of just throwing it up there and hoping it goes in or hoping you get a call,” he said.

kmcnamar@projo.com