HoyaSaxa.com: Georgetown Basketball

Three freshmen combined for 51 points as the Georgetown Hoyas fought back for an 80-73 win over Xavier before 7,636 at Capital One Arena, bringing them to .500 in Big East play.

Josh LeBlanc had 17 points, Mac McClung 11, but it was a remarkable 23 points from James Akinjo, all of it in the second half, that rallied the Hoyas from a sluggish first half and paced Georgetown to a much needed home win.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

Georgetown got off to a cold start and it followed them for most of the first half. The Hoyas missed its first seven shots of the game, with little offensive production outside Josh LeBlanc, who accounted for three of GU's four field goals midway in the half, 19-9. For its part, Xavier's shooting was spotty, and following a trash-talk technical on Xavier center Josh Hankins, Georgetown went on a 8-2 run to close to 23-19 with 5:18 to play. After a rough run from outside the arc, Xavier connected on a trio of three pointers in the final 2:35 of the period to take a 36-28 led at the half.

Georgetown opened the second half 4 for 5 from the field, and Akinjo's opening basket at the 17:02 mark closed the gap to one, 39-38. He scored the next nine of GU's next 11 points, with a three pointer at the 13:01 mark was Georgetown's first in ten tries for the evening. It was a sign of a reborn outside game for the Hoyas, one which would be invaluable as Xavier had a few outside tricks of its own.

For a pair of teams that looked tentative from three in the first half, the bombardment began. Akinjo's three was matched by Xavier's Naji Marshall, 51-47. Back came Akinjo, 51-50. Ryan Welage added a three for the X-men on the next series, 54-50, only to see Jessie Govan return the favor, 54-53. Back came the men in blue, with a Quentin Goodin three, 57-54, and Jagan Mosely followed up with back to back threes that gave Georgetown a 61-57 lead at the nine minute mark. In all, the teams combined for eight threes over a four minute stretch.

Two more threes by Xavier returned the lead to the visitors, 66-64, with 4:35 to play, only to be answered by a hot hand from Akinjo and a unlikely three from Trey Mourning, only his fourth three pointer of the season, to give GU a 70-68 lead. Following a three from Akinjo with 3:18 to play, 73-68, Georgetown had hit 8 of its last 10 after an 0-8 run in the first half.

An alert offensive rebound and put back by Hankins closed GU's lead to 73-70 with 2:47 to play, and each team struggled to close their case. LeBlanc was blocked on a drive with 2:16 to play, while the Hoyas suffered a shot clock violation with 1:32 remaining. For its part, they had held Xavier scoreless over three possessions, but needed a spark to put the game out of reach. That spark arrived with 38 seconds to play, when a missed three pointer was scooped up under the basket by Jamorko Pickett for the basket, 75-70, and the Musketeers were never closer.

Marshall and Scruggs led the X-men with 16 and 15 points, respectively, but Georgetown's freshmen carried the day. The Hoyas finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field and surrendered just one turnover (the aforementioned shot clock violation) in the entire second half.

The Hoyas enter February at 4-4 in Big East play, third place overall, and will be tested again as they travel to #14 Villanova. For now, it's a good place for Georgetown to be.

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       36    2-3   4-7  7-7   5  4   0   23
McClung      28    4-8   0-3  3-5   4  5   3   11
Johnson      17    1-3   0-0  2-2   1  0   0    4 
LeBlanc      25    8-11  0-0  1-1   4  2   3   17
Govan        29    4-8   1-2  1-2   6  0   1   12
Reserves: 
Pickett      19    1-1   0-1  0-0   2  0   0    2
Blair         6    0-0   0-1  0-0   1  0   0    0
Mosely       15    0-1   2-2  0-0   0  3   1    6
Malinowski   11    0-0   0-2  0-0   1  2   1    0
Mourning     14    0-1   1-2  2-4   1  1   1    5
Team Rebounds                       1
DNP: Muresan, Robinson, Carter
TOTALS      200  20-36  8-20 16-21  26 17 10   80

James Akinjo scored 23 second half points Thursday night, narrowly missing the top 10 single half performances in school history.

	Points In One Half
	Player	No.
1.	Gerald Riley vs. Miami 2/7/2004	29
2.	Austin Freeman vs. Connecticut 1/9/2010	28
3.	Charles Smith vs. Notre Dame 3/19/1989	28
4.	Jaren Jackson vs. Seton Hall 3/5/1988	27
5.	Frank Hollendoner vs. NYU 2/5/1966	26
6.	Bob Ward vs.LaSalle 12/11/1965	26
7.	Rodney Pryor vs. USC Upstate 12/12/2016	26
8.	Jim Barry vs. Fairleigh Dickinson 2/27/1965	25
9.	Jim Barry vs. Navy 1/6/1963	24
10.	Austin Freeman vs. Louisville 2/23/2010	24
11.	James Akinjo vs. Xavier 1/31/2019	23

Some experts say the center is an endangered species in modern basketball. Don't tell that to Patrick Ewing, where Georgetown has added a third center to its 2019 recruiting class.

New to the class of 2023 is Qudus Wahab, a 6-11 center from Nigeria via Flint Hill Prep in Ashburn, VA. Ranked #129 nationally by the 247 Sports recruiting list, Wahab chose Georgetown over Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Connecticut, averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds as a junior.

"I'm just extremely excited for a young man who set his sights on getting better and improving," said Flint Hill Coach Rico Reed to the Washington Post. "I know that his better days are ahead of him."

Wahab joins a group of incoming centers that will include NC State transfer Omer Yurtseven, and freshmen Malcolm Wilson and Timothy Ighoefe. It is believed to the the first time Georgetown will have placed four scholarship centers on its roster since the 1956-57 season.

Georgetown withstood a late rally to earn an 89-78 win over St. John's before 17,801 at Madison Square Garden today.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

The win came at a crucial time for Georgetown, which had dropped three of its last four. For Georgetown to prevail, it had to overcome the poor shooting and late game management that bedeviled them Jan. 6 versus the Redmen. What they had also lacked in that early January loss was freshman Mac McClung, who introduced himself to New York in a big way.

