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Georgetown Basketball: 2001-02 News Archive

(Updated January 5, 2002)

This page will be updated with previous news and notes from HoyaSaxa.com about the 2001-02 season. (Some links from other sources may not be active at this time.)

 

Rutgers 89, Georgetown 87 (OT)

Jan. 5--This one almost defies description.

Shooting 49% from the field, 77% from the line, and 55% from three point range, the Georgetown Hoyas self destructed three times in a two hour period to lose in overtime to Rutgers, 89-87.

Key moments of the game were the following:

  • After building an 18 point lead midway in the first half, Georgetown scores two baskets in the final four minutes of the half, as Rutgers cut the lead to eight at the half with a full court press that GU could not navigate most of the game.
  • With 5:30 to play, RU's leading scorer Rashod Kent fouls out with Georgetown up 76-67. Georgetown proceeds to make no baskets, add four free throws, and commit multiple turnovers down the stretch, as Rutgers tied the game and sent it into overtime. Had it not been for some abysmal free throw shooting by RU during the game, it would have never made it into the extra period.
  • Georgetown roars out of the OT period and leads 85-80 in the first 1:10 of OT, then proceeds to allow Rutgers back in and take the lead late. The game effectively ends where Victor Samnick fails to see Mike Sweetney under the basket and launches his own errant shot.

Post game recaps:

Miami 79, Georgetown 71

Jan. 2--For the third straight game, the Georgetown Hoyas seem to arrive an hour after their opponents, allowing Miami a comfortable lead it would not relinquish, 79-71, before a estimate of 6,589 at MCI Center. The Hurricanes have won 14 straight and ascendant in the polls; Georgetown has dropped out of the national rankings and are now 1-4 against teams ranked in the top half of Division I.

"The game had a ragged beginning in an atmosphere void of energy", wrote the Associated Press on the 6 pm start, which featured no students, no band, no cheerleaders, and not much to cheer about. From a close start at 10-9, Miami took a page out of the UCLA playbook and began to hit from outside, including four early threes that extended its lead to 12 by halftime. For its part, Georgetown went scoreless for four minutes in the half and appeared ill at ease in any offensive set. The G-men shot 29% in the first half on 8-27 shooting, and missed 9 of 11 three point attempts.

Coach Esherick's words at halftime appeared to stir the Hoyas, because the second half showed a much more organized and patient Georgetown team. Miami was held to 35% shooting while Mike Sweetney hit five straight baskets in a stretch that saw the Hoyas close in on the Hurricanes. The Hoyas closed to 48-46 at the 12 minute mark and tied the score at 48 soon thereafter, then watched Darius Rice sink his only two three pointers of the night to build the lead back to 56-50. At 4:30 to play, Georgetown tied it at 66-all, whereupon Kevin Braswell shot an ill-advised three pointer that saw the lead revert to 73-68. A Gerald Riley three pointer closed the game to 73-71 with 1:58 to play, but on the next series Braswell pushed the ball inside and failed to connect down low. Miami scored its last six points from the line to collect the win, their fifth in the last six against Georgetown.

Mike Sweetney turned in another outstanding performance for the Blue and Gray, with 25 points on 10-15 shooting. "We've got to give Mike a little help," said Coach Esherick, but the Hoyas continue to be a car on three wheels. Inside, Wesley Wilson scored just one field goal and one rebound in 18 minutes of action. Courtland Freeman came off the bench for 10 rebounds, but fouled out with only four points. Outside of Sweetney, no other player stepped to the forefront for 40 minutes.

Miami's 10 three pointers matches the count by by UCLA just four days earlier. Maybe that's the most troubling thing watching these recent games. Fans have grown used to awful three point shooting and wild game swings. But when Georgetown's trademark defense becomes an easy mark for opponents, it's a matter of pride. Not for coaches or alumni or even fans, but for the players. At least it should be.

Here are post-game links:

UCLA 98, Georgetown 91

UCLA Recap: Hitting 7 of 9 three attempts in the first 20 minutes and 11 for 18 for the game, the UCLA Bruins almost ran the Hoyas off the Pauley Pavilion court Saturday, were it not for the Bruins' chronic inability to hold a lead. And in a wild finish, it was the Bruins which had to hold on to a 98-91 win that saw the Hoyas score an astounding 22 points in the final 1:41 of play.

Attired in the style of GU road jerseys from 1978-1982, the Hoyas could not contain the taller and more experienced UCLA offense. From a modest 5-4 lead, UCLA's offense went on a 24-4 run inside and outside, as GU's attempts at establishing a stable defense failed on all counts. Down 29-8, Gerald Riley scored seven straight points to lead the Hoyas out of the desert, and the G-men actually narrowed the mark to a respectable 31-23 when the Bruins' outside shooting clicked again. A 17-4 run pushed the lead to 21 at 48-27, and by halftime UCLA took a 55-35 lead to the intermission. For many Hoya fans, it was a flashback to a year ago at Providence, where the Friars hit 9 of 12 threes in the first half to lead by 26 at the half. (At least that game wasn't on national TV.)

Georgetown shifted to a zone in the second half with mixed results. Georgetown worked the second half to get the ball inside to Mike Sweetney (19 points, 17 rebounds). UCLA led by as many as 22 but could not maintain its intensity. Three times the Hoyas closed the lead to eight, but closed no further. At 85-69 in the final minutes, the Hoyas' offense suddenly exploded, with the Bruins ill-prepared for the onslaught. UCLA, whose ability to lose leads is well established, saw a 22 point lead shaved to four. Kevin Braswell and Tony Bethel scored on six three pointers in the final two minutes, as the television audience saw the lead drop to 95-91 with 25 seconds to play. UCLA added some free throws to build the lead at the end, and a late Braswell three was off the mark.

