Coming off of a tight victory against DePaul (3-13, 0-5 Big East) and an impressively close loss to Seton Hall (13-5, 6-1 Big East), the Georgetown University men’s basketball team entered their Wednesday matchup with the University of Connecticut hoping to earn a big upset over the then-No. 4 team in the nation. However, the Hoyas were unable to maintain consistent defense, and the Huskies’ strong 3-point shooting eventually decided the game. 

The Hoyas (8-9, 1-5 Big East) fell to the UConn Huskies (16-2, 6-1 Big East), 80-67, in a game that showcased decent potential from a Georgetown team that has struggled with level form this season. 

First-year Head Coach Ed Cooley said he was proud of the team’s effort against a tough opponent.

“They are the best team we’ve played up to this point,” Cooley said in a postgame press conference. “So we gotta keep our guys positive. We gotta keep moving forward and, hopefully, trying to put some wins on the board.”

The Hoyas came out well, with senior forward Supreme Cook earning 2 offensive rebounds and producing an emphatic dunk to open the scoring. But the Huskies responded quickly with a 3-pointer from guard Cam Spencer, followed by an impressive transition 3 from forward Alex Karaban. The Huskies continued to add to their lead in the early stages of the first half, with stellar shooting all around.

However, without starting UConn center Donovan Clingan, who was out with a foot injury, to defend him, Cook was able to put up strong numbers early on — both in scoring and on the glass. Cook scored the first 10 Georgetown points, including a physical and-one that drew Georgetown close to UConn, 14-10, with 11 minutes to play in the first half.

Although the Huskies continued their lights-out shooting, sophomore guard Jayden Epps and junior guard Dontrez Styles kept Georgetown within striking distance. With five minutes to play in the half, the Hoyas only trailed the Huskies 24-18. 

As the first half ticked down, UConn started to pull away, sparked by Karaban’s shooting. The forward hit two 3-pointers and sank two free throws in quick succession as the Huskies increased their lead. Epps hit three free throws to close the gap, but the Hoyas ended the half down 40-31.

The second half opened with more back-and-forth scoring, as Styles hit four early free throws to counter Karaban’s pinpoint shooting. But a 3-pointer from Spencer, followed by a huge dunk from Karaban, put the Huskies back up by 10 with 15 minutes remaining in the game. 

But the Hoyas responded well. A jumper from senior guard Jay Heath and two straight buckets from Epps brought the Hoyas within sight of their first lead since tip-off. However, Georgetown could not turn its newfound momentum into a lead due to defensive struggles on the perimeter, giving up another big 3 to Spencer. 

Despite the gap, the Hoyas offense continued to perform at a high level. Heath contributed another 3-pointer, and a jumper from Epps kept the game within striking distance with 10 minutes to play.

Over the next 10 minutes, despite a solid offensive performance, Georgetown was unable to keep pace with UConn. In particular, Karaban and Spencer proved too good for the Hoya defense, as the Huskies pulled away late. In the final few minutes, clutch baskets from UConn sealed the game, and the Huskies left their home matchup with an 80-67 victory.

Despite fouling out with 6 minutes remaining, Cook was instrumental in keeping the Hoyas competitive throughout the game with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Cooley praised Cook’s aggressiveness on the court and his improved play throughout the season.

“Supreme is a warrior,” Cooley said. “He’s gotten better every single game.” 

Cooley also complimented Karaban, who finished his stellar offensive showing with 26 points, including 6-for-8 shooting from 3, calling his play worthy of a first-round pick. 

Cooley said while the Hoyas have trended in the right direction, the team still needs considerable work to reach a competitive place within the conference.

“Obviously, we haven’t won the way we’re going to win,” Cooley said. “So you have to be patient with the process and development of an organization.”
The Hoyas will look to bounce back with another big conference matchup against Xavier University (9-8, 3-3 Big East) on Jan. 19 in Cincinnati.