Back to back threes by McClung were part of an early run where GU scored its first four field goals by the three point route, and picked up a fifth to lead 18-16 seven minutes into the half. While the hoyas would connect on only one more to halftime, it established an outside presence and opened doors for Jessie Govan to be effective inside. Poor shooting by St. John's (3-11 from three point midway in the half) was countered by more Georgetown turnovers, and as such Georgetown led by no more than six despite a run that saw the Redmen miss seven straight shots late in the first half.

St. John's closed to two, 32-30, before back to back baskets by Jessie Govan held the lead which allowed Georgetown to carry a 41-37 lead into halftime. McClung and Govan combined for 25 of GU's 41 points, as the Hoyas shot 48 percent from the floor with six threes, but also gave up nine turnovers.

Another strong opening followed the Hoyas after the break. The Redmen took an early lead after the break before the Hoyas answered with threes from Govan and Jamorko Pickett to go up 48-44. St. John's made a second run midway in the second half to tie the score at 50, but Georgetown answered with a 10-0 run was there at every turn, shooting 6 for 7 to open the half. A 7-2 Redmen run closed to five, 62-57, but panic had not set in (yet), as Jahvon Blair's three brought the Hoyas up eight, 65-57, at the 10:09 mark of the second half.

A key moment of the game occurred with little fanfare: a St. John's timeout with 8:49 to play was its last of the game. Mullin's clock management would hurt his team down the road as they could neither control the clock not call a time out when it counted.

Back to back threes from McClung put the Hoyas up nine with 6:26 to play, but a pair of missed threes and a Govan turnover opened the door for ASt. john;s to close to 75-72 with 4:01 to play. Ewing had what Mullin did not --a time out-- and the break was a critical one which allowed Georgetown to withstand the rally. On each of its next two possessions, Georgetown held St. John's without a basket and countered with free throws to take a 79-73 lead with 2:08 to play. But as Georgetown fans have seen all season long, that's no guarantee, and it wasn't on Sunday, either.

On its next possession, Shamorie Ponds missed a three but was fouled on the rebound by Trey Mourning. Ponds added two at the foul line, 79-75. Freshman guard James Akinjo fumbled the the ball in front of the St. John's basket, whereupon Ponds picked up the steal and the basket, 79-77. Georgetown fans took a nervous pause.

From the inbound pass, Greg Malinowski was picked off by Ponds, sitting on the floor. It was an optimal time to call a time out, but having none, Ponds tried to relay the ball to Miles Simon, knocking it out of bounds. On the next inbound, Pickett lost the ball, and the Redmen were back in business down two. An ill-advised L.J. Figueroa three was wide, and three close-in St. John's shots within a 12 second run all fell short for the Redmen. On the fourth shot, Josh LeBlanc got the ball up to McClung at half court. With three Redmen still back at its basket, Mac led the Hoyas on a 4-0 break and a dunk, 81-77, with 1:11 remaining.

There was still plenty of basketball to be played. SJ guard Mustapha Heron missed a short jumper, and on the ensuing play McClung returned the favor by feeding LeBlanc inside, 83-77, at the 0:46 mark. The teams traded free throws until the final moments, where LeBlanc opted for an uncontested basket instead of running out the clock, 89-78. It wasn't well received by Ewing, but that's a teachable moment to the freshman.

This was Georgetown's best team effort of the season. Despite 10 second half turnovers and 19 overall, Georgetown's 13 threes and a 34-24 edge in rebounds proved the margin of victory. McClung led all scorers with 25 points five rebounds, and five assists, followed by 20 points and nine rebounds from Govan. The Hoyas got 15 points from LeBlanc and nine from Pickett in one of his best efforts in Big East play. As a team, GU was 16-19 from the foul line and 6-6 in the final two minutes. Best of all, Georgetown learned how to close out a game, a skill that will be tested for the next five weeks of Big East play.

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       27    0-2   2-3  2-2   1  7   4    8
McClung      30    5-9   4-10 3-4   4  5   2   25
Pickett      27    1-3   2-3  1-1   7  0   3    9
LeBlanc      21    3-4   1-1  6-6   7  1   0   15
Govan        30    5-11  2-3  4-5   8  1   4   20
Reserves: 
Blair        10    0-1   1-2  0-0   1  1   1    3
Mosely       14    0-0   1-2  0-0   3  0   0    3
Malinowski   12    0-0   0-3  0-0   3  1   2    0
Johnson      18    2-3   0-0  0-1   4  0   1    4 
Mourning     11    1-4   0-0  0-0   1  0   2    2
Team Rebounds                       
DNP: Muresan, Robinson, Carter
TOTALS      200  17-37 13-27 16-19  39 16 19   89

Despite not fielding intercollegiate teams in baseball, football, field hockey, women's golf, softball, rowing or ice hockey, Marquette University announced it will begin a varsity program in esports (competitive video gaming) beginning in the fall of 2019 .

"Marquette embraces new methods of teaching and areas of study, and esports and gaming in general have the potential to impact both, while also helping to strengthen our student recruitment prospects in an increasingly competitive environment," said its president in a school release.

The school claims it is the first major Division I school to add esports, although the University of Utah did so in 2018.

Marquette competes in esports with six Big East club teams, none of whom have a full intercollegiate program, which can include dedicated coaches, practice space, and potential arena seating for guests to watch the gamers in action. (Georgetown, Creighton, and Villanova did not field club teams.)

There are approximately 125 schools with esports programs, most at the junior college and small college levels. The only esports team in the Washington DC area resides at Northern Virginia Community College.

2 kills for @MarquetteGaming! #BigEastEsports pic.twitter.com/oBcbn05AGY
— ESL Collegiate (@ESLCollegiate) January 20, 2019

Following in the footsteps of his former college coach, Patrick Ewing will team up with former Washington Redskins star Rick (Doc) Walker for a weekly radio show on the SiriusXM network.

