Former GU Player Sues Florida St. Over NIL
A former Georgetown player is suing the head coach at Florida State University over claims of unpaid NIL money, per Yahoo Sports.Amir (Primo) Spears, a well traveled shooting guard with previous stops at Duquesne, Georgetown and Florida State before his current home at Texas-San Antonio, is one of six litigants in a case filed Monday, claiming that Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton promised each player $250,000 in collective-based NIL payments from what Hamilton called his "business partners" but the players never received the payments.The identity of Hamilton's business partners appears to center around its NIL collective, a third party group headed by Will Cowen, a former FSU athletic department official who left the school to lead the collective in 2022. "In several messages to Cowen and in conversations with Hamilton, players communicated that they needed the money to pay taxes, rent and car notes, and that they were 'tired of the lies'", writes Ross Dellinger at Yahoo.com . "In the middle of last season ... a team leader texted Cowen that 'this money situation is weighing on a lot of guys and affecting guys on the court.'" The Yahoo article also alleges that Hamilton then talked the six out of boycotting a Feb. 17 game with Duke over the situation. Primo Spears transferred from Georgetown on Monday, March 13, 2023, four days after the conclusion of the Big East tournament where Patrick Ewing was fired on March 9. According to the complaint as obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat, "In April 2023, Hamilton told Primo Spears and his family members, while they were sitting in Hamilton's office, that Primo Spears would receive $250,000.00 in NIL money in exchange for his promise to play for FSU during the 2023-24 men's basketball season. This was reiterated to Primo Spears multiple times when he visited FSU before deciding to transfer to FSU on April 29, 2023." In a text message later that season to Spears, Cowen wrote that "I'm telling you the sad truth that zero of the promises made to us [by boosters] came through in the past month...not a penny has come in." The collective is not a party in the case, suggesting that the six had no agreement with that group. The suit names Hamilton, 76, as liable for damages. "This is a situation where the entire roster relied on Coach Hamilton's promise and he failed to deliver," said attorney Darren Heitner. "This is about holding him accountable and hopefully this prevents this from happening again at FSU or elsewhere." A similar issue took place during the most recent college football season when Matthew Sluka, a former quarterback at Holy Cross, quit the team at UNLV three games into the season for lack of NIL payments; in that case, Sluka had only a verbal agreement. Georgetown 83, Coppin St. 53
A competitive first half for the Coppin State Eagles wilted after halftime, as a 1 for 18 start doomed the Eagles in an 83-53 loss to Georgetown before 5,298 at Capital One Arena Saturday.
POST-GAME ARTICLES
Georgetown opened the game without junior Jayden Epps, held out from an injury suffered in the Seton Hall game. The Hoyas jumped to an early 8-1 lead, but a lack of ball control by Georgetown was an ongoing story of the game.Toby Nnandozie scored the first 11 of his game high 22 points for the Eagles (1-13) early in the first half, accounting for all of Coppin State's points at 12-11 seven minutes into the game, whereupon GU answered with five straight field goals to push the lead to 21-13 midway in the first. By contrast, the Hoyas could not open up the score thanks to turnovers, and lots of them. Seven Georgetown turnovers in the first ten minutes and 10 by halftime kept the Eagles in contention, aided by just three turnovers of its own against an otherwise average Georgetown defense. For a Coppin State team ranked last in Division I with just four three pointers a game, five threes by halftime was a good sign early, trailing 37-30 at the break. With no Coppin State opponent taller than 6-8, The Hoyas had particular success inside in the first half, with Drew Fielder and Thomas Sorber accounting for 25 of GU's 37 points a the break, and the inside game continued to pay dividends after halftime. The two big men combined for 11 of Georgetown's 16 points in the first seven minutes of the second half, but it was the lack of shooting by the Eagles that turned this game from competitive to noncompetitive soon after intermission. Free throws by Coppin State closed to 41-35 four minutes in, but the Eagles had no shooting, missing its first 12 shots to open the second half; by that time, the Hoyas led by 15. The Eagles did not complete a successful basket until a Camren Sparrow jumper with 11:21 remaining, now down 17, 56-39, and the Hoyas followed up with two baskets each from Malik Mack and Micah Peavy to lead 65-39 at the eight minute media time out. A 10-0 Georgetown run to end the game closed the scoring. Despite just two three pointers down the stretch, Coppin State ended with a season high seven threes, but its defense after halftime would not be enough as Georgetown outrebounded Coppin State 48-23 and posted 40 points in the paint. Drew Fielder finished with a career best 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Thomas Sorber was equally unopposed with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Malik Mack posted a season high 11 assists to go along with 15 points in a game where GU shot 55 percent from the field and 15 of 16 from the foul line.
"I've seen enormous growth with our group." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Looking Back On 2024
Here are the top 10 stories of the past 12 months at HoyaSaxa.com:
 |
1.Ed Cooley, Year 1
Hoyas struggle to 9-23 finish. More... |
 |
2.Moving Out
11 of 13 scholarship players not returning. More... |
 |
3.Dikembe Mutombo (1966-2024)
Hall of Famer dies at 58. More... |
 |
4.DeGioia Resigns
GU president since 2001 suffered a stroke in June. More... |
 |
5.Virginia Arena Funding Fails
DC, Leonsis agree to renovate Capital One Arena. More... |
 |
6.Kenner League Leaves Georgetown
Summer league relocates to Bowie State. More... |
 |
7.Big East Media Deal
Six year multi-network deal announced. More... |
 |
8.Conferences Sign Off On NCAA Settlement
Big East to pay up to $66 million through 2034. More... |
 |
9.UConn Stays In Big East
Huskies fail to gain support for Big 12 move. More... |
 |
10.Georgetown 75 Syracuse 71
Hoyas win 100th game in the series. More... |
In Memoriam: 2024
Remembering those members of the extended Georgetown University athletics family that died in 2024:
- Jan. 8: Bernard (Barney) Keleher (C'52), football letterman in 1950, age 93.
- Feb. 25: John (Jake) Gibbons (C'66), men's basketball letterman from 1963 to 1966, age 79.
- Apr. 3: Pete Wilk, former baseball coach from 2000 through 2020, age 58.
- May 4: Keilyn (Leni) Wilson (C'93), women's basketball letterwoman from 1989 through 1993, age 53.
- Jun. 10: David Swanson, former associate athletic director, age 82.
- Jun. 18: Ricardo Urbina (C'67), men's track letterman from 1964 through 1967, age 78.
- Jul. 4: Ron Helmer, former track coach from 1987 through 2007, age 77.
- Sep.11: Anthony Allen (C'90), men's basketball letterman from 1986 to 1990, age 57.
- Sep. 16: Sydney Wilson (C'13), women's basketball letterwoman from 2009 through 2013, age 33.
- Sep. 17: Lori Michel, men's basketball trainer from 1977 to 2024, age 71.
- Sep. 29: Dikembe Mutombo (I'91), men's basketball letterman from 1988 to 1991, age 58.
- Oct. 20: Haywood (Dan) Droze, assistant football coach from 1968 to 1992, age 88.
- Dec. 23: Dave Urick, men's lacrosse coach from 1990 to 2012, age 76.
David J. Urick (1948-2024)
Former Georgetown men's lacrosse coach Dave Urick died Tuesday at the age of 76.
A 1970 graduate of Cortland State, Urick coached Hobart to an unprecedented ten consecutive NCAA Division III national championships from 1980 through 1989 with a cumulative record of 129-33. In 1989, he stunned the college lacrosse world by announcing his resignation for a Division I position. Would it be Johns Hopkins? Syracuse? Princeton?Even more stunning, it was Georgetown.
