Hinkle magic. For the fourth year in a row, the Butler Bulldogs lost to the Hoyas at home. This year, the undermanned Hoyas waltzed into Indianapolis with only five scholarship players and took down the 19th seeded Bulldogs. If you weren’t proud of the Hoyas already, now is the time to get on board.
Before the game even started, Omer Yurtseven’s status changed multiple times, causing confusion amongst fans and broadcasters alike. Ultimately, although he was listed as available to play off the bench, he never entered the game.
Enter Qudus Wahab and Timothy Ighoefe. Both stepped up to the plate and beautifully executed when needed most. Down the stretch, Ighoefe had two clutch putbacks that kept the Hoyas in it. Wahab’s all around solid play has certainly earned him the right to more playing time even with a healthy Yurtseven.
Not enough can be said about the effort of Terrell Allen. With 22 points in 40 minutes, this was certainly Allen’s coming out party. His clutch fading corner triple with under 5 minutes remaining was the shot of the game.
Beyond his stat lines, he showed a great sense of leadership and experience. Him and Jagan Mosely played a large part in this victory due to their leadership and perseverance. With a very limited 7-man rotation, this dynamic duo earned every bit of this victory.
Going 10-15 from 3-point land didn’t hurt the Hoyas either. Knocking down shots was key, and everyone contributed to a strong overall team performance. Georgetown took care of the ball perhaps the best they have all season, with only six turnovers. These two statistics made all the difference for the Hoyas. If only they could do this every game.
Next to no one expected this victory; especially not like this, without Mac McClung and Omer Yurtseven. No one expected this. But the grit and sense of urgency these Hoyas showed was nothing short of admirable. Patrick Ewing said after the game that they played like “junkyard dogs,” and that they did. So much can be said about this tremendous effort, and the smiles on the Hoyas faces as they walked off the court were contagious. With this well-deserved win, the Hoyas keep proving their resilience and ability to overcome adversity. There’s a reason people stick with this team. Let’s take this in while we can. Hoya Saxa!