Four of UCLA's starting five were in double figures, led by Billy Knight's 20 points on 4 for 5 three point shooting. Matt Barnes scored 19, T.J. Cummings and Dan Gadzuric had 18 each, and Jason Kapono added 16 as the Bruins shot 60 percent in the first half and 52 percent for the game.

"It's no shame to lose to a team like this," said Coach Esherick, and the Bruins are a good team. Georgetown's three losses have each come against teams in the top 15 of the RPI, but they will end the non-conference slate 1-3 against teams in the top 50, versus 8-0 against teams with an average RPI of 238.

Here's a quick review of the Georgetown starting five:

Kevin Braswell: When Braswell sneezes, the Hoyas catch a cold. In his previous three games in the Pacific time zone (UNLV in 1999, Cal in the 2000 NIT's, Maryland in the 2001 NCAA's), Braswell posted a combined 9 for 36 shooting and 4 for 20 from three point range, all of which were losses of 11 or fewer points. His 22 points Saturday obscures a 1 for 10 three point shooting mark entering the final two minutes of play. Braswell was often out of position and outsized by the UCLA guards.

Gerald Riley: With 18 points in 23 minutes, Riley might have played his best game to date as a Hoya offensively, though his perimeter defense continues to be exploited by opponents.

Wesley Wilson: Played for ten minutes of scoreless, ineffective play. "It looked like he needed rest," said Coach Esherick in a post-game news conference.

Victor Samnick: His bad shots and poor defense hurt Georgetown early. Samnick's 1 for 7 shooting and lack of defensive rebounding were a negative against the UCLA front line.

Mike Sweetney: 19 points, 17 rebounds in 25 minutes helped the Hoyas stay close when it counted. Sweetney is still not at 100%, but played like it Saturday.

Here are post-game links:

Official releases from both schools following the game can be found at the Georgetown and UCLA web sites.

Virginia 61, Georgetown 55

Dec. 20--Virginia Recap: No, it wasn't the Game of the Decade, but the result was the same.

The outcome was a 61-55 loss to Virginia that, while a great game for the fans, showcased numerous lost opportunities for the homestanding Hoyas, exemplified by a rebounding clinic by Virginia that left the Hoya fandom somewhere between bewilderment and outright embarrassment.

Both teams opened play very tight, befitting a game that was starting to build toward hype of its own. As Virginia began to step up, the Hoyas seemed flat footed. An 11-0 run powered the Cavaliers (7-0) to a 19-9 lead, carried by an astounding 18 to 4 rebound advantage. Second chance points built the lead to as many as 14 at 26-12, where the Hoyas proceeded to miss 12 straight shots and go over nine minutes without a field goal.

The Hoya drought was not due to stupid shooting, just unlucky ones. However, with a late run, the Hoyas closed to 32-24 at the half, not far removed from a 33-23 deficit in the 1982 game.

Virginia continued to hit the boards against the slow-footed Hoyas in the second half. At one point, 18 of UVa.'s 42 points came off of second 9and third) chances. Georgetown began a more consistent offensive set in the second that narrowed the lead to 4-6 points throughout most of the second half.

The Hoyas closed to four on six different occasions, but two are notable. At 53-49 with 5:03 to play, Georgetown was tagged with an intentional foul, giving Virginia two free throws and the ball. Equally disappointing, if not more so, was closing the lead to 57-53 with 1:33 to play, where Kevin Braswell missed a one and one that would have closed the lead to two. Virginia extended the lead to eight, and took the win before a large contingent at the near-neutral confines of MCI Center.

Chris Williams scored 17 for Virginia, leading all scorers, many on second chance baskets. Roger Mason, Jr. scored 16 for the Cavs, including 10 of the team's last 16 points. In all four Cavaliers were in double figures, while Tony Bethel led the Hoyas with 12 points.

So what went wrong?

In predictable Georgetown fashion, outside shooting abandoned the G-men late. From an almost respectable 40% shooting clip in the rest of the game, the Hoyas ended 4-18 from three, missing the last eight three point shots they attempted. If any one of the eight hits, it's a different game down the stretch...but counting on the three is fool's gold for veteran Georgetown fans.

The Blue and Gray can look to some unexpected performances from the game. The expectations of a dominant Wesley Wilson were short lived--even with six blocks, he finished 2-8 from the field with seven points, and gave UVa. too many inside breaks.

Held in check in the first half, Mike Sweetney finished with a unsatisfying 10 points. Kevin Braswell's big game was a big bust, going 2 for 14, 1 of 8 from three. The trio of Gerald Riley, Harvey Thomas, and Courtland Freeman played a combined 37 minutes and collected one field goal and one rebound.

If veterans went awry, two freshmen guards offered a look into the future. Drew Hall had two of GU's four three pointers and held steady in the backcourt, while Tony Bethel (12 points) had a breakout performance.

Virginia is a very good team and Hoya fans can be disappointed, but not despondent over the loss. The UCLA game will be another test, and the soft schedule could put GU in a bind if they don't earn a 2-2 split in the games that people will remember in March.