"I'm excited about working with Doc and having my show on SiriusXM," Ewing said in a news release. "We plan on having a unique and informative, but most of all, fun show, and being broadcast on SiriusXM will allow us to reach a national audience."

The first show will be heard Sunday at 11:00 am EST, and moves to a Tuesday night time slot beginning February 3 on SiriusXM channel 84, available via satellite radio or the online app.

Walker was a co-host of "The John Thompson Show", which aired in Washington DC on WTEM-AM from 1999 to 2012.

Off the sports pages: an Academy Award nomination was announced for "Hale County This Morning, This Evening," a film by RaMell Ross (C'05), a former basketball letterman at Georgetown.

In 2015, we introduced readers to Ross' project in Hale County, Alabama, which was the foundation for the film, his first documentary feature. Earlier this year, "Hale County" won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is nominated for best documentary at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards.

Per its web site, "Composed of intimate and unencumbered moments of people in a community, Hale County This Morning, This Evening allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South - trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming - despite the odds."

Georgetown lost a three point lead in the final two minutes in a 91-87 loss to Creighton that ended the Bluejays' four game losing streak.

Georgetown has lost four Big East games by six points or less, and they all follow a pattern that Patrick Ewing and his staff are yet to correct: the Hoyas fold late in games. Such was the case Monday before an MLK holiday crowd of 5,230 at Capital One Arena.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

Creighton entered the game with a one-dimensional attack of three point shooting which was ineffective at the start. The Bluejays (11-8) opened the game missing seven of ten attempts from outside, giving Georgetown an early 21-15 lead. back to back threes from Creighton guard Ty-Shon Alexander tied the score at 29 heading into the final five minutes of the first half, but Mac McClung scored 10 of the next 11 points to give GU a 36-33 lead into the final three minutes, and GU settled for a 42-41 lead. Creighton was winless this season while trailing at the half; but then again, they hadn't yet played a Georgetown team to whom second half defense remains a foreign concept.

Ewing's substitution patterns are the subject of some questioning after this game. He sat James Akinjo and Jamorko Pickett from the starting lineups in each half, perhaps a punitive step following their efforts late against Marquette. But McClung, who led the team with 10 in the first half, sat for most of the second half and ended with 10 points, while Josh LeBlanc saw almost no second half time as well. It allowed the Jays to open the second half with four threes and take a 64-56 lead.

Georgetown answered with four threes of its own to tie the score at 70. Despite getting into the bonus with 10:01 to play and only committing three fouls , Creighton soon worked the ball inside and picked up points at the line to tie the score at 74-74 with 6:48 to play. The lead swayed to and for until Akinjo, suffering through a 1 for 9 shooting drought, canned a three from the top of the key with 2:09 remaining, putting GU up 85-82. Then, as if by queue, the Hoyas lost their way.

Creighton closed to 85-84 on free throws, then Govan missed a short jumper with 1:11 to play. In a wild skirmish under the creighton basket with under a minute to play, Kaleb Johnson lost sight of Alexander, who hit a three to put the Bluejays up 87-85 with 55 seconds to play. Georgetown went back to Govan for another jumper in the lane, which he missed. Free throws continued to pay dividends for Creighton (ranked 289th nationally in free throw accuracy), 89-85.

A quick basket from Greg Malinowski closed the margin to 89-87 with 16 seconds remaining. More free throws followed, 91-87, whereupon Akinjo missed a jumper but GU retained possession. Ewing brought in McClung after a 15 minute absence, whereupon McClung missed a three to end the game.

Govan finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Akinjo had a season high 11 assists. defensively, Georgetown allowed the Bluejays to shoot 13 for 29 from three point range, led by 26 from Alexander. Creighton took an 18-6 lead in fast break points and shot 48 percent from the field.

The Hoyas finished a three game homestand 1-2. With a conference record of 2-4, Georgetown is tied with Providence for last place in the Big East.

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
McClung      20    2-4   2-7  0-0   2  2   2   10
Mosely       17    0-1   1-1  2-2   2  4   1    5
Malinowski   21    2-2   1-2  2-2   2  1   2    9
LeBlanc      31    3-4   0-0  4-4   3  1   0   10
Govan        19    7-12  2-3  2-4  11  2   3   22
Reserves: 
Blair        15    0-0   1-4  0-0   0  0   0    3
Pickett      18    2-3   1-3  0-1   4  2   1    8
Akinjo       30    0-6   2-5  0-0   1 11   3    6
Johnson      18    2-3   1-1  1-3   4  0   2    8 
Mourning     11    2-3   1-1  0-0   2  0   2    7
Team Rebounds                       2
DNP: Muresan, Robinson, Carter
TOTALS      200  20-39 12-27 11-16  33 23 16   87

A year after Marquette's Sam Hauser tore up Georgetown for 28 points, he returned to Capital One Arena for a career high 31 points, as #15-ranked Marquette survived two star-crossed drives from James Akinjo that left the Hoyas short in a 74-71 decision Tuesday before just 7,945 in attendance.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

The Warriors (15-3) were without leading scorer Markus Howard, who suffered back spasms three minutes into the game and did not return. Hauser's play, along with that of center Theo John (matching Jessie Govan with 14 points, six rebounds) was critical to MU's success.

With Howard out of action, the attention early in the first half was on Georgetown's Mac McClung , who scored 10 of the Hoyas' first 12 points. Despite Marquette's adjustments to working without Howard in the lineup, the Warriors never trailed by more than three and led by six at the 4:00 mark of the first half, 33-27.

Georgetown got a strong effort off the bench from senior Kaleb Johnson, going 4-4 from the field as GU went on a 13-4 run to close the half, 40-37.