In 20 prior seasons as a varsity program, men's lacrosse at Georgetown had failed to post a single winning season and was often overwhelmed by regional and nationally prominent opponents. Following an 5-8 season in 1989, athletic director Frank Rienzo met with Urick and presented him with the challenge of a lifetime, but supported by something Georgetown had not offered before and that Hobart could not match: lacrosse scholarships.
Georgetown was prepared to elevate men's lacrosse to full scholarship status alongside men's basketball, and needed a leader capable of taking it to national prominence, one step at a time.
Many coaches would have said no--Georgetown had no facilities, no recruiting pipeline, no tradition. Hobart played at an 11,000 seat stadium, while lacrosse shared space with spring intramurals on the roof atop windswept Kehoe Field. Urick was presented the opportunity to attract top students with full scholarship aid to compete alongside the coterie of Division I schools that dominated the sport for decades.
The challenge was evident. Rienzo could be be persuasive, of course.
"The more Frank Rienzo talked, the more I listened and the more the opportunity made sense," Urick told the Washington Post in 1990. "Hobart is going to be a solid program forever. The resources are there, the commitment and support is there. Here was the opportunity to build and to develop something, to take it on as a challenge. It was just something I felt would be a good thing to do, to challenge yourself and the people around you to be the best you can be."
"I never suggested he was a miracle worker," Rienzo said. "He'll take the program in the appropriate direction and in the appropriate time."
Dave Urick never won 10 national championships at Georgetown but his body of work is no less impressive. He began the 1990 season with the Hoyas' first upset of a Top 20 opponent and its first winning season. Recognition by the NCAA tournament committee took time, however. The committee paid only passing notice to independent teams in the ECAC, where Georgetown was located before the Big East added lacrosse in the 2000s. Regional schools like Maryland, Loyola, Johns Hopkins, and Navy were primus inter pares and Georgetown wasn't considered as such. In 1997, the NCAA could no longer look away.
The 1997 Hoyas (9-4) had played eight nationally ranked teams, highlighted by a first ever win over #2 Syracuse and wins over #6 Navy and #10 Hofstra. A first round loss to eventual national champion Maryland ended that season but set Georgetown on a historic run for men's lacrosse. In 1998, its first post-season win; in 1999 Urick led the Hoyas to its first Final Four appearance, with wins over Notre Dame and Duke before a semifinal loss to Syracuse at the University of Maryland before 24,135 in attendance.
From 2000 through 2008, Georgetown reached the round of eight in the NCAA tournament six consecutive seasons and seven overall. Seven times they were sent home one game short of the Final Four amidst some of the greatest teams in the sport, but all seven games were on the road. Georgetown had arrived nationally, but was still not in the that small circle of programs whose reputations earned them higher seeds and home matchups. In those seven quarterfinal losses, five were to the eventual national champions and three were by a single goal.
Urick retired in 2012 with a 223-99 record at Georgetown, with 11 NCAA appearances and six Big East championships, 68 All America selections, two players selected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and 10 players selected to the Georgetown Athletic Hall of Fame. Urick joined the Georgetown Hall of Fame in 2014, with previous recognition in Courtland State's Hall of Fame in 1986 and the USA Lacrosse National Hall of Fame in 1998. He was selected to the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016.
David Urick is survived by his wife, their three children, and two grandchildren.
Stat Of The Night
It's a new day, yes it is.
Georgetown's 61-60 victory at Seton Hall snaps the Hoyas' 57-game losing streak when they scored 65 or less.
— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) December 23, 2024
The Hoyas last won a game with 65 points or less on Nov. 21, 2016, when they beat Oregon 65-61 in the Maui Invitational. Was John Thompson III's final season.
Whew! Georgetown 61, Seton Hall 60
In a finish that resembled a demolition derby on ice, the Georgetown Hoyas won its first game at Seton Hall in over eight years, 61-60, before a crowd of 8,879 at Prudential Center Sunday.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
The win is Georgetown's first at Newark in ten games dating to January 10, 2015, and its first 2-0 start in Big East play since January 2, 2016.- GUHoyas.com
- SHUPirates.com
- Associated Press
- Asbury Park Press
- The HOYA
- MTC Media
- Newark Star-Ledger
- SB Nation/Casual Hoya
"We had lineups out there I've never seen even in practice, so it's a testament to our players that when their number was called, they were able to deliver," said head coach Ed Cooley in post-game comments.
For a second consecutive game, sophomore Malik Mack was unavailable due to injury, and Georgetown's problems in the backcourt were a story during the course of the game. At the start, though, it seemed the least of Georgetown's problems.
The Hoyas got off to a quick start in a first half that saw little from the Pirates in return. The Hoyas were five for seven from the field in the opening six minutes, the Pirates one for eight as GU opened a 14-3 lead. The Hoyas never led by fewer than seven which saw it lead by nine at the break, 32-23, behind 13 points from Thomas Sorber and nine from Jayden Epps.
The story of the first half was how cold the Pirates were... literally.
"The temperature in the building was in the 50s, partially due to a women's hockey game wrapping up shortly before tip-off," wrote veteran reporter Jerry Carino, "prompting longtime Big East administrator and former Seton Hall staffer John Paquette to compare the conditions to the two seasons in the mid-1980s when the Pirates played some home games at South Mountain Arena due to construction on campus. It was so cold there, the legend has it, that players used blankets on the benches."
Poor outside shooting (1-6) and equally poor free throw shooting (5-11) could be overlooked as the Pirates stumbled to the break shooting 8 for 28 (28 percent) and 1 for 11 from three point range. Isaiah Coleman had nine points at the break, while his fellow starters combined to shoot 1 for 11 in the first half.
Shaheen Holloway's halftime talk reenergized the Pirates from the outset of the second half. A move to a zone defense shut down the Hoyas early, and a pair of layups closed the lead to 32-27 before consecutive baskets by Sorber and Caleb Williams brought Georgetown back to ten, 37-27. The Hall was much more productive early in the second half, scoring 11 points by the first media timeout as compared to scoring 11 minutes in the first 11 minutes to open the game.
Five straight by the Hall closed to 43-39 before Sorber and Peavy led a 7-2 Georgetown run midway through the half, 50-41. Offensive rebounding kept the Pirates close, with nine offensive rebounds to two for the Hoyas with eight minutes to play, 53-47. The Hoyas went three minutes without a field goal but still led by six, 55-49, entering the final seven minutes thanks to awful shooting by the Pirates, at just 2 of 17 following its two opening baskets of the half.
The Hoyas' scoring woes were amplified when Jayden Epps went down with an ankle injury at the 6:26 mark and was helped off the court. Though he returned later in the game, he was limited to three possessions of 26, 27, and 22 seconds, respectively, and yielded to walk-on Austin Montgomery in the final two possessions of the game.
The teams traded offensive fouls entering the last six minutes, whereupon the Hoyas connected on its last two field goals of the game.
A Curtis Williams three brought the lead to 58-49, where the Pirates answered with a missed layup.
BIG TIME ???@Curtis5Williams | @GeorgetownHoopspic.twitter.com/rrj5matdob
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) December 23, 2024
Two more offensive rebounds and two missed three point attempts followed before Sorber cleared the boards, only to have Peavy miss a layup and Curtis Williams getting picked off by Isaiah Coleman, who split a pair of free throws, 58-50. On the next possession, the call went to Caleb Williams (jokingly referred by Fox Sports' John Fanta as "one of the Williams brothers"), who picked up a three from the corner to increase the lead to 11, 61-50, with 3:51 remaining.
Here's where things got really messy.