Post game links follow below:

1982 Virginia-Georgetown Game Remembered

Dec. 19--In many ways, the Georgetown-Virginia game evokes memories of a another era in college basketball, when centers ruled the landscape, the uniforms were a little tighter, and places like the Capital Centre were home to great moments in the sport.

The Dec. 11, 1982 game was unlike any college basketball event since the 1968 UCLA-Houston clash, and probably none since--it simply captivated the country. It was #1 versus #2, the three-time consensus player of the year against the nation's most exciting sophomore, the established ACC and the upstarts from the Big East, a conference but three years old. It also marked the first big game for cable television, a turning point in broadcast coverage of the game. The has a review of the 1982 game in Thursday's editions.

The GameVirginia won the game, 68-63, even if the enduring image of the game is Patrick Ewing's dunk right across the outstretched arm of Ralph Sampson. Other facts from the game are now forgotten. For instance, few remember Virginia shooting 24 for 28 from the line to put the game away, or that Georgetown started two freshmen and three sophomores. In fact, of the ten starters that evening, all ten were selected in the NBA draft. How many teams could say that today?

Tonight, at halftime, TBS will honor Patrick Ewing and Ralph Sampson from that 1982 battle. A world away, former players like Ken Lambiotte and David Dunn might be watching the game, telling their kids that they were there, too.

Here is the box score from that game:

 

Virginia
            MIN  2FG   FT  REB  A PF PTS
Starters:
Robinson     30   1-7  5-6   8  0  1  7
Mullen       15   2-3  0-0   1  0  0  4
Sampson      37 10-17  3-3  16  0  2 23
Wilson       25   2-7  6-7   2  3  4 10
Carlisle     36   3-6  3-4   3  5  1  9
Reserves:
Stokes       25   3-5  1-2   3  1  5  7
Miller       16   1-6  2-2   2  1  1  4
Edelin       12   0-0  2-2   3  1  5  2
Newburg       1   0-0  0-0   0  0  0  0
Lambiotte     1   0-0  0-0   0  0  0  0
Merrifield    2   0-1  2-2   0  0  0  2
TOTALS          22-52 24-28 38 11 19 68

Georgetown
            MIN  2FG   FT  REB  A PF PTS
Starters:
Jones        33   5-11 0-1   9  0  2 10
Martin       31   3-11 3-4   6  0  2  9
Ewing        37   6-14 4-6   8  2  5 16
Jackson      23   4-8  6-7   2  3  4 10
Wingate      28   5-14 2-4   3  3  4 12
Reserves:
Dalton       11   1-2  2-3   3  0  2  4
G. Smith     20   1-1  0-0   2  2  4  2
Broadnax     15   1-7  0-0   2  1  1  2
Dunn          1   0-0  0-0   0  0  0  0
Blue          1   0-0  0-0   0  0  0  0
TOTALS          26-68 11-18 33 11 23 63
Georgetown 99, Howard 80

Howard Recap: In their final tune-up before a pair of Top-25 opponents, the Georgetown Hoyas made a statement heading into Thursday's John Thompson Classic. With its starters shooting 64% from the field and 85 percent from the line, the Hoyas claimed a 99-80 win over Howard before a smaller than anticipated crowd of 5,089 at MCI Center.

The Bison (5-5) came into the game with a two game winning streak, and despite spotting the G-men an 8-0 lead, took the game to the Hoyas early. With 5:04 to play, the Bison held a surprising 33-24 lead over the 16th-ranked Hoyas. Georgetown responded with three pointers from Drew Hall and Kevin Braswell to close the lead to three, and ended the half on an overall 17-2 run to lead by six, 41-35.

The Bison closed to four at 47-43 but the Hoyas answered with a 7-0 run to grow the lead to double digits, where it remained the balance of the game. Howard posted 32 fouls in the game, and as three Howard starters fouled out, the Georgetown starters stole the show. Mike Sweetney posted his sixth double-double in ten games, with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and a 9 for 10 effort at the line. Wesley Wilson scored 22 points in 28 minutes, while senior Kevin Braswell had a great game--21 points on 7 for 11 shooting, 5 steals, and 5 assists.

Howard was led by 23 points from Aki Thomas, though leading scorer Kyle Williams (26.6 ppg) was held to just 4 for 20 shooting and 16 points before fouling out. The Bison performed well from the foul line as well, shooting 22 for 24.

Links for post-game coverage:

Georgetown 87, Norfolk State 68

Dec. 15--After a sluggish start, the Georgetown Hoyas moved past Norfolk State 87-68 Saturday at MCI Center.

Georgetown opened the game by shooting 5 for 20, a condition noted at GUHoyas.com as being due to "several Hoyas taking exams earlier [in the] morning". As a result, the Spartans (3-7) held a 22-19 lead with 7:37 to play. A three pointer by Kevin Braswell keyed a 7-0 run, but the Hoyas still led by no more than four in the final moments of the half, until freshman Tony Bethel buried a three pointer at the close of the half to extend the lead to 39-32, capping a 13-5 Georgetown run to end the period.

The second half was a different story. Georgetown opened the half on a 15-4 run and was not threatened thereafter. From its poor shooting start, the Hoyas shot 48 percent the remainder of the game and finished 40 percent overall.

One of Norfolk's strategies was force the Hoyas to the free throw line. The strategy backfired, as the Hoyas were 13-17 from the line in the first half and 27-37 overall. "We didn't think they could make the free throws," said NSU coach Wil Jones, an alumnus of American and a former coach at UDC.