Turnovers and fouls flared up for both teams to begin the second half--the two teams turned the ball over three times in the first 88 seconds of play. Georgetown held a 51-43 lead with 15:15 to play before going into the cold winds of Capital One Arena, where the Warriors answered with a 14-0 run. The Hoyas missed seven shots and committed three turnovers in the run, which gave MU new life in Howard's absence. Georgetown rallied to tie the score at 60-60 with 7:48 to play, beginning a six minute run where the lead swung between the benches.

Trailing 70-66, a basket by Pickett and free throws by Akinjo tied the score at 70 with 2:09 remaining. Following an offensive foul on Marquette's Sacar Anim, Georgetown looked to be in line for the lead, but Akinjo took an ill-advised three and Hauser responded with a basket, 72-70, with 0:59 remaining. McClung was fouled 13 seconds later, hitting one of two to close to 72-71. Off an Anim miss wit 0:18 left, Georgetown made its move, but Akinjo drove inside and was his shot was blocked out of bounds. Retaining the ball, the Hoyas had another shot, but Akinjo looked off an open Jessie Govan and took it inside again, to the same result.

RECAP: The Big East's leading scorer, Markus Howard, logged just three minutes due to injury, but Sam Hauser's career night propelled the Golden Eagles to victory at Capital One https://t.co/IDcl7KMbU0
— Voice Sports (@GUVoiceSports) January 16, 2019

Hauser closed out the scoring at the foul line.

Head coach Patrick Ewing was not pleased with Akinjo's decisions on the court.

"We had two people open at that time. We got to make the right play. Jessie was open, Mac was open. [James] has to make the right play."

He did not.

"[Akinjo's] a competitor for sure. He believes in himself," said McClung in the post-game interview. "We're going to go to practice tomorrow and learn from it."

Following a strong first half, McClung led the Hoyas with 24, followed by 14 from Jessie Govan and 12 off the bench from Kaleb Johnson. Akinjo finished the game 1 for 10 and is 14 for 56 (.250) in five Big East games this season.

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       34    1-10  0-0  6-8   7  8   2    8
McClung      33    2-5   4-7  6-7   4  1   1   24
Pickett      23    1-4   0-2  0-0   2  0   4    2
LeBlanc      19    1-2   1-1  0-0   4  1   3    5
Govan        33    1-4   3-4  3-4   9  0   4   14
Reserves: 
Blair         7    0-0   1-2  0-0   0  0   1    3
Mosely        5    0-0   0-1  0-0   0  2   0    0
Malinowski   11    0-2   0-0  1-2   3  1   0    1
Johnson      20    4-5   1-1  1-1   1  0   0   12 
Mourning      5    1-2   0-1  0-0   0  0   4    2
Carter        3    0-0   0-0  0-0   1  0   0    0
Team Rebounds                       2
DNP: Muresan, Robinson
TOTALS      200  11-32 10-19 17-22 33 13  19   71

Saturday's 33 points from Jessie Govan places him in some select company among Georgetown basketball players.

The 33 points is Govan's second 30+ game over his career, making him one of just 21 Georgetown players to have ever done so. His coach, Patrick Ewing, did it just three times.

Govan would have to have a remarkable finish in 2018-19 to match the all-time leader in 30+ games--Allen Iverson, who did it 13 times in his 67 game career.

Elsewhere, Georgetown's NET ranking (used for NCAA selection) dropped to the bottom of the conference even as its win over Providence elevated its Big East record. Without spending too much time to explain (check the link to the right for additional details), GU's strength of schedule in the non-conference continues to be an anchor, while DePaul's upset of St. John's moved it up to a season high for the Blue Demons.

Georgetown's next opponent, Marquette, is the highest rated team GU will face this season. A win over the 14-3 Warriors would move Georgetown up the list yet again.

A career high 33 points from Jessie Govan led Georgetown to a 96-90 win over Providence College before 10,113 at Capital One Arena Saturday. The back and forth game required not one, but two late game threes to give the Hoyas the extra time needed to prevail.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

Both teams got off to a good start in this one, each shooting over 55 percent in the first half. Mac McClung, in his first game action since Dec. 22, opened the game with Georgetown's first five points. From an early 11-11 tie, Providence was able to make good contact inside and Jessie Govan's defense was proven lacking on a number of occasions. The Friars pushed to a six point lead midway in the first half and held the lead with relative ease through much of the half, given the mix of turnovers and a measure of uninspired team play Georgetown was exhibiting.

A 9-2 PC run over a 1:16 mark of the first half pushed the lead to 36-25, and Ewing subbed most of his starting lineup for a group which included Kaleb Johnson, Jagan Mosely, Greg Malinowski, and Grayson Carter. Johnson forced a turnover and converted it into a layup, 36-27, Mosely did the same on the next possession, 36-29, and following a PC turnover, Carter sank only his second three pointer of the season to close to 36-32. The Friars were held scoreless for the final 4:14 of the period and Georgetown closed to 36-34 on a Johnson layup to end the half.

Providence looked to be building back its lead early in the second half before a Josh LeBlanc rebound fed a driving Jamorko Pickett, 39-37, and the message was sent: the game tightened up from then on. Five straight points from Govan tied the score at 44, and GU scored on each of its next four possessions, three of which were the result of offensive rebounds. Another three from Carter put Georgetown up six at the midway point of the second half, 52-46.

The Friars answered with its best run of the game. Aided by good free throw shooing and stronger interior defense, a 14-4 run over a four minute stretch put PC ahead, 60-56. Georgetown could not get consistent offense from either James Akinjo or Greg Malinowski, and with McClung sitting for large stretches of the second half in his first game back, it needed front court scoring. Free throws from LeBlanc and Govan kept GU close, but the Friars looked to be pulling away on a Nate Watson jumper over Govan with 2:50 left, 68-63. Govan answered with a big three at the 2:38 mark, 68-66.

PC slowed down its next possession, but in a key moment of the game, Alpha Diallo's drive inside was blocked by Pickett, and converted at the line by Malinowski to tie the score at 68. Off a Diallo miss at the 1:22 mark, Akinjo found Govan inside to take the lead with 36 seconds left, 70-68. Could the Hoyas hold on?