Coleman went inside on Caleb Williams and picked up two from the line, 61-52. Curtis Williams was swarmed under the Georgetown basket and coughed up the ball, but Chaunce Jenkins opted for a three and, of course, missed: this was the Pirates' ninth miss in 10 attempts and five straight missed from three point range. On GU's next series, Sorber missed the front half of a one and one and Jenkins added two from the line, 61-54. On the inbound, Peavy couldn't get the ball out of the backcourt and was tied up, returning the ball to the Hall with 2:59 to play.
What does Seton Hall do? Miss another three, but Sorber lost the ball on Georgetown's next possession and third string center Gus Yalden went inside past Sorber, 61-56. Peavy coughed up the ball with 1:44 remaining and picked up his fifth foul four seconds later, and a pair of free throws by Scotty Middleton brought the Hall to 61-58 with 1:40 to play.
On its next series, the Seton Hall defense completely bottled up Georgetown, but bailed out the Hoyas with four seconds on the shot clock when Drew McKenna picked up a foul under the Seton Hall basket. McKenna had not attempted a free throw all season, and it showed-- he missed both. For the Pirates' next possession, a missed layup, missed tip-in, and another missed layup were blessed by three consecutive offensive rebounds, culminating in a Coleman layup with 36 seconds remaining, 61-60. The Hoyas nearly lost the ball getting the ball into the frontcourt before a valuable GU timeout set up its final play with 31 seconds.
As for a play, there wasn't much of one. Epps and Sorber were sealed off, leaving Caleb Williams to miss a short shot with 10 seconds to play, but Sorber lost the ball on a shot clock violation after his offensive rebound, Georgetown's first in nearly 10 minutes.
Following its time out, Seton Hall took over with nine seconds remaining.
"It just didn't work, the play just didn't work," Coleman said after the game. "[Curtis Williams was] guarding me, I was trying to get the ball and it just didn't happen."
With the ball into the frontcourt, Dylan Addae-Wusu lost the ball off the dribble, allowing Sorber, playing well past the paint, to picked up the loose ball to end the game.
Georgetown takes it away and hangs on for the win against Seton Hall! ?? pic.twitter.com/P99CmVfcf5
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) December 23, 2024
Georgetown ended this game without a point in the final four minutes, finishing 0 for 3 from the foul line, and contributing five turnovers. Seton Hall finished on a 10-0 run on two layups and 6-6 from the line; however, it failed to make a jumper in the final nine minutes and went 0-8 from three point range in the final 14:15 to end the game.
Despite these numbers, the Hoyas never trailed in this game and led for the final 38:08. Georgetown shot 53 percent for the game, led by 19 points and eight rebounds from Thomas Sorber, who was held to six after halftime and none in the final 11:03.
A season-high 19 Georgetown turnovers netted just 13 points for the Pirates, while the Hall's 18 second half offensive rebounds returned it just 11 points. Georgetown shot poorly from the foul line (11 for 22) and the three point line (4 for 12), opening a door numerous times for the Pirates to get back in this game.
The sheer number of missed opportunities for the Pirates in this game is staggering, none more so than shooting 3 for 24 from three point range, its fewest at the Prudential Center in nearly two years. Starters Garwey Dual and Yacine Toumi finished the game a combined 0 for 7 from the field, while sixth man Chaunce Jenkins, who has led the Pirates in scoring in four of its prior five wins to date, was 3 for 14 from the field and 1 for 7 from three. A 17 of 23 effort at the foul line was above its season average, but a missed front end of a one and one in each half proved tantalizingly short of what might have, could have, and probably should have been.
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Epps 34 3-6 1-5 6-8 3 3 2 15
Peavy 38 4-9 0-1 2-3 4 5 5 10
Ca. Williams 10 1-2 2-2 0-1 5 3 2 8
Fielder 24 2-2 0-2 0-2 4 1 3 4
Sorber 39 8-11 0-1 3-6 8 2 2 19
Reserves:
McKenna 3 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 0 1 0
Cu. Williams 10 0-0 1-1 0-0 1 0 4 3
Montgomery 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Burks 14 1-1 0-0 0-0 3 0 2 2
Team Rebounds 4
Injured: Mack, Halaifonua, Mulready, Moses
DNP: Fort, Asadallah, Van Raaphorst, Diouf
TOTALS 200 19-31 4-12 11-22 32 14 21 61
Welcome Home
During a break midway in the first half of Wednesday's game versus Creighton, Georgetown officials recognized former head coach Craig Esherick (B'78, L'82) in attendance.
The coach and the University had been estranged in the years following Esherick's dismissal in 2004. It was the first public recognition of Esherick at a Georgetown game since then, having previously been at Georgetown as a player from 1974 to 1978, a graduate assistant from 1979 to 1981, and an assistant coach from 1982 through 1999, whereupon he assumed the head coaching role following John Thompson's sudden retirement.In five seasons as head coach, Esherick posted a 103-74 record, with a NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2001 and three 19-win seasons that each narrowly missed the tournament. Earlier last month, he appeared at a reception honoring the 1983-84 national title team.
Following Georgetown, Esherick worked as a television analyst and served as a lecturer at NYU before joining the faculty at George Mason University in 2008, where he serves as an associate professor at its Center for Sport Management. He is the author of three books in the field.
New Arena Designs Released
Additional images of the renovations approved for Capital One Arena were released on Thursday.
Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis (C'77) joined NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (L'17) in a groundbreaking ceremony at the former Gallery Place Mall, to be incorporated into the arena property and renamed as the Grand Pavilion."The arena will be a marvel of modern design and technology, the intersection of style and comfort and a futuristic and first-class fan experience from street to seat," Leonsis remarked in a news release. "In this greatest city in the world with its extraordinary and historic monuments, we believe this building will be a monument but built on momentum, something bold and bright for now and the future."
Today, we celebrate the beginning of a brand-new arena experience at Capital One Arena.
— Gensler (@gensler_design) December 19, 2024
Together with @MSE, @ClarkBuilds, and @CAA_Sports, we’re kicking off construction today to blend innovation, history, and community to reimagine what an arena can be. pic.twitter.com/hyOLriCHcs
Where we’ve made history. Where we’ll make more. Where we’re turning the past inside out to make the future.
— Monumental Sports & Entertainment (@MSE) December 19, 2024
Introducing the New @CapitalOneArena: Where Monuments Meet Momentum. pic.twitter.com/LniNKtpirz
Social Media Reacts To Big Georgetown Win
A sample of national media comments following Georgetown's 81-57 win Wednesday:
Georgetown is above .500 in Big East play for the first time since January 2, 2019.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 19, 2024
That's 2,177 days ago.
Hoyas tie their win total from last season --- nine --- with a blowout win over Creighton.
Tangible progress being shown under Ed Cooley. https://t.co/lqppd2f2In
The Ed Cooley Era at Georgetown has its first signature week. The Hoyas follow up the program’s first win at Syracuse since 2016 with an 81-57 blowout of Creighton in the Big East opener. The biggest victory of Cooley’s tenure thus far and a complete performance on both ends.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) December 19, 2024
This is a statement by @HoyaCoachCooley and @GeorgetownHoops
— Terrence Oglesby (@T_Oglesby22) December 19, 2024
They aren’t where they are going to be in the future, but this is REAL PROGRESS in D.C.
Hoyas move to 9-2 and they aren’t done anytime soon.
Exciting times. Basketball is better when Georgetown is good.