Kevin Braswell led all scorers with 19 points and seven assists, with another solid effort from Mike Sweetney (17 points, 11 rebounds) despite continuing problems with a bruised foot. Of particular note in the game was that of freshman Tony Bethel. In his first game in a month due to illness, Bethel scored 10 points in 18 minutes of play.

Links for post-game coverage:

Braswell Nominated For Senior Award

Dec. 12--Kevin Braswell has also been nominated for a new national college basketball award for college seniors, according to a link from the Big East conference.

Braswell is one of three Big East players to be nominated for the "Senior CLASS" award. According to the release, "The Senior CLASS Award, which is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, has a selection criteria that will be based on a number of factors, the most important being that the recipient must have exhausted their four years of eligibility and have fulfilled their commitment to their respective university. In addition, the recipient must be working toward their degree, be in good academic standing and be of sound moral character."

Georgetown 91, Morgan State 65

Dec. 10--Mike Sweetney scored a career high 30 points to steer the Georgetown Hoyas past Morgan State 91-65 Monday night at MCI Center.

The Hoyas started off slow in the game, shooting 5 for 16. As a result, Morgan State (0-7) took a 17-15 lead midway in the first half. Sweetney began his run with seven straight points to build a five point lead, but the Hoyas still couldn't shake the Bears early. Morgan's first half shooting was enough to trail only 39-30 at the half, but their luck would run out soon thereafter.

Georgetown opened the second half with an 18-2 run that built the lead to 57-41, and extended the lead to 20 midway through the second half. The lead stood the rest of the game. Sweetney suffered a bruised ankle and left the game midway through the second half after scoring a career high 30 points, leaving the scoring to Wesley Wilson (18 points), Kevin Braswell (12) and Harvey Thomas (12). Georgetown's defense also played smart in the second, following a trend from the South Carolina in holding down opponent free throw shooting in the second half. Morgan was 7-9 in the first half on free throws, but took only two free throws in the final 20 minutes.

Sweetney told post-game reporters that the ankle was OK, and he is expected to play Saturday when the Hoyas continue their MEAC tour with Norfolk State.

Links for post-game coverage:

Georgetown 70, South Carolina 68
"During the brief Georgetown timeout which followed, the raucous South Carolina student section taunted Braswell mercilessly. But Braswell calmly took the inbounds pass, let the clock run under 10 seconds and then went to work. After icing the game with his master stroke, Braswell then turned and pointed to his tormentors, joyously shouting, "I told you so, baby. I told you so." --Washington Times

Dec. 6--Let's call that a "quality" win.

Fighting back injuries and foul trouble, the Georgetown Hoyas won back some believers Thursday night at South Carolina, where Kevin Braswell's jumper with 2.2 seconds left earned the G-men a hard fought 70-68 road win. Much like last season's buzzer-beater over Arkansas, the Hoyas put themselves in a position to win and took advantage of it at the end.

There were 24 lead changes in the game, which saw no team lead by more than five points. Georgetown took an early lead on the strength of its inside game, while the Gamecocks' first half free throw shooting (11 for 11) kept them in the game. When Kevin Braswell picked up his third foul with 4:51 to play in the first half, it seemed an ominous sign for the Hoyas, leading 28-25. With Braswell on the bench, Drew Hall and trenton Hillier filled in well, and Gerald Riley's three pointer at the end of the half gave the Hoyas their biggest lead of the game at 35-30.

South Carolina (5-4) opened with a 7-0 run before the Hoyas tightened the game. Braswell was tagged with his fourth foul with over 17 minutes left in the game, a fourth foul followed on Harvey Thomas a minute later, and the Hoyas were in a dogfight. The tandem of Wesley Wilson and Mike Sweetney hammered inside, scoring the first 19 points of the second half to keep the hoyas in the game. while South Carolina struggled from outside for much of the half. Sweetney, after only 14 minutes of action in three prior games due to a sore Achilles tendon, finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and zero fouls. Wilson scored 19 points on 8-11 shooting.

With 3:39 to play, Georgetown held a 63-59 lead, whereupon a South Carolina shot cut it to 63-61. At 65-61, SC scored, was fouled, missed the free throw, then collected a rebound off the next miss to tie the game, 65-65 with 1:40 to play.

Free throws by Wilson extended the lead to 67-65, whereupon a deep three by SC's Aaron Lucas gave SC the lead, 68-67. Braswell made one of two free throws to tie the score, and the Hoyas regained the ball with 14 seconds to play.

Georgetown fans are well aware of the "Braswell finish", where the senior guard runs the clock down to one shot. This time, following a time out, Braswell found a seam on the right wing, just inside the three point arc, hitting the shot with 2.2 seconds left. A desperation South Carolina three was short, and Georgetown took the win before 10,023 in attendance.

It's important to note how much everyone contributed--the big men inside, guards Hall and Hillier in tough circumstances with Braswell out, Riley's big three at the end of the half. Just as important was Georgetown's foul situation--the G-men never let the Gamecocks into the bonus in the second half. From an 11-11 foul shooting clinic in the first, SC was held to only two free throws in the second half. Well done!

"A lesser team would have crumbled in that atmosphere," said South Carolina coach Dave Odom. "Georgetown didn't. You have to give them credit for that."