Georgetown's lead was short lived, as Diallo cleared himself of LeBlanc to hit an open three with 21 seconds remaining, 71-70. Georgetown had time to go inside to Govan, but Akinjo, shooting 3 for 14 to that point in the game and 1 for 6 from three, took an ill-advised three with 0:10 left, draining the enthusiasm of the crowd and forcing Malinowski's fifth foul to stop play. Following two PC free throws, Georgetown called time out with three seconds left with the promise of yet another withering home defeat.

The resulting play did not go as planned. Ewing expected McClung to relay the ball to Govan near the top of the key. Providence expected McClung to ride the sideline, whereupon he would be fouled to avoid any three point attempt. Mac did neither, putting a head fake on his defender at midcourt and leaving a open path to the basket with under two seconds left. The freshman sank a 35 footer at the buzzer, sending the crowd into overdrive and earning a wry smile from Ewing as he returned to the bench. If Bill Raftery were calling the game, he'd call it..."Onions!".

MAC MCCLUNG FORCES OT! ?? @GeorgetownHoops pic.twitter.com/wzPFxAjcjZ
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) January 12, 2019

"We ran that play a few times in the past," Ewing said after the game. "That's the first time it worked."

Within moments of the shot, Providence coach Ed Cooley would be hearing it from Friar fans online, asking why he did not foul McClung.

"We were 100 percent trying to foul," said Cooley. "Credit [McClung] for getting open and avoiding our player."

The overtime period has its shares of ups and downs. Georgetown took a three point lead into the final three minutes before PC sank three pointers on each of its next three possessions. A McClung layup got GU back to within one, 81-80, and a subsequent McClung three rattled around and out with 1:00 remaining. Diallo dialed up big again, with a three to push the Friars to an 84-80 lead with 0:28 remaining in the overtime. The Hoyas appeared to have fallen short yet again when a Govan three missed with 21 seconds left, only to see LeBlanc pick up a critical offensive rebound and find Akinjo open in the corner, where he was fouled by Makai Ashton-Langford while attempting a three. The blunder sent Akinjo to the line, where the 81% free throw shooter hit all three, 84-83.

More action was still around the corner. A pair of free throws extended PC's lead to 86-83 at the 0:10 mark. With McClung and Govan closely covered on the play, Akinjo tested fate yet again late in the game, but this time getting a three with 0:05 left to send the game to a second overtime.

Akinjo's turn ???? #HoyaSaxa

?? - FS1 pic.twitter.com/zskvBvgbd1
— Georgetown Hoops (@GeorgetownHoops) January 12, 2019

The lead swung back and forth in the second extra period, with an Akinjo jumper giving Georgetown a 90-88 lead. Nate Watson missed one of two free throws which would have tied the game at the 2:48 mark, and McClung answered with an acrobatic drive to the basket, 92-89. Isaiah Jackson was PC's next victim at the line, splitting the difference, 92-90. A McClung miss inside gave PC new life with 1:27 to play, but Diallo's touch was now off target. Govan could not quite close the book for GU, missing his second free throw with 0:39 left, 93-90, but Diallo's next try was wide and Govan's free throws pushed the lead to 95-90 with 0:14 left. A third PC attempt failed, and Govan added a final free throw, 96-90 before the Friars attempted, and missed, its fourth consecutive miss of the final minute. The win earned Georgetown its first win over Providence in eight previous meetings, dating to a 83-71 Georgetown win on Feb. 10, 2014.

Georgetown got big efforts from its entire lineup. Govan had his ups and downs from the field but visibly improved his defense in the second half and his 33 points led all scorers. Despite a 6 for 19 shooting effort, Akinjo finished with 20 points and nine assists, while McClung scored 16 in his first action back since the ankle injury. Josh LeBlanc had a team high 11 rebounds, while Jamorko Pickett's defense was among his best efforts of the season including a key block late in the game. Not to be forgotten: the inspired play of Johnson, Mosely and Carter in a key first half stretch. The three combined to go 4 for 4 from the field in that stretch, keeping Georgetown close when it counted.

For Providence, Watson and Diallo combined for 45 points but its three guard rotation fell short, going a combined 1-12 from the field; the Friars had 42 points off its bench, led by 19 from Drew Edwards, 16 after halftime.

"Our guys need a hug right now," said Cooley, as PC has lost its first three games in Big East play. But in a a season where St. John's can beat Marquette by 20 on New Year's Day and lose to DePaul 11 days later, every seat is up for grabs in the-Big East race. For now, Georgetown's 2-2 mark offers that great intangible that seem all but lost just moments earlier at Capital One Arena: hope.

It's been said that victory has a hundred brothers and defeat is an orphan, but for one Saturday afternoon, the Georgetown family was back together again, thanks to the freshmen.

And one more video, this one from the student section. This is what it's all about.

The next time anybody talks about attendance? This is why being competitive matters. This is what the student section looked like when Mac hit that three.

THIS is why people come back. #HoyaSaxa #GeorgetownForever pic.twitter.com/pl1pn0BPrY
— Hoya Saxual (@Hoya_Saxual) January 12, 2019

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       47    4-11  2-8  6-8   4  9   1   20
McClung      27    5-7   2-6  0-2   4  1   2   16
Pickett      33    3-4   0-2  0-0   5  0   3    6
LeBlanc      36    1-2   0-0  2-2  11  1   2    4
Govan        42    8-18  3-8  8-11 14  1   3   33
Reserves: 
Blair         1    0-0   0-0  0-0   0  0   0    0
Mosely       18    2-2   0-0  0-0   1  4   2    4
Malinowski   25    0-0   0-3  2-2   5  4   5    2
Johnson      16    2-2   0-0  1-3   1  0   2    5
Carter        6    0-0   2-2  0-0   0  1   1    6
Team Rebounds                       5
DNP: Muresan, Robinson, Mourning
TOTALS      250  25-46  9-29 15-18 32 19  21   75

Highlights from the 2OT win vs. Providence presented by @McEnearney #HoyaSaxa #GoLegend pic.twitter.com/MlctG4BkrY
— Georgetown Hoops (@GeorgetownHoops) January 13, 2019

Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty threw some kindling on the Xavier-Georgetown rivalry in a pre-game column Wednesday.

