WASHINGTON — After two blowout victories against lesser competition to start the season Penn State passed its first real test with flying colors.

Myreon Jones scored a career-high 21 points as Penn State led by as many as 18 in an 81-66 victory over Georgetown on Thursday night in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.

Jones scored 14 of the Nittany Lions’ first 16 points — highlighted by four 3-pointers — as Penn State jumped out early and never looked back.

Penn State (3-0) eventually took a 25-7 lead after a 3-pointer by Myles Dread, who finished with 14 points. Lamar Stevens also scored 14 points and added nine rebounds. Jones was 5 for 8 from beyond the arc.

“Coach kept telling me to keep shooting and stay aggressive,” Jones said as he scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half.

Jones finished six of 13 from the field, connecting on five 3-pointers.

Penn State coach Pat Chambers knows how crucial it will be for his team to get off to a good start with a challenging schedule still ahead that includes two Big Ten games in December and home games against Wake Forest and Alabama.

“It was important,” Chambers said about the early season nonconference victory. “To be able to go on the road and get a good win, now we know what it takes.”

Penn State shot 13 for 29 on 3-pointers while Georgetown made just 4 of 13. The Nittany Lions scored 22 points off 21 Georgetown turnovers. Penn State had nearly as many turnovers as Georgetown with 20 but the Hoyas were unable to capitalize.

“They beat us at everything,” said Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing.

Omer Yurtseven had 16 points and 10 rebounds to record his third straight double-double for Georgetown (2-1) after transferring from N.C. State. James Akinjo added 13 points for Georgetown, which never led.

After trimming the margin to just eight points at the break at 42-34, Yurtseven started the second half with a three-point play to cut it to five points but the Hoyas would never draw closer.