Coming off a disappointing regular season that saw the Hoyas finish last in the Big East, the Georgetown men’s basketball team’s season came to a dismal end in the first round of the 2023 Big East Tournament. 

Matched up against the No. 6 seed Villanova Wildcats (17-17, 10-10 Big East), the No. 11 seed Hoyas (7-25, 2-18 Big East) were overwhelmed in nearly every facet of the game. While Georgetown hoped to rekindle some of the “March Madness” magic that propelled them to an unexpected Big East Tournament championship in 2021, the Hoyas ultimately fell by a final score of 80-48. 

Playing under the bright lights of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, both teams started the game slow offensively. Both the Hoyas and Wildcats missed four of their first five shots before Villanova advanced to an early 6-2 lead. 

However, Georgetown quickly responded by scoring three consecutive baskets of their own. A steal by sophomore guard Primo Spears resulted in an easy fast break layup, handing Georgetown an 8-6 lead with 15:10 remaining in the first half.

This would turn out to be the highest point of the game for Georgetown. After the first media timeout, Villanova responded with a staggering 14-0 run that stretched over nearly five minutes. 

Sophomore guard Brandon Murray’s transition basket eventually stopped Georgetown’s scoreless streak, but the damage had been done. Villanova advanced to a 20-10 lead midway through the first half — a lead they would never relinquish. 

When asked about the factors that led to this game changing sequence, former-Head Coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) pointed to Georgetown’s inability to convert offensively.

“I think we missed open shots, and then when you miss open shots, you tend to press,” Ewing said in a postgame interview. “Their defensive intensity picked up. Then they started making shots and then it was like the floodgates.”

For a brief moment, however, it appeared Georgetown had stolen the momentum back from Villanova. The Hoyas’ aggressive full court press resulted in a shot clock violation with 9:03 remaining in the half. On the ensuing offensive possession, sophomore forward/center Bradley Ezewiro had a vicious, posterizing dunk on Villanova’s Eric Dixon to narrow the Wildcat lead to 7 points.

But then, the floodgates truly burst. Villanova made three consecutive 3-pointers, including back-to-back buckets from veteran guard Justin Moore. This sequence highlighted the biggest difference between the two teams; whereas Georgetown often settled for contested mid-range jumpers in the first half, Villanova consistently had quality looks from beyond the arc. 

Georgetown did not make its first 3-pointer until there was only 4:35 remaining in the half and shot an abysmal 15%, 3-from-20, over the course of the game. On the other hand, Villanova shot a blazing 43%, 15-from-25, from beyond the arc during the matchup. 

When the buzzer finally sounded to end the first half, Villanova led 41-20.

The second half proved to be much of the same, with Villanova never allowing its lead to dip below 18 points. 

Villanova’s star forward Cam Whitmore dominated in the second half. After being named the Big East Freshman of the Year earlier in the day, the projected NBA lottery pick poured in a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. For Georgetown, Spears led the team in both scoring and assists, contributing 17 points and 5 assists.

When it was all said and done, Villanova won by a final score of 80-48. The 32-point margin of defeat was Georgetown’s worst loss in its history of competition in the Big East Tournament. 

The loss ended another abysmal season for the men’s basketball team. After going 0-19 in Big East conference play just a season ago, Georgetown showed little improvement during the 2022-23 season with its 2-18 conference record.

Less than 24 hours after the game’s conclusion, Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95) announced that Patrick Ewing would no longer serve as the school’s head basketball coach. 

As Georgetown begins its national search for a new head coach, it will also need to replenish its roster. In the wake of the news of Ewing’s firing, five players from the 2022-23 season have already announced their intent to enter the transfer portal, including leading scorer Spears, with several more anticipated to follow. 

Whether Georgetown’s new coach is Providence’s Ed Cooley, Iona’s Rick Pitino, Penn State’s Micah Shrewsberry or Drake’s Darian DeVries, one thing is clear: the Georgetown men’s basketball program has a long, comprehensive rebuild ahead of itself if it wants to re-establish itself as a national powerhouse during the 2023-24 season and beyond.