Here are links to the game:

Jack The Bulldog: Commercials Are Hard Work

Dec. 4--The HOYA recently published an interview with Jack the Bulldog--no, not the dog itself, but the human mascot.

The story recounts Jack's work on a commercial currently being seen for "ESPN: The Magazine", where a pre-taping injury nearly knocked the bulldog senseless.

Thompson To Broadcast Virginia Game

Nov. 29--Twenty years ago, John Thompson was on the sideline with Georgetown and Virginia. This year, he'll be an announcer.

This link from the Roanoke Times notes that Thompson will join Bob Neal with TBS broadcasts the game on Dec. 20. Neal did play by play on TBS (then WTBS) for th4e georgetown-Virginia game on Dec. 11, 1982. The game was a milestone as one of the first major college sporting events broadcast by a cable TV outlet.

Georgetown 91, Bethune Cookman 61

Nov. 28--Kevin Braswell and Wesley Wilson combined for 41 points as Georgetown defeated Bethune-Cookman 91-61 at McDonough Gymnasium Wednesday. Shooting 70 percent in the first half, the #16 Hoyas were not about to let Bethune Cookman make it a struggle in the second half.

The game ends a run of five games in nine days, a stretch which saw the Hoyas rebound from a bad loss versus Georgia but suffer a number of injuries and health problems that depleted the roster.

Bethune Cookman (1-3) has traditionally played Georgetown tough, losing by close margins in its last three meetings. The Wildcats were down nine at 21-12 early but this was as close as it would be all evening. Runs of 15-4, 12-2, and 12-3 saw the hot-shooting Hoyas build a 49-24 halftime lead on 19 for 27 (70 percent) shooting.

A 14-5 run in the first five minutes by the Hoyas extended the lead to 63-29. The Wildcats closed to 28 at 77-39 midway in the half, but no closer. While the Hoyas were not at full strength and shot 11-27 in the second half, they but outrebounded BCC by a 24-7 mark in the second half. With so many key positions in flux, those who were able to play performed well for coach Esherick heading into a eight day break before South Carolina on December 6.

Plenty of Hoyas will be on the medical list this week. Mike Sweetney played only two minutes with a sore Achilles and needs to give it some rest. Previous reports linked virus-like symptoms affecting Courtland Freeman and a sore shoulder for Drew Hall.

The Hoyas make take a day off today but there will be practice at McDonough...for the Wildcats. According to Bethune Cookman's broadcast, Horace Broadnax will keep his team in DC an extra day before traveling to Maryland-Eastern Shore this weekend.

Post-game links follow below.

Georgetown 103, Grambling State 69

Grambling Recap: Despite a convincing 103-69 win over Grambling State, the lineup for the Georgetown Hoyas could be down to as a few as six scholarship players and a walk-on for Wednesday's game versus Bethune Cookman.

The rundown:

  • RaMell Ross--broken foot, out through late January
  • Tony Bethel--mononucleosis, out 4-6 weeks
  • Trenton Hillier--injured ankle, no status on return
  • Mike Sweetney-injured Achilles tendon, questionable for Wednesday
  • Harvey Thomas--injured ankle
  • Courtland Freeman-virus/flu-like symptoms, will not practice Tuesday

Despite the attrition, the Hoyas posted solid performances in the win, with career highs from Victor Samnick (18 points, 11 rebounds), Wesley Wilson (23 points, 13 rebounds) and Gerald Riley (18 points, 10 rebounds). The starting five accounted for 91 of the team's 103 points.

CountdownThe Hoyas led early 14-7 and were not seriously threatened. The Tigers' chief offensive weapon, 6-8 Paul Haynes, was held to 8-22 scoring and 19 points, though the Tigers hung around with rebounding to keep the score at 30-25 midway through the first half. The Hoyas finished the half on a 19-5 spurt to lead 49-30 at the break, and a 16-3 run to open the second half, putting the game out of reach.

Kevin Braswell scored 18 in the first half, 20 for the game, as reserves Drew Hall Omari Faulkner, and walk-on Glennard Johnson saw extensive time in the wake of Thomas' injury and Freeman's poor health.

If Freeman or Thomas is not able to play Wednesday, Gerald Riley may move back to the small forward while Drew Hall gets the start at guard. The reserves would then consist of 6-6 Omari Faulkner and 6-4 walk-on Glennard Johnson.

Post-game links:

Georgetown 91, Towson 40

Nov. 24-Towson Recap: Forcing 27% shooting from its opponent, the Georgetown Hoyas ran past Towson 91-40 Saturday night at McDonough Gymnasium, part of the two-game "John Thompson Classic". Four Hoyas reached double figures for the game.

After an early 10-10 tie with 14:00 to play, the Hoyas turned on the jets and Towson had no answer. With a 14-12 lead, the Hoyas went on a 35-11 run, led by Kevin Braswell, with 18 of his game high 21 points in the first period. Braswell also had four steals. Significant time was given to newcomers Harvey Thomas and Drew Hall in the period, and each responded well. About the only player not to see significant time was Mike Sweetney (5 points), who sat the entire second half with an aggravated Achilles tendon and will not play Monday against Grambling, according to the Washington Times.

Throughout the second half, Towson had no answer for the duo of Wesley Wilson and Victor Samnick, who combined for 25 points in the game. Gerald Riley also had a strong game, with 14. The Hoyas built on their 49-23 halftime lead throughout the second period, extending the lead to as many as 53 at 83-30 with 3:59 to play. At that point, the Tigers had scored 11 points in a 20 minute stretch.