Georgetown 81, Creighton 57
In a throwback to its last Big East win over a team not named DePaul or Butler, the Georgetown Hoyas ran the Creighton Bluejays out of Capital One Arena, 81-57, before an announced crowd of 4,062 Wednesday night.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
That throwback was the 2021 Big East final played before conference officials and family members at Madison Square Garden, a game where Georgetown shot 54 percent after halftime and held the Bluejays to 28 percent shooting on the night in a 73-48 final. Tonight, the Hoyas shot 63 percent after halftime and held the Bluejays to 39 percent for the game.- GUHoyas.com
- GoCreighton.com
- Associated Press
- Georgetown Voice
- The HOYA
- Omaha World Herald
- SB Nation/Casual Hoya
- White & Blue Review
- Washington Post
The Hoyas entered this game without point guard Malik Mack following a knee injury suffered during Saturday's game at Syracuse; he was replaced in the lineup by freshman Caleb Williams, who had six points in his first career start.
Both teams opened the game hot from the perimeter, combining for five three pointers between them in the first five minutes of the first and a 12-9 Georgetown lead at the first media time out, thanks to four assists from Micah Peavy.
Nine straight points from Creighton guard Stephen Ashworth gave the Jays a 15-14 lead at the 11:18 mark of the first half, lost 23 seconds with a 7-0 Georgetown run that brought the Hoyas a 25-18 lead at the 7:00 mark. The Hoyas hit a lull late in the first half, shooting 0 for 7 with five of its seven first half turnovers, as Creighton held a 28-26 lead with 2:42 to halftime.
The next three series proved the turning point of the game.
With Thomas Sorber bottling up center Ryan Kalkbrenner for much of the game, the Bluejays spent much of their efforts on the perimeter. Off a missed three from Ashworth with 1:55 to play, Caleb Williams found Curtis Williams Jr for a long three, 29-28, his second of the half and only his second three of the entire season. McAndrew missed a three at the 1:20 mark, rebounded by Peavy, who found Jordan Burks open in the corner for a three, 31-28. A missed shot from Ashworth was rebounded by Curtis Williams, whose shot fell short but Caleb Williams scooped up the rebound for a layup to close out an 8-0 run to end the first half, 34-28. Georgetown finished the first half shooting 5 for 8 from three, a season's best thus far, and holding the Bluejays to 32 percent shooting and just 4 for 13 from two point range.
"Georgetown was great, we were awful. They're a big reason why we were awful."--Creighton coach Greg McDermott, in post game remarks
Peavy repeated the theft and layup twice more in the next three minutes to extend the lead to 59-41 midway in the half, and an Epps thee put the Hoyas up 21, 62-41 at the 10 minute mark. A pair of concerning moments followed thereafter, when Epps and Sorber both went down with ankle injuries on consecutive GU series, but both returned later in the game. Four straight from Curtis Williams extended the Hoyas' lead to 21, 64-43, with eight minutes left.
With nothing inside, the Jays tried to get back in the game from the outside, to disastrous results. Creighton was 3 for 10 at this point from three, and was outrebounded 12-5 through 12 minutes. Despite three of its six second half threes coming in a three minute stretch, Creighton could not close inside 20 with five minutes to play, thanks to Georgetown shooting a largely uncontested 63 percent from the field after halftime. The Hoyas were 4 for 4 in the final 2:42 of play as the bench was emptied.
Micah Peavy came as close as anyone to earn the team's first triple double since 1991, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and seven steals. His defensive work, particularly on Ashworth, was vital in Georgetown limiting Ashworth's impact from beyond the arc, though his 21 points led all Creighton scorers.
The Hoyas held the Bluejays to 40 percent shooting, 12 for 33 from three, held a 39-25 advantage on rebounding, 32-16 in the paint, and GU picked up 20 points from 16 Creighton turnovers, one short of the Jays' season high.
Georgetown could not have earned this convincing of a win without its best three point shooting effort against a Big East team since a February 20, 2021 game Seton Hall. This was a team that shot just 24 percent against Syracuse and averaged a lowly 27 percent for the season, but shot 10 for 16 (.625) this evening.
"I thought our defense today was outstanding," said head coach Ed Cooley in post game comments. "I thought it was the best defensive effort that we've had since our tenure here. I just thought that our attention to detail and our preparation was outstanding. I thought Micah Peavy and Jayden Epps set the tone defensively with our on-ball pressure, our interior defense, and our ability to be disruptive.
"Creighton is one of the best offensive teams in the country and led by one of the best bigs. I'm just really proud of all of our guys that stepped onto the floor tonight and all of our guys that contributed to an incredible win. It feels really good to get a win at home."
Coach Ed Cooley Postgame with Roy Hibbert #Hoyas pic.twitter.com/mS07IIjwpU
— Patrick Waring (@WaringPatrick) December 19, 2024
Saw some things from @GeorgetownHoops defense (in terms of "pick-6" steals to dunks/layups) vs Creighton that haven't been, since John Thompson Jr era. Hoya DEF spearhead @mjpv5 on team's improvement in that area #HoyaSaxa #wearegeorgetown #BIGEAST @BIGEASTMBB @georgetownhoyas pic.twitter.com/iX0Qx0EScI
— Jeremy Huber (@jrhubersxm) December 19, 2024
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Epps 32 2-6 5-6 2-4 3 2 1 21
Peavy 35 8-13 1-3 1-1 8 8 3 20
Ca. Williams 34 3-5 0-0 0-0 8 3 2 6
Fielder 24 2-3 1-1 0-0 2 0 2 7
Sorber 32 4-11 0-3 0-0 6 3 3 8
Reserves:
McKenna 7 0-0 0-0 0-0 3 0 1 0
Cu. Williams 11 2-4 2-2 2-2 2 0 0 12
Montgomery 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Burks 22 2-2 1-1 0-0 5 1 1 7
Team Rebounds 2
Injured: Mack, Halaifonua, Mulready, Moses
DNP: Fort, Asadallah, Van Raaphorst, Diouf
TOTALS 200 23-44 10-16 5-7 39 17 13 81
Arena Renovations Get Final Approval
By a unanimous vote, the D.C. Council completed final approvals Tuesday to authorize renovations to Capital One Arena.
As discussed on this site last month, the agreement will involve $515 million of local funds, inclusive of the District buying the arena from Monumental for $87.5 million and leasing it back to Monumental through the 2049-50 season. Construction could begin as soon as next summer, pending construction contracts, and conclude in 2027-28 with a minimum of disruption during the winter seasons for basketball and hockey.In a video message, Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis (C'77) thanked the mayor and City Council for their efforts in moving this through.
?? BIG NEWS ?? The DC Council has voted to approve legislation supporting the transformation of @CapitalOneArena. We can now break ground on creating a world class facility for the best fans and athletes in the world.
— Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) December 17, 2024
Thank you to @MayorBowser, @ChmnMendelson, our Councilmember… pic.twitter.com/RfELg75hlj
By the time all is said and done, "Capital One Arena" may or may not be the name on the building. The 10-year, $100 million naming rights deal signed between Capital One and Monumental expires in 2027. Naming rights continue to be a growth industry, with the San Francisco 49ers signing a 10 year, $170 million extension for Levi's Stadium and Intuit paying $500 million for a 23 year deal with the recently opened arena in Inglewood, CA.
Of the 30 active NBA arenas, Madison Square Garden is the only one without a corporate sponsor.
Georgetown-Syracuse In 2025? An Open Question
While both head coaches seem interested in renewing the current Georgetown-Syracuse series, no agreement is pending.
GU vs. SU Attendance:
2013: 35,012
2016: 25,131
2018: 24,082
2022: 20,370
2024: 17,187
"As we're trying to build our program here, this is a game we love having," said Georgetown coach Ed Cooley. "We love the energy that goes with it, the tradition that it has, the legacy that it has, the edginess that it has, the chippiness that it has. It brings a lot of joy to the college game, of which, right now, with the state of college athletics, we need something to hang our hat on. As long as I'm head coach, I want to play this game each and every year."
Syracuse coach Adrian Autry agreed. "There's no question I would like to continue this,", he said. "As we both make strides to get it back to where we'd both like to be, I think both fan bases and both alumni would like to keep it going as well."