Daugherty called Georgetown "long on hype, short on substance, living off its rep of two decades past. The Hoyas haven't made the F4 since 2007. Since [2007], they have one Sweet 16 and have missed the tournament the last four years and five of the last six."

"The Hoyas are a great example of what can happen when a sports franchise never re-invents itself," he wrote. Big John hasn't coached since 1999."

Georgetown didn't do much to change his mind after Xavier's 81-75 win.

"This was a very nice, very needed W against the OK, not great, Hoyas, who have won 11 times because they have played the likes of Campbell, Little Rock and Howard," he wrote in Thursday's editions.

(Fact check: Georgetown has missed the tournament in the last three seasons, not four. It has no regional (Sweet 16) appearances since 2007.)

In what is becoming a noticeable trend, the Georgetown Hoyas blew a 17 point lead in an 81-75 loss to Xavier that firmly continues Georgetown's reputation as a team that cannot win games they are capable of. For the third consecutive game, Georgetown lost a double-digit lead, this one coming as the Musketeers outscored the Hoyas 43-19 over a 15 minute stretch of the game.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

The first eight minutes gave no indication of such a finish. Xavier starting guard Quentin Goodin was unavailable for the game and Georgetown went to work from the perimeter, opening the game 5-5 from three point range, as Greg Malinowski scored eight early points to push Georgetown to a 21-13 lead. A 17-2 Georgetown run increased the score to 28-15 at the 8:51 mark, as Govan and Malinowski combined for 18 of the Hoyas first 28 points. Georgetown effectively controlled Xavier's guard play, as only fifth year senior center Zach Hankins could get any consistent points for the Musketeers.

Eight minutes later, clear skies continued at the Cintas Center. A three pointer from Jahvon Blair put the Hoyas up 14, 33-19. Layups by Malinowski and Govan pushed the lead to 37-22 at the 4:38 mark, and a Malinowski pass to a driving Josh LeBlanc put the Hoyas wheels-up, 39-22, with 3:49 to play.

Xavier coach Travis Steele called time out, gave his team an earful, and went to a zone defense on the white board. The confidence drained out of the Hoyas as fast as the lead did.

A Malinowski turnover was converted to free throws, 39-24. A Jamorko Pickett foul netted two more for the home team, 39-26. A James Akinjo turnover led to a Hankins dunk, 39-28. Four misses and a turnover later, Xavier closed to five at the break, 39-34, with more to follow.

Whether out of respect to Ewing, the program, or both, the Fox Sports 1 announcers were careful not to state the obvious--Georgetown is very slow to respond to changes in opponent defenses. And excepting Hankins, Georgetown had held Xavier to 28 percent first half shooting and 1-9 from three point range, yet could not maintain its lead.

Would it be corrected by Georgetown in the break? No.

Xavier opened the second half with the first four points of the game, tying the score at 39 and taking the lead for good with 11:13 to play. While Jessie Govan and James Akinjo combined for 8-13 shooting, the rest of the team was 2-11, including a frosty 0-4 from Malinowski and a combined total of two shots from Pickett and LeBlanc. Defensively, the Musketeers were largely untouched inside, an indictment of what is a consistent lack of attention from Govan inside. The inside play of Hankins and Tyrique Jones combined for 21 points while guard Paul Scruggs, scoreless at the half, finished with 10.

With seven minutes to play, X had outscored Georgetown 43-19 in the prior 18 minutes--just five Georgetown field goals in 21 attempts. Georgetown had one more run it it, closing to 75-72 with under a minute to play, but no closer.

Xavier didn't win this game from the three point line--far from it. It is difficult to recall a Georgetown game where an opponent made just three shots from behind the three point arc and still scored 81 points, or where Georgetown had one second half turnover and trailed most of the half. Instead, the game got away from the Hoyas and they could not get it back against a team which had dropped its last two, and at 9-7 was approaching an early point of no return in Big East play.

Georgetown was seven for 10 from two point range, with a strong 6-8 from Govan en route to a career high 27 points. But Govan got only three attempts in the final five minutes with the game on the line, while Hankins scored on three straight possessions down the stretch.

A 70 percent mark from two might have been the way forward, yet GU continued to seek the fool's gold via three pointer, missing 11 of 14 in the second half. For its part, Xavier knew it couldn't shoot from outside and only took four attempts as a result, but shot 50 percent from the field and collected a whopping 48 points in the paint. It might not be enough to defeat a top-tier Big East club, but Georgetown was not a top-tier team this evening.

Georgetown returns home for three consecutive home games over a nine day period, beginning Saturday versus Providence College. Providence coach Ed Cooley has won eight straight versus the Hoyas, dating to 2014.

The Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       35    0-2   3-7  4-4   2  6   3   13
Malinowski   33    2-5   2-6  2-2   6  6   2   12
Pickett      24    1-3   1-2  4-4   2  0   3    9
LeBlanc      26    2-5   0-0  0-0   8  2   3    4
Govan        35    8-12  3-5  2-3   8  0   3   27
Reserves: 
Blair        13    0-0   1-5  1-3   1  2   2    4
Mosely       15    0-0   0-1  0-0   0  2   1    0
Johnson      17    2-4   0-0  2-2   4  1   3    6
Carter        2    0-0   0-1  0-0   0  0   1    0
Team Rebounds                       1
DNP: McClung, Muresan, Robinson, Mourning
TOTALS      200  15-31 10-27 15-18 32 19  21   75

WTTG-TV reported Tuesday evening that charges of attempted sexual assault and child abuse have been filed against Victor Page, who played basketball at Georgetown from 1995 through 1997.