Calvin Dotson was the only Tiger in double figures, with 11 points.

Post-game links:

Georgetown 76, Coastal Carolina 51

Nov. 21--Coastal Carolina Recap: Mike Sweetney scored a career high 28 points as the Georgetown Hoyas rebounded from a hard loss to Georgia with a 76-51 win over Coastal Carolina before 2,215 at McDonough Gymnasium Wednesday.

The taller Hoyas jumped to an early 22-7 lead and were never seriously challenged. Sweetney and Wesley Wilson (19 points, 7 rebounds) were effective inside while three point attempts were curtailed.

Georgetown coasted to a 50-20 halftime lead, led by 61 percent shooting. The G-men didn't keep up the pace in the second, however, as the Chanticleers closed to 59-40 at the midway mark of the second. At that point, Wilson keyed a 11-0 Georgetown run to again put the game well out of distance, holding the Chants scoreless for over seven minutes.

Alvin Green led the Chanticleers with 14 points.

Post-game links:

Fan's Comment On Georgia Game

From the HoyaTalk board, a comment from "GPHoya" that's worth a second look:

"Last night's failure to shoot or rebound has many causes, but some are not easily cured by admonitions to run better sets or to "box out". While better conditioning and motivation will no doubt produce improved results, this team has some inherent weaknesses that are not easily remedied:

"1. Wilson and Sweetney are not quick or explosive leapers. This limitation becomes more debilitating when fatigue becomes a factor which happens too quickly to Sweetney. Without fresh legs from a deep bench, we will have some recurring problems with rebounding. Samnick can rebound better, but you have to take the bad with the good and he is very much a plus/minus player.

"2. Our existential commitment to helter-skelter defense forces low post players to help against the shooter. When the shot is missed, the player who has helped is invariably in bad rebounding position and the undersized player who was originally out of position must recover. Easy putbacks with three-point plays will result until we recognize that good defense is measured in other ways than forcing turnovers. The Thompson coaching philosophy never adjusted to the 35 second clock, but our reduced roster may actually inspire Esherick to abandon reckless double teaming in the half court and force other teams to actually earn their points rather than simply waiting for us to hustle our way out of position. Selective full-court pressure and a commitment to capitalize on fast break opportunities will remain essential for this team which is destined to struggle all season in the half court.

"3. Bad shooters miss open perimeter shots which reinforces the opponent's willingness to pack the inside and prevent inside out passing. All that is left is swinging the ball around the perimeter to players who appear terrified to put up a shot. High post entry passes to 6'11" players who are not gifted passers are no solution though moving Sweetney high and Wilson low might have helped and could not have hurt. When the perimeter players do shoot and miss, the defense has not been forced out of position and is able to easily block out the inside players who have already been surrounded. The frustrated and demotivated low post players become flat-footed and ineffective. The low confidence and poor shooting perimeter players attempt to manufacture offense by forcing dribble or ball penetration into non-existent gaps leading to turnovers which produce easy open court baskets. The downward spiral all starts when the defense recognizes that the perimeter player does not need to be challenged. In short, bad shooting begets worse shooting and uglier and uglier play which in turn forces the defense to take risks to create open court opportunities. It looks like bad coaching, but the proximate cause is bad shooting (kind of like bad relief pitching looks like bad managing).

"4. The only apparent source of untapped potential on this roster depleted squad that may be able to solve this rather profound set of weaknesses is Tony Bethel. To me, Drew Hall is not a shooter and defenses will not play him honest anymore than they would play Fred Brown. Bethel's mechanics look salvageable and he needs to be given the confidence to shoot with less of a Catholic guilt complex. Last night was the first game on ESPN so jitters are understandable and his performance, like Hall's, is easily pardoned if not outright praiseworthy. The Hoyas missed 16 straight jumpers in the pre-game warmups so the in game performance was not all that surprising. They were afraid and played like it. Beyond Bethel, I see no hope for consistent outside shooting. Riley's footwork and mechanics remind me of a golfer with the shanks. You hope no one else is watching because it may be contagious. On a good day, Braswell is a scorer, but not a shooter

"The jar is half full posters who point out that it is only November 20th are, of course, quite right. By the same token many of these same posters seem to have been wildly optimistic about this year's team based upon scrimmage results against extremely weak opponents. Losing Hunter was a devastating blow and probably destines this year's team to a more mediocre season than last year's unexpected success. That said, Bethel and Hall can grow up and Sweetney and Braswell will play better. The coaching staff can start attacking the problem now and maybe by January we will be ready to compete. For those of you who said you would be bitterly disappointed with a 9-7 Big East regular season record, what say you now?"

 Georgia 73, Georgetown 59

Nov. 19--How can you kill six months of optimism and favorable national attention in forty minutes?

Ask the Georgetown Hoyas, who were out hustled, out inspired and outplayed by the unranked Georgia Bulldogs 73-59 Monday night before an announced crowd of 7,246 in Springfield, MA. The Hoyas were out rebounded on both ends of the floor, with a visible lack of stamina and court-sense down the stretch, as the younger Bulldogs walked away with the win.

Both teams played tight early, but Georgia's inside rebounding was both a marvel (given their size) and a unsettling indictment of the defensive prowess of the #16 Hoyas. Forward Gerald Riley, coming off an 0-9 effort versus Marymount, played only 11 minutes and failed to score. Mike Sweetney (18 points, 11 in the first half) carried the Hoyas to a 32-27 lead with under two minutes to play but a sagging defense soon diminished his effectiveness. Georgia proceeded to tie the score at half, 32-32, and took a lead early in the half that they would not relinquish.