The hesitation appears to rest with Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack, who has seen the decline in interest the game has received from fans, television providers, and local media.
Local journalist Brent Axe, who has suggested Syracuse should pursue an annual series in New York with UConn or St. John's instead of Georgetown, also expressed concern with the turnout.
17,187 for a Syracuse-Georgetown game. The people that did come were great. Crowd was loud and energized in 2nd half. But let that sink in. That's got to send a cold shiver up Wildhack's spine.
— Brent Axe (@BrentAxeMedia) December 14, 2024
Georgetown has no home opponents announced for the 2025-26 season, with the previously announced Maryland series beginning at College Park. A lack of name opponents has contributed to minimal turnout this season at Capital One Arena, averaging 4,498 per game to date downtown. Games with Syracuse have averaged 15,308 at the downtown arena since 2015.
Georgetown 75 Syracuse 71
The Georgetown Hoyas held the Syracuse Orangemen without a field goal for the final 4:12 of the second half to earn a hard fought 75-71 win Saturday at the Carrier Dome, its first win in Syracuse in eight years.
POST-GAME ARTICLES
"It's by far the best win we've had since I've been the coach here, right in a rivalry game, a heated game, an exciting game," said Georgetown coach Ed Cooley in post-game comments. "It felt exactly like a Big East game and we liked it."After a ragged start to begin the game where the two teams were a combined 1 for 8 from three point range, the first half was tight throughout, with both teams picking up points inside. Georgetown got a pair of dunks from Thomas Sorber to take a three point lead six minutes in, 12-9, answered by a three from Syracuse's Elijah Moore. Neither team made much progress against the other, with Georgetown careful to avoid additional fouls up front, with Jordan Burks in early foul trouble and Thomas Sorber picking up his second with eight minutes to halftime.
With two fouls upon both Sorber and Burks, sophomore Drew Fielder manned the middle to some success, and the lead passed frequently between both teams. Georgetown's three point shooting continue to struggle, however, and entered the final five minutes of the first half at a mere 1 for 11. The Orangemen enjoyed a sizable advantage at the foul line, with 17 first half attempts to the Hoyas' four, and took its largest lead of the first half at 31-27 with 4:18 to play. A 7-2 run by the Hoyas, with baskets from Jayden Epps, Micah Peavy, and Drew Fielder, took the lead, and a three from Epps extended the score to 37-35 before the teams combined to miss their final four shots of the half, with a pair of Syracuse free throws to tie the score at 37, a half that featured 11 tires and 11 lead changes.
The Hoyas got up early on the Orangemen after halftime, with leads of 49-43 and 54-46 eight minutes in. The Orangemen focused on an inside game to narrow the gap, which took the air out of the Hoyas' run.
Following a pair of baskets inside by Syracuse center Eddie Lampkin, 54-50, guard Elijah Moore was called for pushing Epps to the ground after a shot. On the other side of the court, a talkative Lucas Taylor attempted to walk into the Georgetown huddle, which resulted in technical fouls against Taylor and Georgetown's Drew Fielder and awakening what had been a slumbering Carrier Dome crowd.
Following the game, Taylor told the Syracuse Post-Standard that "I just saw them push Eddie [Lampkin]. Any scenario, I'm going to have my teammate's back. I didn't realize I was the only one down there." (The video feed did not pick up Lampkin being pushed.)
As the game returned to normal, free throws and inside play extended the Syracuse lead to six at the 8:32 mark, 64-58.
"Coach Boeheim is either clapping or he's cussing me out. [The zone] was something that we worked on, and now it's something that we have in our bag."--Georgetown coach Ed Cooley
A turnover from Eddie Lampkin in the frontcourt opened yet another door for the Hoyas, where Peavy fed Sorber inside, 64-62. The teams trade basket before Elijah Moore missed the front end of a one and one with 4:48 to play, answered by Epps in Georgetown's first three in nearly ten minutes for GU's fourth consecutive field goal, 67-66. Syracuse's Jaquan Carlos returned the favor, 69-66, and the teams headed into the four minute timeout in a two point game.
Fouled before the time out, Malik mack made the first of two free throws to close to 69-68. Following Mack's miss on the back end of the one and one, Sorber grabbed an offensive rebound, missed a three pointer, but Peavy picked up another offensive rebound and Epps went to work, driving the lane to put GU up one, 70-69. This was two of eight offensive rebounds after halftime for the Hoyas, none more valuable.
There have been many great finishes down the stretch in this series but this game was not among them. Elijah Moore drove inside and missed a layup, while Sorber was fouled and missed the front end of a one and one. On SU's next possession, Davis missed on an open jumper, but Peavy dribbled the ball off his foot and turned it over with 2:15 remaining. Davis drove inside on the next possession where he was blocked with authority from Sorber, and Lampkin quickly fouled Peavy on the rebound. Peavy made both free throws, 72-69, whereupon Syracuse coach Adrian Autry made his first substitutions since the 15:07 mark, sitting Lucas Taylor for Chris Bell.
The offensive woes continued for both teams. Moore missed a three for Syracuse with 1:31 left, Peavy missed a jumper for Georgetown with 1:10 mark. Malik Mack picked up an offensive rebound on Peavy's miss but missed a layup. With 50 seconds remaining, SU forward Donnie Freeman, scoreless since halftime, missed on a 25 footer and after GU could find no good options, Epps took it himself for the layup, 74-69, capping a 12-3 Georgetown run over a 4:22 stretch.
The Hoyas looked to have this one in hand when Peavy fouled Carlos on a drive, closing to 74-71. On the ensuing play, Epps was trapped in the corner adjacent to the Syracuse baseline, where a potential tie-up would have turned the ball over to the Orangemen under the alternate possession rule. A cry for a timeout sailed in from the Georgetown bench with 12.3 seconds remaining, saving what could have been a perilous turnover at this stage of the game.
Off the time out, Mack was fouled and raised faint hopes of one more chance, but his second free throw sealed the win. As if to underscore the futility of the last four minutes, Jaquan Carlos missed a layup to close to two points with three seconds left.
"Cheers briefly rang out through the walls of the Georgetown locker room after the game. The result left Syracuse players visually stung, a reminder that even when the stakes aren't large, this is one that still matters."--Syracuse Post-Standard
Georgetown's move to a zone defense and a foul-free Thomas Sorber were key elements in its second half revival, but the second half play of Jayden Epps was worthy of the best seen among any GU player on the Carrier Dome floor since Otto Porter. Epps was 7-7 from the field after halftime, 3-3 from three point range, and provided defensive efforts which limited Syracuse guard Elijah Moore to 4 for 14 shooting. Epps led all scorers with 27 points, followed by 16 from Sorber.
Thomas Sorber finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in Georgetown’s win over Syracuse. #HoyaSaxa | #Hoyas pic.twitter.com/ew3m0yfeDa
— The NBS Sports Hour (@NBSSportsHour) December 15, 2024
Sorber's ability to stay out of foul trouble was a big boost to Georgetown's chances in this game. The Orangemen converted 15 points on 10 offensive rebounds but none in the final 12 minutes of play with Sorber in the lineup. Sorber also helped to shut down Lampkin, who led the Orangemen with 18 points overall, but had no shot attempts in the final 13:03 of the game, effectively closing off a key offensive strength for the Orangemen.
Neither team did much to address its chronic three point shooting woes. Georgetown entered the game 72nd of 77 major conference schools and 320th nationally in three point shooting, Syracuse was 76th among major schools and 341st overall. The Hoyas finished 6 of 25 from outside (.240), the Orangemen 4 for 16 (.250), missing four of its final five attempts late in the game.