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE

Page, 43, was reportedly charged with six felonies involving an underage minor in Prince George's County, MD, according to reports. Neither WTTG nor the Washington Times, the only two sites to report the news as of Tuesday evening, provided any indication to the time and location of Page's arrest, although WTTG's web site said he is being held without bond.

A high school star from McKinley Tech HS in Washington DC, Page played two seasons at Georgetown, leaving abruptly after his sophomore season. He spent four seasons in the Continental Basketball Association, but without an NBA call-up. A season in Europe and a brief tour with a traveling streetball team followed.

In 2003, Page was critically wounded when he was shot in the face during a drive-by shooting in the Berry Farm neighborhood of southeast Washington, losing his right eye in the process. In 2005, Page was wounded in the leg in an unrelated incident, but recovered.

The former Georgetown All-American was released from jail in 2017 following four years incarceration for a domestic assault charge, also in Prince George's County. According to previous reports, Page had been charged with 33 misdemeanors between 2010 and 2013 ranging from drug possession to breaking and entering, but most were dismissed.

On Wednesday, WTTG further reported that the alleged victim in this case is the teenage daughter of Page's girlfriend.

"The day before New Year's Eve, residents in the Upper Marlboro neighborhood reportedly saw Page on top of his girlfriend's teenage daughter and called police," read the TV coverage. "According to court documents, the victim's mother said Page needed to [be] pried off of the teenage girl, that he chased her, and that he choked her and tried to pull her pants off."

Police said they were unaware of the story until brought to its attention by WTTG's coverage.

Georgetown lost a four point lead with 18 seconds to play en route to a 97-94 overtime loss to St. John's at Capital One Arena.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

It was a game Georgetown could have, and should have, but did not win; it was a game where the Hoyas could not close the game when it counted.

For the second time in three games, Georgetown brought out teal jerseys, although this was a different jersey than what was seen last week versus Howard and last season versus St. John's. The color rush wasn't a good luck charm early, as Georgetown missed seven of its first nine shots to open the game. From a 7-7 tie in the first four minutes of the first half, baskets by Josh LeBlanc and James Akinjo led a 10-2 run that gave Georgetown a 17-9 lead pushed to as many as 11 midway through the first half, 22-11. The Redmen were bedeviled from the three point line, missing its first six attempts.

A Jessie Govan jumper at the 5:33 mark gave the Hoyas a 33-25 lead, but poor shooting allowed the Redmen the path to a comeback, and served as a precursor of similar ill winds in the second half. Georgetown went without a field goal for the next 5:25 of the first half as Shamorie Ponds connected on a three and supplied two assists as St. John's closed to one at the 4:06 mark, 33-32. Two pairs of free throws by Akinjo built the lead to 37-32, but St. John's countered with a 10-0 run over the next 2:16, taking a 42-37 lead until Govan ended the misery with a layup with six seconds to the break.

From an 0-6 start from behind the three point arc, St. John's ended the half hitting six of its last 10. Georgetown's rocky shooting from outside in the first half (4-15) gave the Redmen the opportunity to get back in the game, and the outside shooting after halftime would set the tone for a roller coaster second half and a nauseating finish.

Georgetown got back in the game from outside, thanks to back to back threes by Greg Malinowski, 47-44. The lead swayed between the red and (teal) for the next five minutes, until Govan led the Hoyas on an 8-0 run, 63-55. Ponds answered as SJU closed to 66-64. Seven straight points from Akinjo (a three and four free throws) moved the lead to six, 73-67, but the Hoyas again could not contain the redmen, who scored the next seven of its own, 74-73. Free throws by Akinjo reclaimed the lead, 75-74, and off a St. John's miss, Jamorko Pickett drive inside at the 4:27 mark, 77-74.

Free throws on the next two possessions by ponds tied the score, 77-77, with 3:20 to play. After Akinjo missed a short shot and Ponds lost the ball out of bounds, Georgetown looked to catch a break when Pickett was left open for a three pointer, 80-77, with 2:10 to play, and a block on St. John's next series. A turnover by SJ's Mustapha Heron was converted by Jagan Mosely into a layup, 82-77.

There was more to come for the enthusiastic crowd of 11,165. A Heron layup was answered by Govan free throws, 84-79, and Heron returned the favor with a layup at the 44 second mark, 84-81. Coming out of a Georgetown timeout, Akinjo appeared to have committed a bonehead turnover, fumbling the ball into the backcourt, but the officials ruled that he never had possession. St. John's fouled Pickett with 18 seconds left, but he could not put the game out of reach, missing the first free throw and making the second, 85-81.

A four point lead and 18 seconds left. What could go wrong?

On its next series, Ponds was fouled by Jagan Mosely, with two free throws to close to 85-83. On the inbounds pass, Jahvon Blair lost the ball under the St. John's goal, and had to foul L.J. Figueroa with 11 seconds left. Figueroa hit both, 85-85. Blair missed a three, and the game went to overtime.

As it has so many times in the last few years, the momentum was drained right out of Capital One Arena. Georgetown opened the overtime missing its its first three shots, and allowed St. John's two dunks and a Ponds there pointer. Two minutes into the overtime, Georgetown trailed by eight, 94-86.

This time, it was the Redmen who had trouble putting it away. With 2:28 to play, Govan was fouled on a three point play, converting the foul to close to 94-90. On its next possession, the Redmen couldn't get a shot and turned the ball over on a shot clock violation. Govan airballed a three with 1:50 to play, but Ponds returned the favor with a miss twenty five seconds later. On its next possession, Ponds stole a pass from Akinjo, and found Justin Simon for the alley-oop, 96-90.

Free throws by Govan closed to 96-92, but Simon missed both free throws at the 0:43 mark. Three shots by the Hoyas failed, but Malinowski was fouled on the third, closing to 96-94 at the line with 0:25 remaining. Two seconds later, Ponds made one of two, 97-94, whereupon GU took two threes to tie, and missed them both. Any why not--Georgetown finished the overtime 1 for 8 from three point range in a game that never, never should have gone this far. In its final 6:40 (1:40 of regulation and the five minutes of overtime, the Hoyas were a combined 1-9 from the field with four turnovers.