The Georgia offense was sputtering early in the second half, and the Bulldogs' 22 turnovers for the game offered the Hoyas ample opportunity to get back in the game. With 4:49 to play, the Dawgs only led 57-53. But without going inside to Sweetney or Wesley Wilson (11 points, 9 rebounds), the Hoyas reverted to the ugly outside shooting that has haunted the program for a decade. Lacking the game plan to go inside, the Hoyas launched 17 three-point shots. They missed 16, and with those ill-advised shots went the game. For a six minute stretch to the final buzzer, the Hoyas managed one field goal.

Georgetown's defensive reputation took a knockdown punch Monday night. The 49-36 rebounding edge gave Georgia too many second and third chances which the Hoyas would not have allowed last year, including a 21-11 edge for the Bulldogs on the offensive boards. The national TV appearance also exposed Georgetown's inability to adjust to a 2-3 defense.

And give credit for a superb coaching effort from Jim Harrick, forcing Georgetown to go outside to win the game. When that happens, chances are good that the Bulldogs would prevail. At a meager 5.9 percent, the 1 for 17 brickfest shatters a previous low of 8 percent (2 for 25) set against DePaul in 1994.

"We zoned them and invited the 3-point shot," said Harrick. "The more they missed, the more we packed it in."

And every team from here on out is taking note.

Post-game links:

Georgetown 108, Marymount 47

Nov. 16--To no one's surprise, the #14 ranked Georgetown Hoyas opened its season with a comfortable 108-47 win over Division III Marymount College at McDonough Gymnasium. A 28-5 run in the first half was all the Hoyas needed, posting a 58-21 halftime lead and facing no serious challenge in the second. The 61 point margin of victory was the largest win since a 112-39 win over the University of DC in December, 1989.

Mike Sweetney led all scorers with 27 points in 21 minutes of play. Freshmen Drew Hall and Tony Bethel scored 17 points and 16 points respectively.

Game recaps can be found at the following:

Bowman Signs Letter Of Intent

Nov. 15--Georgetown has announced the signing of 6-7 Brandon Bowman of Los Angeles to a national letter of intent for the 2002-03 season.

Read more about Bowman in links from GUHoyas.com and Terp Hoops.com. Bowman chose Georgetown over Maryland, Stanford, New Mexico, and Virginia, among others.

The HOYA has an update on Bowman's signing, noting an news item on Bowman from the HoyaTalk board, earlier in the year.

What exactly is the National Letter of Intent? here's a link to CBS Sportsline with details.

Editorial: Support Games At McDonough

Nov. 15--Thursday's Georgetown Voice carries an editorial for students to support the Hoyas by attending Friday's home opener versus Marymount.

Last year, games at McDonough drew an average of only 1,908 per game with attendance capped at 2,200 in its present seating configuration. Twenty years ago, when games were still regularly held in McDonough, student attendance was strong no matter the opponent, and crowds of 4,000 (when McDonough could hold that many) were common. With four home games on the Hilltop this season, more student support is essential.

The scheduling of games at McDonough is not a nod to Georgetown's past, but its future. More games are coming to campus in the future, and a generation of students unaccustomed to supporting the Hoyas on campus need to make it a priority.

HOYA Basketball Preview

The HOYA: www.thehoya.comNov. 6--Twenty years ago on November 6, 1981, The HOYA published a two hour interview with Georgetown's 40 year old head basketball coach, John Thompson. The interview was the feature story in the renewal of a Georgetown tradition--The HOYA's annual basketball preview issue.

For the last two decades, fans have turned to this annual preview as a great source of information on the men's and women's teams at the start of each season. Though the names change on the court (and on the bylines), we appreciate The HOYA's efforts in bringing this coverage via the Internet.

Here are the links to all the HOYA coverage for its 2001-02 preview:

2001-02 Cover: "Anatomy Of A Contender"

Men's Team Articles
Cover Story: "Hoyas Poised For Another Magical Year"
Player Profile: Mike Sweetney
Player Profile: Kevin Braswell
Player Profile: Courtland Freeman
Manager Profile: Ryan Growney
Interview With Coach Esherick
2000-01 Season In Review
Brief History Of Hoya Hoops
GU's International Recruiting
Freshman Class Profiles
2001-02 Player Profiles
Feature: Kenner Summer League
Big East Men's Previews

Women's Team Articles
Cover Story: "Hoyas Aim To Improve In Big East"
Player Profile: Rebekkah Brunson
Player Profile: Nok Duany
Team Profiles
Big East Previews

HOYA Columns
Mike Hume
Tim Sullivan

Radio Update

Nov. 8--An update on the radio front:

Although WTEM-980 continues to post that they are unable to post streaming audio, their sister stations WTNT-570 and WRC-1260 have done so.

Georgetown has not announced on its web sites where the games will be broadcast. In prior years, games not scheduled on WTEM were often moved to 570 or 1260, where streaming was not available. Some (but not all) games on 980 were available online until the station suspended streaming audio this spring.

It is not clear what combination of the three stations will broadcast the games beginning November 16. WTNT-570 has already added Virginia basketball games this season, which could bump the Hoyas off 570. WAGE-1200, a Northern Virginia competitor of WTEM, has added Virginia Tech games, which will be available online.