Ed Cooley went tight with his lineup: its starters played 96 of a combined 100 minutes in the second half. That won't hold for a 20 game Big East schedule, but for 40 minutes in Syracuse, it worked just fine.
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Mack 39 2-4 1-4 2-4 6 8 3 9
Epps 36 7-9 4-6 1-1 2 4 1 27
Peavy 40 5-11 0-3 2-2 9 4 3 12
Fielder 29 4-5 0-3 0-0 5 2 4 8
Sorber 31 7-11 0-5 2-4 7 0 2 16
Reserves:
Ca. Williams 8 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 3 0
McKenna 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0
Cu. Williams 5 0-0 0-1 0-0 1 1 0 0
Burks 8 0-0 1-2 0-0 2 1 3 3
Team Rebounds 3
Injured: Halaifonua, Mulready, Moses
DNP: Fort, Montgomery, Asadallah, Van Raaphorst, Diouf
TOTALS 200 25-40 6-25 7-11 36 20 20 75
Georgetown vs. Syracuse: The All-Time Teams
Who are some of the greatest players to have seen action in the Georgetown-Syracuse series? Here's a all-time starting lineup for each, with their per game averages in the series.
Syracuse |
||
| PG: Dwayne (Pearl) Washington | 1983-86 | 17.4 ppg, 5.4 apg |
| SG: Gerry McNamara | 2002-06 | 16.2 ppg |
| SF: Billy Owens | 1988-91 | 18.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg |
| PF: Carmelo Anthony | 2002-03 | 24.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg |
| C: Derrick Coleman | 1986-90 | 15.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg |
Georgetown |
||
| PG: Allen Iverson | 1994-96 | 21.5 ppg, 5.2 apg |
| SG: Eric (Sleepy) Floyd | 1978-82 | 18.3 ppg |
| SF: Reggie Williams | 1983-87 | 15.5 ppg |
| PF: Michael Sweetney | 2000-03 | 20.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg |
| C: Patrick Ewing | 1981-85 | 17.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg |
Georgetown-Syracuse: End Of The Road?
What was one the most important game on the Georgetown basketball calendar arrives Saturday amidst diminished interest and questions as to its future.
The 100th meeting of Georgetown and Syracuse on Saturday at the Carrier (aka JMA Wireless) Dome will, for the first time in over 40 years, not be seen on a major network. In lieu of traditional broadcast coverage on the likes of CBS, Fox, or ESPN, the game will instead be broadcast on the ACC Network, which is a service available through select cable and satellite providers.Competing programs on other networks during the game will include the Celebration Bowl (ABC), the Army-Navy game (CBS), and the FCS football playoffs (ESPN).
The ongoing struggles of the two teams do not make a case for heightened coverage. Syracuse, with a 4-4 record to date this season, have not qualified for the NCAA or NIT since 2021 and remain unranked in the Associated Press poll since December 10, 2018.
Georgetown's own attendance issues are well documented but the games in Washington with the Orangemen have traditionally been well attended--four of the top 10 Georgetown home attendance figures since 2013 have been versus Syracuse, though none have sold out.
Of larger concern is where this series is headed. Following Syracuse's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, a four year series was announced in 2014, beginning the following season. The series was extended by two years three times since 2019, but with a changing of the guard at both programs, no announcement has been made if the series will extend beyond this season.
A Syracuse-area sports journalist, Rachel Culver, discussed the series in a 2023 column.
"With less frequent and meaningful meetings, alongside what many would consider a diminished quality of basketball on both sides, a rivalry can't grow," she said. "While the roots remain and can never be forgotten, the only option is for it to stagnantly exist.
"Historically, Syracuse v. Georgetown is one of the best rivalries to ever exist, no one can question that. But when looking forward, there's no reason for it to bring much attention outside of the respective fan bases."
Entering the 100th game, Syracuse holds a 55-44 advantage. Syracuse has won five of the nine prior meetings since 2015 and three consecutive at home.
West Virginia 73, Georgetown 60
Georgetown's best 30 minutes of the 2024-25 season gave way to a 12-0 West Virginia run it could not overcome in the Mountaineers' 73-60 win Friday evening in Morgantown, WV.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
Despite its reputation, the announced crowd of 11,522 at the WVU Coliseum was subdued in a first half where the Hoyas started strong adn maintained a consistent performance throughout. Jayden Epps opened th game with a three and despite an early foul to Thomas Sorber, the Hoyas were not rattled falling behind early, as baskets by Epps and Drew Fielder led a 9-0 Georgetown run tp lead 14-9; in fact, the two combined for all 14 points to date.- GUHoyas.com
- WVUSports.com
- Associated Press
- Blue-Gold News
- Daily Athenaeum
- Daily Athenaeum (2)
- SB Nation/Casual Hoya
- Sports Illustrated
- Washington Post
- WBOY-TV
Without a significant outside threat emerging from the Mountaineers, entering the game with over 30 three point attempts per game, the first half was closely played on both sides. WVU closed to 14-12 before four straight from Sorber, who 90 seconds later fed a give and go to Jordan Burks to put the Hoyas up 20-18. Neither team led by more than four points until an Malik Mack there put the Hoyas up five with 1:31 left, but Mack was tagged with a technical foul for talking back to the West Virginia student section. A technical foul and subsequent basket from Javon Small closed the margin to 30-28 at the break, as the Hoyas picked up 11 points off of second chance opportunities and held the Mountaineers to just 3 for 11 from outside the arc.
This was as solid a a first half as Georgetown had played all season, given the step up in competition and the defensive intensity of both teams. West Virginia started ice-cold to open the second half, missing on four consecutive tries form outside and falling behind by six, 34-28. A pair of threes helped WV to tied the score at 36 before Mack scored five straight to put the Hoyas back up five, but Mack scored only once thereafter for the remainder of the game. For its part, shooting 3 for 10 to open the half, the Mountaineers were lucky to be as close as it was, as Small led the Mountaineers on a 7-2 run to tie the score, 43-43, with 12:42 to play.
"They had that one four-minute stretch where it changed the whole game."--Georgetown coach Ed Cooley
Two missed threes by Georgetown were concerted into consecutive threes by Small and Tucker DeVries, and the Mountaineers were off and running, part of a five for five run to extend its lead to 55-43 with 8:34 remaining.
Georgetown wasn't done, however. A 7-0 run of its own brought GU to within five, 55-50, before a Javon Small basket and free throws put WVU back up nine, 59-50. Sorber returned to the scoring column for a three, 59-53, but West Virginia then scored on consecutive threes from Small and DeVries and never looked back.
After missing its first four attempts from three point range to open the second half, WVU hit six of its final 11 threes and 10 of its final 13 shots of the game overall, while Georgetown was a mere 4 of 15 after the break and finished the second half shooting just 36 percent from the field. Caleb Williams' two three pointers were the only bench points after halftime.
While it is too early to put the weight of the team on the shoulders of freshman Thomas Sorber, this was a better Georgetown team with him in the lineup than without him. Though held to just 13 points in 27 minutes, Sorber provided stability to the Hoyas when he was on the court and instability when he was not. The loss of Julius Halaifonua as a capable backup was felt in this game and will likely be for the rest of the season, because Sorber has no backup in case of fouls or a needed rest. In 15 combined minutes between them in the second half, forwards Drew Fielder and Jordan Burks combined for one field goal and two rebounds.
When Georgetown needed a steady, veteran hand, the veterans reverted to their old ways. Jayden Epps, whose inability to put together two halves in a game was a running subplot of the 2023-24 season, returned to form in this game. From a 13 point first half, Epps missed all five of his three point attempts after halftime and finished one for eight from the field after the break. While effective defensively, Micah Peavy scored the first and last baskets of the second half, but was scoreless otherwise in 40 minutes of play.
