Sports

[Print]  [Email]        

NCAA hopes darken for Hoyas

By: Craig Stouffer
Examiner Staff Writer
February 22, 2009

The sense of history was palpable Saturday afternoon at Verizon Center, not the least reason for which was the presence of eight members of Georgetown’s 1984 team there to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their national championship.

But afterward, the 17,686 in attendance grappled with the real risk that an NCAA Tournament berth for this year’s Hoyas might in fact be history.

After matching No. 10 Marquette, the Big East’s top scoring team, stride for stride in game where the lead changed 13 times in the first 32 minutes, Georgetown was held to two field goals over the final 4 minutes, 53 seconds in a demoralizing 78-72 defeat to the Golden Eagles.

The loss meant that the Hoyas (14-11, 5-9 Big East) can do no better than finish .500 in conference play — and that requires four wins in their final four regular season games.

Both teams had shot better than 50 percent from the field in their first meeting three weeks ago, and they started the afternoon just as hot, with the Hoyas hitting five of their first seven from the field while the Golden Eagles hit eight of 10 after missing their first two.

Marquette’s Wesley Matthews paced all scorers with a 23 points and Jerel McNeal added 22 for the Golden Eagles (23-4, 12-2).

Four Hoyas scored in double figures, led by Chris Wright (17 points, 4 assists) and Austin Freeman (16 points, 5 rebounds).

Matthews hit his third 3-pointer in four attempts to give Marquette an early 19-13 lead. But the Hoyas forced turnovers on the Eagles’ next two possessions — the second a steal and thunderous dunk by Greg Monroe (13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks) — and used a 9-2 run to reclaim the advantage, 22-21.

Neither Marquette first-year coach Buzz Williams nor his team were unmoved, and they responded with a 9-3 run of their own, and then used two more buckets by Matthews for the biggest lead of the half by either team, 34-27.

Backed by an energized crowd — including a student section with nine students spelling each letter of, “We Believe” on their midsections — Georgetown again pushed back, with DaJuan Summers (12 points) putting his team back in front, 39-38, with his second 3-pointer of the afternoon. Jessie Sapp, in his third straight game as a reserve, also hit a gutsy trey that looked to have the Hoyas in front headed into halftime, but Lazar Hayward (17 points, 11 rebounds) hit back at the buzzer to deadlock the score, 44-44.

The Golden Eagles missed their first four from long distance in the second half. But the Hoyas failed to take advantage, giving the ball away on their straight possessions thanks to errant passes.
 





Redskins Confidential

...Linebacker H.B. Blades will be a game-time decision, less than two weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Earlier in the week, the Redskins did not anticipate he would...

One of these days we'll actually get back to writing and discussing football at Redskins Park. One of these days they may give you a reason to do just that. Today was not one of...

Falcons coach Mike Smith, a rookie coach like Jim Zorn last year, talked about why he's had a lot of early success in Atlanta. It differs from Zorn's experience in Washington....

...Coach Jim Zorn said Antwaan Randle El will be deep on the first punt return vs. Atlanta, but that DeAngelo Hall and Santana Moss would also return punts. It's the same...


To view this site, you need to have Flash Player 8.0 or later installed. Click here to get the latest Flash player.


Most Popular Headlines



 


 



 

Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

Post a comment


Email:
(This will not be displayed or shared. Privacy Policy)

Display Name:

Comment:




Sports

California's Jahvid Best (4) leaps over Oregon State's Cameron Collins to score during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Berkeley, Calif. Best was removed from the game on a gurney. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Cal star Jahvid Best gets concussion on second-quarter touchdown

California tailback Jahvid Best sustained a concussion and was taken to the emergency room after he leapt high into the air, flipped over a defender and landed on the back of his head in the end zone. Full story

Politics

Demonstrators chant on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, during a Republican health Care reform rally. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

House Democrats clear impasse over abortion holding up vote on health care legislation

Capping months of months of struggle, House Democrats cleared an abortion-related impasse blocking a vote on sweeping health care legislation late Friday and officials expressed optimism they had finally lined up the support needed to pass President Barack Obama's top domestic priority. Full story

Entertainment

'Golden Girls' star McClanahan has bypass surgery

Rue McClanahan, who played sexy Southern belle Blanche Devereaux on "The Golden Girls," was recovering Thursday from heart bypass surgery at a New York City hospital. Full story