The Redmen managed 24 points off 15 Georgetown turnovers, but one number is even more stark: St. John's had 13 fast break points Saturday. Georgetown had zero.

"In the second half, I think we started out too loose and lackadaisical, but as the game grew on, we played a little bit better on defense," said St. John's coach Chris Mullin. "Shamorie's steal obviously was big. He has great instincts. In overtime we probably played our best basketball."

Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing arrived at the press conference alone, choosing not to bring any players with him to answer questions. His comments were those often made by coaches who see their team sttuggling at game's end.

"We've got to learn how to close out games."

"We can't keep making the mental mistakes that we do."

"We've got to just play."

Shamorie Ponds led the Redmen with 37 points, the most by a Big East opponent at the downtown arena since Providence's Marshon Brooks in 2011. Govan led five Georgetown starters in double figures, but the Hoyas were a combined 32 percent from three point range in allowing the Redmen its first win in Washington in 14 tries dating back to a 2003 win where Marcus Hatten scored 34.

Here's the Georgetown half of the box score, including a separate box score just for the overtime, where the Hoyas took one two point attempt and missed seven of eight from three.


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       31    0-5   2-5 11-12  2  5   4   17
Malinowski   32    0-1   3-7  4-6   5  7   3   13
Pickett      30    3-5   2-7  1-2   6  3   3   13
LeBlanc      36    5-6   0-0  2-3  13  2   2   12
Govan        40    8-16  1-6  6-8  10  2   2   25
Reserves: 
Blair        22    0-1   2-8  1-1   1  1   1    7
Mosely       16    1-1   1-1  0-0   4  3   4    5
Johnson      14    1-1   0-0  0-1   1  0   2    2
Team Rebounds                       5
DNP: McClung, Muresan, Robinson, Mourning, Carter
TOTALS      225  18-36 11-34 25-33 47 23  21   94


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo        4    0-1   0-1  1-2   0  1   0    0
Malinowski    5    0-0   0-1  2-2   1  0   1    2
Pickett       5    0-0   0-2  0-0   2  0   0    0
LeBlanc       4    0-0   0-0  0-0   3  0   0    0
Govan         5    0-0   1-3  3-4   2  0   0    6
Reserves: 
Blair         1    0-0   0-1  0-0   0  0   0    0
Mosely        1    0-0   0-0  0-0   0  0   1    0
Johnson       1    0-0   0-0  0-0   0  0   0    0
Team Rebounds                       0
DNP: McClung, Muresan, Robinson, Mourning, Carter
TOTALS       25    0-1   1-8  6-8   8  1   2    9

Greg Malinowski's career high 26 extended Georgetown's mastery of Hinkle Fieldhouse, winning for the fifth time in six years in Indianapolis with a 84-76 win Wednesday.

POST-GAME COVERAGE

With the undisclosed duration of Mac McClung's ankle injury still a factor, Malinowski's start was vital to the Hoyas' cause. Malinowski's first three spurred an early 8-0 Georgetown run, with the points coming in a total of 56 seconds. Georgetown opened the game shooting 7 for 8 from the field and led by double figures midway in the first half on Malinowski's fourth three in as many attempts, 22-12.

Butler answered with a 15-2 run, with all 15 points coming from a combination of starting guard Kamar Baldwin and reserve guard Henry Baddley. Eight straight from Jessie Govan piloted the Hoyas into halftime with a 40-38 lead.

Butler opened the second half poorly, and Georgetown took full advantage. The Bulldogs missed eight of its first nine attempts to open the half and committed a number of early turnovers, giving Georgetown room to expand the lead into double figures four minutes into the second half and keep the lead comfortable for much of the time thereafter. Butler closed to 54-48 midway in the half before a Jahvon Blair three pushed the lead back to nine, 57-48, and a run to 57-53 was met with Malinowski's sixth three of the evening, 60-53.

Georgetown led as many as 16 with 2:46 to play when Butler made its last run, as Georgetown missed four straight shots and the Bulldogs closed to six, 79-73, with 1:16 to play, but no closer.

Despite allowing Butler 22 more shots over the course of the game, Georgetown's 52 percent shooting and 12 threes were the margin of victory. In addition to Malinowski, Jessie Govan added 19 points, along with 12 from Josh LeBlanc and 10 from James Akinjo. Georgetown forced Butler into 15 turnovers, nearly five over their season average, and collected 19 points off turnovers.

Malinowski was the story, however, surprising many Butler fans who knew little about him in his only collegiate appearance at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

"I just wanted to come out and be a spark and do whatever it took to help the team, whether it be shooting or defending or bringing energy or leadership" he said.

Malinowski won't be a surprise to anyone when the Hoyas return to Washington Saturday against St. John's. At 13-1, the Redmen are off to its best start since its 1985-86 Big East title team, when Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin were NBA rookies.

Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:


            MIN   2FG   3FG   FT  REB  A  PF  PTS
Starters:
Akinjo       30    0-5   2-3  4-6   3  3   3   10
Malinowski   33    4-5   6-7  0-1   7  4   1   26
Pickett      24    0-2   0-3  0-0   4  2   4    0
LeBlanc      30    5-6   0-0  2-9   3  2   0   12
Govan        34    3-8   2-5  7-9   6  2   1   19
Reserves: 
Blair        19    0-0   2-3  0-0   5  2   0    6
Mosely       16    1-1   0-1  3-4   1  0   2    5
Johnson      11    1-2   0-0  2-2   2  1   2    4
Carter        3    1-1   0-0  0-0   0  0   2    2
Team Rebounds                       4
DNP: McClung, Muresan, Robinson, Mourning
TOTALS      200  15-30 12-22 18-31 35 16  15   84