Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

MEN’S BASKETBALL | Derrickson Leads Hoyas to Conference Win on Road

MENS+BASKETBALL+%7C+Derrickson+Leads+Hoyas+to+Conference+Win+on+Road
SHEEL PATEL FOR THE HOYA
Junior forward Marcus Derrickson tied a career-high by scoring 27 points in last Tuesday’s road win against Butler, which improved Georgetown’s conference record to 5-9.

Hoya fans from the days of Hoya Paranoia will always remember the famed words from legendary head coach John Thompson Jr. after ending Syracuse’s 57-game winning streak on Feb. 12, 1980: “Manley Field House is officially closed.”

In today’s Big East, closing Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse has quickly become a Georgetown tradition.

Since the Bulldogs joined the conference in 2013, the Hoyas (15-10, 5-9 Big East) have won 80 percent of their games in Butler’s home gym, Hinkle Fieldhouse, one of the toughest places to play in the country.

On Tuesday, the Georgetown men’s basketball team staved off a late Butler (17-10, 7-7 Big East) comeback to hold on for an 87-83 win. The victory was this season’s — and Head Coach Patrick Ewing’s (CAS ’85) — first major road win.

The Hoyas dominated from the get-go and led for the final 37 minutes of the game. On offense, their ball movement was impeccable. Georgetown finished with 20 assists on 30 field goals. According to Sports-Reference, the Hoyas 65.7 percent assist percentage for the season ranks third in the country.

Juniors forward Marcus Derrickson and center Jessie Govan led the way for Georgetown. Derrickson tied his career-high with 27 points, going 11-for-13 from the field and making all three shots from deep.

Govan finished with 17 points, 12 boards and four assists.

For the duration of the evening, Georgetown ran their inside-outside offense through the two big-men on the block. Both were incredibly effective at not just scoring down low, but facilitating out of the double teams. The attention they drew down low opened up room for cutters and passing lanes, decimating the Butler defense.

Derrickson and Govan combined for two turnovers.

Georgetown committed only two turnovers in the final 18 minutes of the first half, taking a respectable five-point lead into half time. While Derrickson and Govan’s play down low was crucial for the Hoyas, graduate student guard Trey Dickerson was the X-factor for the team.

Dickerson finished with 18 points, shooting 7-of-8, and with three assists.

Senior guard Jonathan Mulmore picked up a quick-second foul, prompting Dickerson to enter earlier than usual. He was able to penetrate Butler’s interior, getting easy opportunities for Govan and Derrickson. His swarming on defense disrupted Butler’s rhythm. He buried both of his threes, having only made six threes prior to the contest.

After Georgetown came out firing to start the second half, it seemed only a matter of time before Butler went on a run.

Down 14 with 14 minutes to play, Butler broke out their 1-2-2 press, forcing three consecutive Georgetown turnovers and cutting the lead down to eight.

Georgetown responded, collected themselves after a timeout and pushed the lead back to 13.

When Butler’s sophomore point guard Kamar Baldwin headed to the bench, Georgetown immediately went to their own press, forcing two Butler turnovers in a dozen seconds and pushing the lead to 15.

Georgetown — Derrickson in particular — did a good job defending standout senior forward Kelan Martin, even though he finished with 22 points. Martin shot a mere 35 percent from the field and hit only one of nine 3-point attempts. Baldwin also was scoreless from deep. For a team that usually hits nearly nine shots from deep at home, Butler went 5-for-22.

Although Georgetown prevented Butler from sustaining a significant run, Butler continued to chip away at Georgetown’s lead. Derrickson headed to the bench at the 13-minute mark for a quick breather and lost his offensive rhythm. A few late Georgetown turnovers cut their 15-point lead to three.

Up three with 1:15 to play and the momentum against them, Derrickson posted on the right block. After a few dribbles, Derrickson turned to the paint, where he immediately met a double-team. Without hesitation, Derrickson threaded a no-look bounce pass to a cutting Mulmore, who got fouled underneath and buried both free throws.

Three days after maybe the biggest shot of his career against Providence, Derrickson made perhaps his most important pass.

After a few free throws, Butler brought the ball up with a chance to even the game, down three with 20 seconds remaining. Mul

more defended Baldwin well off a screen, forcing a contested three from well beyond the arc, with Baldwin missing it short.

After several losses that were plagued by poor late-game rebounding, the loose ball was corralled by none other than freshman guard Jahvon Blair, the seventh-leading rebounder for the Hoyas, who averages barely two rebounds per game. Blair iced the game with a free throw, and the Hoyas picked up a signature road win.

Georgetown has a whole week off before hosting the No. 4 Xavier Musketeers (24-3, 12-2 Big East), who currently sit atop the Big East. The Musketeers face a tough slate this week, taking on Seton Hall (17-9, 6-7 Big East) before their showdown with No. 3 Villanova (23-3, 10-3 Big East) this Saturday. Having lost in overtime in their previous meeting with Xavier, Georgetown has a chance to get its first win against a ranked team all season.

Georgetown’s game against Xavier is Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena.

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