In desperate need of a win, Georgetown utilized a dominant first half to catapult itself to its first Big East win of 2020, knocking off St. John’s 87-66. Sophomore Mac McClung scored a game-high 24 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and recorded three steals. Junior wing Jamorko Pickett recorded a double-double, adding 18 points and 11 boards. All five starters for the Hoyas eclipsed double digits. Meanwhile, L.J. Figueroa came alive in the second half, leading the way for the Johnnies with 23 points.
Sitting in the basement of the Big East at 0-2, Georgetown faced immense pressure to make a statement tonight. This game was universally deemed a must-win for Georgetown if Ewing and company wished to stay relevant in the country’s most competitive conference.
The first half turned out to be the perfect (red) storm for the Hoyas. Georgetown blitzed St. John’s from behind the arc in the first half, shooting a scorching hot 8/14 (53.8%). Compare that to the Johnnies only converting on 8 total field goals in the first half and you have the makings of a blow-out.
McClung paced Georgetown from the get-go, scoring his first 7 points in a mere 84 seconds to push the Hoyas to a much-needed early 9-4 lead. However, the Hoya faithful all held their collective breath when center Omer Yurtseven made a trip to the locker room with 13:59 left in the first after taking an elbow to the right temple from Josh Roberts. Omer would turn out to be fine and return later in the half.
Georgetown’s defense fared well in the first half, as St. John’s proved to be a more favorable match-up than Seton Hall. The Johnnies are primarily a drive-and-kick team that spaces the floor rather than operating through high ball screens (which Seton Hall employed successfully against the Hoyas last Friday). Coach Mike Anderson’s squad simply lacks the size for that to be successful this year and struggled against Georgetown’s swarming defense.
On the flip side, the Hoyas regained their offensive swagger, bombarding the Johnnies for 53 first half points. McClung dropped 21 in the first 20 minutes with Jagan Mosely adding 9 on three makes from deep. But the keys to Georgetown’s offense tonight were three P’s: patience, penetration, and passing. All seven players who saw time on the court functioned as one unit, rather than individual parts. It showed as the team flashed cohesion and confidence for the first time in Big East play, resulting in 14 first half assists and numerous open looks against a stout defensive team. This helped the Hoyas rip off a 16-0 run to crank the lead up to 29.
Georgetown came out of the gate sleeping after the intermission. The Red Storm raced out to an 11-0 run to show the Blue & Gray faithful that they would not go quietly into the night. Coach Mike Anderson deserves credit for this response. He kept his squad engaged and playing hard throughout the second half.
The Red Storm’s pressure defense made life difficult for the Hoyas in the final 20 minutes. After that blazing hot first half, Georgetown shot only 1-9 (~11%) from three. The fact that the Hoyas simply missed a fair amount of open looks didn’t help either.
However, every time the Johnnies pushed the Hoyas to the point where fans began to feel uneasy, Ewing’s crew responded to keep them at arm’s length. Living at the foul line helped weather this storm, as the Hoyas attempted 33 free throws throughout the contest (Mac had 13 of them). The Hoyas also finished with 21 assists.
The result was a resounding statement that could change the course of the season for Coach Ewing. Georgetown’s patented offense made its glorious return against a difficult defense (just ask Butler and Xavier). Mac McClung showed zero restraints from his eye injury. Terrell Allen was up to his usual tricks, penetrating the lane, finding open teammates, and even creating for himself (look at the touch on this hook shot).
Regardless of the win, there are still legitimate concerns for the Hoyas moving forward. Where will the offense come from when Mac goes cold? Where did the Omer from non-conference play go (he’s probably working through an adjustment to higher competition, but still)? Yurtseven finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but only attempted five field goals and turned it over four times. How will Georgetown fare defensively against teams that shoot better than 29.2% from three and play through high ball screens?
I guess we’ll find out when Ewing and company travel up the coast to take on #16 Villanova at 12:00 P.M Saturday. The Wildcats are coming off an impressive come from behind victory over Creighton on the road to boost them to 2-1 in Big East play. The Hoyas will have their hands full.
But for tonight, let’s simply enjoy the win.