Javon Small's 26 points led the way for the Mountaineers, followed by 15 from Tucker DeVries. No less significant: a valuable defensive effort off the bench for reserve center Eduardo Andre, with four points, four blocks and three rebounds. The blocks were timely and effective in keeping Georgetown from any meaningful comeback.
"I thought he changed the game with some really big rim-protection plays that would have been layups that he came out and got and then got us into transition," coach DeVries said in post-game comments. "I love the energy he came in and gave us a big spark that led to that big run in the second half."
"They kept us off balance [in the first half] and we hadn't seen that this year" DeVries told Sports Illustrated. "We never found a good flow. They were going from man to zone, and we just weren't very good at attacking it they way we would have liked. I thought the second half we were much more aggressive with some of our stuff, and our movement got better in the second half."
West Virginia's dominance over the final 11 minutes of the game was borne out in the final statistics, holding advantages in rebounds (34-33), points in the paint (28-22), blocks (6-4) and fast break points (14-4). The teams combined to go 15 for 15 from the foul line in the second half and 19 of 21 overall, as WVU's 11-11 effort gave the Hoyas no opportunity to get back into contention.
"I'm proud of our guys' effort, I'm proud of our defensive intensity," said Georgetown coach Ed Cooley. "Overall we lost a game, but I thought we definitely improved as a group."
Following mid-semester study days and the onset of final exams, the Hoyas return to action next Saturday at Syracuse.
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Mack 39 2-8 2-6 0-0 3 2 4 10
Epps 35 3-5 3-9 2-2 3 1 1 17
Peavy 40 2-5 0-2 0-0 5 2 3 4
Fielder 25 2-2 1-4 1-2 8 0 0 8
Sorber 27 3-7 1-2 4-4 4 3 4 13
Reserves:
Ca. Williams 13 0-2 2-3 0-0 3 0 1 6
McKenna 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Cu. Williams 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 3 0 1 0
Burks 15 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 2
Mulready 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Team Rebounds 4
DNP: Fort, Montgomery, Asadallah,
Halaifonua, Van Raaphorst, Diouf, Moses
TOTALS 200 13-31 9-27 7-8 33 8 16 60
Halaifonua Injured, Prognosis Uncertain
Prior to game time Monday evening, Georgetown officials confirmed that freshman center Julius Halaifonua will undergo surgery for a fractured ankle.
Halaifonua was seen in a walking boot prior to Saturday's game with Albany which he did not play in. The 7-0 center averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in six games thus far this season, and is a promising backup to fellow freshman Thomas Sorber in the pivot.Surgery for an ankle injury requires an extended process of rehabilitation that could render Halaifonua out through the end of the season. The basketball office's message only said that "A prognosis will be released at a later date."
Attendance Struggles Continue
Despite the prospect of a fifth consecutive win for the Hoyas, an announced attendance of 2,788 at Capital One Arena for Monday's game with UMBC continues to be a source of concern.
The turnout, the fourth smallest for a off-campus home game since 1981, was a mere 32 more than the 2,756 listed for the game on November 20 versus Mount St. Mary's.Through eight games, Georgetown is averaging 3,809 per game this season, down from 6,916 per game through the same eight game period in 2023-24, which included home games versus TCU and Syracuse.
Georgetown 86, UMBC 62
Different verse, same as the first.
As has been the case seven times in an eight game homestand against outmatched opponents, Georgetown's talent and defense overwhelmed UMBC, 86-62, at a mostly vacant Capital One Arena Monday night.
POST-GAME ARTICLES
As has been the case in numerous games in the young season, Georgetown fell behind early, tightened the score at halftime, than used its defense to pull away from an under manned opponent for a healthy lead that was not challenged thereafter. Monday's game offered more promise defensively, while still highlighting areas of deeper concern as the Hoyas move to the competitive portion of its schedule.- GUHoyas.com
- UMBC Retrievers.com
- Associated Press
- Georgetown Voice
- SB Nation/Casual Hoya
- Washington Post
UMBC started the game swiftly, taking an early 5-2 lead that extended to as many as six at 15-9 six minutes into the game, a function of good shooting and limiting Georgetown's touches inside. A 6-0 run by the Hoyas tightened the score, but the Retrievers still held a 19-17 lead with 11:16 tp play before their shooting gave way and the Hoyas surged ahead.
A 13-0 Georgetown run coupled with a 1 for 10 scoring drought by UMBC carried the Hoyas to a lead they would maintain thereafter. Five different Georgetown players scored in the run, which elevated its lead to 32-21 with 6:17 left in the half, but not before the Retrievers' half court offense returned to form. A 15-5 UMBC run over the following five minutes brought the Retrievers to as close as 37-35 with 1:17 in the half before baskets by Micah Peavy and Drew Fielder earned the Hoyas a 41-35 lead at the break. The Hoyas held a 28-18 advantage in the paint but were outrebounded 22-15 and were just 1 for 8 from three point range compared to UMBC's 3 for 7.
Both teams stumbled out of the second half gate, with five turnovers between them over the first two minutes. A turning point in the game came early in the second half as Louie Jordan, UMBC's only serviceable big man, picked up his third and fourth personal foul in a matter of 90 seconds. Jordan spent much of the second half on the bench before fouling out midway in the half, whereupon the Hoyas pulled away with the inside play of Thomas Sorber and an aggressive transition defense that forced nine turnovers and converted 24 of its second half points coming in the paint.
UMBC hung in there for a while, trailing 51-43, before Georgetown took over for good. A 12-0 run put the Hoyas up 20, 63-43, midway through the second half, which was extended to a 19-4 run two minutes later, 70-47. The Retrievers, lacking any options inside, struggled from outside, missing 10 of its 11 shots from outside after halftime and went one for eight from the field during a key stretch as Georgetown extended its led to as many as 28 before emptying its bench in the final three minutes.
Georgetown's second half belonged to freshman center Thomas Sorber, who scored 13 of his game high 23 points after halftime. The Hoyas shot 51 percent in the second half, with 10 fast break points and scoring on 61 percent of its possessions.
"Today was just me trying to dominate at my position. We found that they had a smaller interior, so we were just going to attack that.--Georgetown center Thomas Sorber
Less impressive was the Hoyas' perimeter shooting, which continues to be a visible problem. Facing a UMBC perimeter team which allowed its Division I opponents an average of 36 percent from three point range, Georgetown shot just 3 for 20, with Epps going 2 for 7 and the remainder shooting a combined 1 for 13.
In post-game comments, head coach Ed Cooley focused on the positives, particularly the play of Sorber.
"I thought in three consecutive games that we got better defensively," he said. "Obviously, the competition is going to change, and we systematically scheduled this way to build confidence, continuity and chemistry. A lot of players feel what it is like to win, and that's something that hopefully we'll have some carryover as we now get ready to head on the road for the first time. The level of play will step up ten-fold."
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Mack 31 5-9 1-3 0-0 5 5 1 13
Epps 36 5-8 2-7 0-2 1 4 1 16
Peavy 34 3-8 0-3 1-2 5 5 2 7
Fielder 27 3-6 0-3 2-2 9 1 1 8
Sorber 25 6-7 0-0 11-12 8 0 2 23
Reserves:
Ca. Williams 12 4-4 0-1 2-2 3 1 1 10
McKenna 2 0-0 0-1 0-0 1 0 0 0
Cu. Williams 3 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
Montgomery 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Asadallah 1 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0
Burks 19 4-5 0-0 1-2 4 1 0 9
Van Raaphorst 1 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0
Mulready 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Team Rebounds 2
DNP: Fort, Moses, Halaifonua, Diouf
TOTALS 200 30-48 3-20 17-22 39 17 9 86
Luigi P. Carnesecca (1925-2024)
Lou Carnesecca, the greatest coach in the history of St. John's University basketball and a titan of the early days of the Big East conference, died Saturday, 36 days short of his 100th birthday.
