Georgetown came into tonight’s game with a sense of desperation. Losers of three of their last four has all but eliminated them from any hope of an at-large bid. The desperation was focused on just winning a game. Not the feeling you want with the defending champion, Villanova Wildcats, coming to town.
In what might have been their most complete game of the season, the Hoyas would come away with an 85-73 win.
Mac McClung led the Hoyas with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. After being held scoreless in the first meeting, Jessie Govan had 21 points and 11 rebounds. “Last time we played them they held me scoreless, said Govan. I definitely came in with a chip on my shoulder.”
McClung came out aggressive making his first five shots, four were three pointers. “When we move the ball around, it doesn’t matter whose getting the shots, someone is going to get hot,” said McClung. The freshman definitely earned the praise of Villanova head coach Jay Wright who described McClung as a “born scorer”.
The Hoyas would eventually push the lead to 14 points before Villanova closed the second half scoring the last four points.
The theme of the second half was quite different. It was the Hoyas ability to close out on the Wildcats shooters that proved to be the difference. By chasing Villanova off the three point line, the Wildcats never got into a rhythm.
Nothing illustrated this more than Collin Gillespie. After scoring 30 in their first meeting, Gillespie only managed to score 13 tonight. When asked about doing a better job on Gillespie, Georgetown head coach, Patrick Ewing said “Mac did a better job this time. A much better job.”
The Wildcats would only would only shoot 39% in the second half.
While the defense was on display in the second half, Govan help lead the Hoyas offense. The senior would score 15 points in the second half. “Today, he showed both his offensive abilities and his defensive abilities,” said Ewing.
Other Notes
- After being out-rebounded in the first game, Georgetown would win the rebounding battle 39-33
- Georgetown assisted on 23 of their 29 made shots.
- All 10 Hoyas, who saw action, scored
- This was Patrick Ewing’s first win over a Top 25 team in his coaching career.