Here is a review of the options available to Hoya fans through the end of 2001 if games are not broadcast online:

TV? DC Radio Out of Town
11/16: MARYMOUNT No ? None
11/19: vs Georgia ESPN2 ? WSB-AM
11/21: C. CAROLINA No ? CCU Web Site
11/24: TOWSON No ? Offline
11/26: GRAMBLING ST No ? KJMG-FM
11/28: B. COOKMAN No ? Offline
12/06: at S. Carolina ESPN ? USC Web Site
12/10: MORGAN ST. No ? Offline
12/15: NORFOLK ST. No ? Offline
12/17: HOWARD No ? Offline
12/20: VIRGINIA TNT ? WTNT-AM
12/29: at UCLA CBS ? UCLA Web Site
 
Hoyas 108, Ft. Hood 65 (exhibition)

Nov. 3--Georgetown opened its two game exhibition season with a 108-65 win over Ft. Hood (TX) Saturday night at McDonough Gymnasium. Mike Sweetney led the Hoyas with 21 points, while freshmen Tony Bethel added 13.

The unanswered questions on Harvey Thomas' eligibility continue to be in flux. Thomas did not suit up for the game, and Coach Esherick said that the 6-8 Thomas is in "a holding pattern right now" pending NCAA Clearinghouse issues.

"We've been dealing with them back and forth for a while now," Coach Esherick told the Washington Times in the link below. "We are moving in the right direction, and I'm hoping it's going to be resolved soon."

Reviews of the game can be found at the Washington Times and the Washington Post.

Walk-On Paulus Featured

Oct. 30--Junior walk-on David Paulus is somewhat of a celebrity in his home town--a Hoya basketball player from Syracuse. A feature in the Syracuse Post Standard discusses Paulus' role on the Georgetown basketball and football teams.

"I'm sure he could have a been a [full time] Division II or a Division III player based on what I saw in practice," said Coach Esherick. "He's a pretty good player and a nice kid. He helped us an awful lot that year by coming to practice every day and working as hard as he could."

Ross Injured, Out Three Months

Oct. 24--Sophomore guard Ramell Ross has been lost for three months with a foot injury, according to a release at GUHoyas.com. Ross, who missed his senior year in high school with a shoulder injury, averaged 2.0 ppg in 12 games a a freshman, but was projected to be an important backup this fall.

The loss leaves only ten scholarship players active for the Hoyas through the end of January.

Big East Previews

Oct. 23--Wednesday's news update featured the pre-season Big East selections from coaches prior to its annual Media Day.

Georgetown received 12 of 14 first place votes in the pre-season picks for the Big East West Division. The overall totals by division are as follows:

West Div. Pts. East Div. Pts.
1. Georgetown 90 1. Boston College 81
2. Syracuse 78 2. Connecticut 78
3. Notre Dame 63 3. Miami 67
4. Seton Hall 47 4. Providence 61
5. West Virginia 47 5. St. John’s 41
6. Pittsburgh 41 6. Villanova 38
7. Rutgers 19 7. Virginia Tech 19

From the pre-season all-conference teams, Kevin Braswell was chosen on the first team, Mike Sweetney on the second team. BC's Troy Bell was the choice for pre-season player of the year. Here's the first team:

Guard: Troy Bell, Boston College, Jr.
Guard: Kevin Braswell, Georgetown, Sr.
Guard: John Linehan, Providence, Sr.
Forward: Caron Butler, Connecticut, Soph.
Forward: Preston Shumpert, Syracuse, Sr.
Center: Darius Rice, Miami, So.

On the women's basketball front, Georgetown was picked seventh in the single division poll:

  1. Connecticut
  2. Notre Dame
  3. Rutgers
  4. Boston College
  5. Villanova
  6. Virginia Tech
  7. Georgetown
  8. Miami
  9. Seton Hall
  10. Syracuse
  11. Providence
  12. Pittsburgh
  13. St. John’s
  14. West Virginia

Sophomore Rebekkah Brunson was named as the only sophomore selected to the first team all-conference list:

Guard: Sue Bird, Connecticut, Sr.
Guard: Trish Juhline, Villanova, Jr.
Guard: Alicia Ratay, Notre Dame, Jr.
Forward: Rebekkah Brunson, Georgetown, So.
Forward: Swin Cash, Connecticut, Sr.
Forward: Becky Gottstein Boston College, Sr.

Here are plenty of links to coverage on Media Day:

Washington Post: " "Big East Coaches Select the Hoyas"
Associated Press: "Big East coaches favor BC, Georgetown"
Boston Globe: "Eagles toast of Big East"
Boston Herald: "BC hoops picked first"
CBS Sportsline: "Big East coaches name BC, Georgetown favorites"
Charleston Gazette: "Hargett picked as top Big East rookie"
Connecticut Post: "Bell, Butler have learned mutual respect"
Hartford Courant: "Now UConn Chasing BC"
Home News & Tribune: "Conference Lacking Stars"
New Haven Register: "UConn mission: Anything possible"
New York Daily News:"Red Storm Takes the Fifth to Heart"
Philadelphia Inquirer: "Wright downplays Main Line return"
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: "Sixth-place finish in order for Pitt"
Providence Journal:"Big East coaches not high on Friars"
Roanoke Times: "Tech picked 7th in East"
Syracuse Post Standard: "Bell earns top preseason player award"

 

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