COVERAGE
With the exception of three years of military service during World War II, Carnesecca lived nearly his entire life in or around New York City. Raised on the Lower East Side and a high school graduate of St. Ann's Academy in Manhattan, he enrolled at Fordham but soon transferred to St. John's, back when the school was located in Brooklyn. He played baseball for three seasons and received his college degree in 1950.- St. John's University
- Associated Press
- CBS Sports
- ESPN
- NY Daily News
- NY Post
- NY Times
- Sports Illustrated
Carnesecca's first job after college was as a high school teacher and basketball coach at St. Ann's, compiling a record of 205-34 in an era where Carnesecca and a fellow teacher and coach named Frank Rienzo were the only lay teachers at the school. In 1958, following the move of St. Ann's to Queens (where it was renamed Archbishop Molloy High School), Carnesecca was hired by St. John's as an assistant to Joe Lapchick, and succeeded the legendary coach seven years later when the university enforced Lapchick's retirement at the age of 65.
The 34 year old Carnesecca made his college coaching debut at, of all places, McDonough Gymnasium, a 64-62 win over Georgetown on December 4, 1965. He coached five seasons with the Redmen with a record of 104-35 before being lured to the ABA, where he coached the New York Nets for three seasons. Carnesecca took a pay cut from $50,000 a year to make just $22,000 upon his return to St. John's, returning the Redmen to its glory days as an Division I independent and preparing it for a new conference to come.
His second tour at St. John's was its most memorable: the Redmen earned 14 NCAA tournaments and an NIT championship in his 16 seasons, five Big East regular season championships, two Big East tournament championships (1983, 1986) and the 1985 Final Four. He retired in 1992 with a cumulative college record of 526-200 (.724) and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
St. John's Alumni Hall, its on-campus basketball home, was renamed in Carnesecca's honor in 2004.
Sending condolences from our Hoya Family to those nearest and dearest to Coach Lou Carnesecca and St. John’s Basketball. One of the pioneers of the BIG EAST Conference - he is synonymous with this great league and will be truly missed by all in the basketball world.
— Ed Cooley (@HoyaCoachCooley) December 1, 2024
Georgetown 100, Albany 68
Micah Peavy and Thomas Sorber led the Georgetown Hoyas to its most productive win of the season to date, a 100-68 walkover of SUNY-Albany before 4,277 at Capital One Arena Saturday.
POST-GAME ARTICLES
Injuries were the early stories headed into the game. Two Albany starters that averaged nearly 24 points a game were not available, leaving coach Dwayne Killings to go deeper into a bench which had not been seriously tested the way the Hoyas would. For Georgetown, fans saw a limping Julius Halaifonua enter Capital One Arena prior to the game in a walking boot, described only as a lower-body injury by the basketball office. This put additional pressure on Thomas Sorber and Drew Fielder in the paint, and both were effective against a smaller Albany lineup."I thought it was a game we could compete in without our two most competitive guys," said Albany coach Dwayne Killings in post-game comments. "DeMarr Langford Jr. and Byron Joshua were not available. I thought we had the energy early, and I thought when they punched back, we kind of unraveled and lost the spirit that we wanted to have."
The first ten minutes of the first half were competitive for both teams. From an early 5-0 deficit, Georgetown scored 10 points on 4-4 shooting while the Great Danes were 0-4 with four turnovers. What Albany lacked in shooting, they made up at the line, where an 18 for 18 clinic at the line accounted for more than half its points in the opening half.
Trailing 19-16 at the 10:37 mark of the first half, Georgetown made its move on the inside. A three point play from Sorber tied the score, followed by a Malik Mack three, back to back layups by Caleb Williams, and a three from Sorber, his third of the season, put GU up ten, 29-19.
With 3:17 to play, Georgetown led by four,m 347-33, when a late run allowed the Hoyas to take a commanding lead into the break. The Hoyas ended the period hitting five of its final six shots , led by two threes and a layup by Micah Peavy, as the grad transfer finished with 17 points at the break and Georgetown enjoyed a 49-35 lead at the break.
Albany finished the half missing its last five attempts. Much as their opponent did four days earlier, the Hoyas saw Albany lose momentum to end the first half and they never recovered after halftime.
After a three pointer at the 17:51 mark, 55-40, the Great Danes missed nine of its next 11 shots to open the second half while the Hoyas connected on 13 of its next 14. Albany's lack of transition defense was noticeable and offered little hope of a comeback.
"We kind of quit. Our competitive energy was not where we wanted it to be." -Albany coach Dwayne Killings
The foul line, which had served Albany so well in the first half, failed to materialize as the Hoyas were uncontested to the rim. The Great Danes did not reach the foul line until the 11:44 mark of the second half, now down 34. Albany had 18 free throw attempts in the first half, but had just two for the first 18 minutes of the second and a total of six by the end of the half.
At the midpoint of the second half Georgetown was on a historic tear: 14 of 16 to open the half versus four for 15 for Albany. It would be understandable that the Hoyas backed off the accelerator, missing five of its next seven as the Danes went seven for eight form the field to close to 90-67 with five minutes to play. Head coach Ed Cooley did not open the bench until the two minute mark, up 98-63, where Drew McKenna brought the Hoyas over the century mark fifteen seconds later, 100-63. A pair of Albany free throws closed out the final score.
Five players finished in double figures for the Hoyas, led by 24 from Micah Peavy, whose matchup with 6-4 small forward Amare Marshall was a mismatch from the start. Marshall was held to one field goal in three attempts and finished with 11 points overall.
"I thought Micah Peavy in particular proved himself again as a veteran," said head coach Ed Cooley in post-game remarks. "I thought he dominated the game from start to finish until we took him out with about eight minutes to play. That's what veterans do."
"I feel like that's just Coach Cooley trusting me and putting the ball in my hands to make some decisions," Peavy said. "It's not just me, it's a collective and I really appreciate my teammates."
This was a team effort across the board. A total of 50 of Georgetown's 100 points came from either dunks or layups, with 58 points in the paint and a dizzying 37 to 9 advantage on fast break points. A 26 assist effort was its most in a game in five seasons.
If the outcome mirrored the aforementioned 2021 game versus UMBC, it should be a cautionary one. Ten days after that win, the Hoyas lost to TCU and began a fateful slide to conclude the 2021-22 season. This is the kind of game to move on and continue building, as games in November are as forgettable as that 2021 game was.
Here's the Georgetown half of the box score:
MIN 2FG 3FG FT REB A PF PTS
Starters:
Mack 25 3-4 3-4 1-1 3 3 2 16
Epps 30 4-5 0-2 0-0 0 4 3 8
Peavy 30 6-8 3-6 3-3 4 8 2 24
Fielder 19 2-4 1-2 3-3 4 3 2 10
Sorber 32 5-7 1-2 1-1 13 4 1 14
Reserves:
Ca. Williams 12 4-6 0-0 1-1 3 3 0 9
McKenna 4 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 2
Cu. Williams 9 2-2 0-1 0-0 4 0 1 4
Montgomery 2 0-0 0-1 0-0 0 0 2 0
Asadallah 1 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Burks 20 4-4 1-2 0-0 2 1 1 11
Van Raaphorst 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Mulready 14 1-1 0-2 0-0 0 0 1 2
Team Rebounds 2
DNP: Fort, Moses, Halaifonua, Diouf
TOTALS 200 32-43 9-22 9-9 35 26 17 100