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

Composed Monroe Delivers Against Seasoned Thabeet

HARTFORD, Conn. – Coming into tonight’s game, Connecticut (11-1, 0-1) was a bigger and higher-ranked team coached by a Hall of Famer. The Huskies played like they had forgotten this.

Georgetown (10-1, 1-0) entered the XL Center anchored by freshman center Greg Monroe and got an extra large and extra composed performance from the big man, despite foul trouble that could have neutralized the 6-foot-11 star.

After picking up his third foul early in the second half, Monroe could have expected an extended stay on the pine. This spelled bad news for the Hoyas offense: Everything runs smoothly with Monroe in the high post but in games past, opponents have gone on runs when Monroe has not been running the show.

Head Coach John Thompson III, however, kept Monroe on the floor for most of the second half with masterful substitutions. Starting with about 13 minutes left in the second half, Monroe would come off the floor for as many of the Hoyas’ defensive possessions as possible. Thompson kept the substitution game up for nearly 10 minutes, controlling clock stoppages with the personnel changes while Monroe kept the offense grounded. He finished with 16 points, four assists and three steals in 27 minutes.

The battle between Monroe and junior center Hasheem Thabeet on the block was a microcosm of the larger game. Monroe was smaller but faster than Thabeet and kept the Huskies’ defense off-balance with his ability to dribble on the perimeter. From the high post, Monroe was always a threat to drive, shoot or make a spectacular pass while Connecticut had no consistent threat to turn to on offense. Thabeet was constantly denied the ball by the post player defending him, often Monroe, and seemed unable to adapt to constant guard pressure when he did touch the ball.

“A lot of things I thought could happen tonight. What did happen, I never could or would have expected,” Connecticut Head Coach Jim Calhoun said. “But to just play without passion, with the way we did. I don’t even understand the team I was coaching tonight.”

Georgetown, playing with just one junior and one senior, led wire to wire and never lost its composure. While Connecticut scored on big, crowd-pleasing plays – three consecutive three-pointers in the first half; a monstrous dunk by senior forward Jeff Adrien to pull within four midway through the second – the Huskies never really had focus. Spectacular moments on offense were always followed by even bigger defensive lapses against smaller Georgetown players.

Georgetown kept Thabeet under control for all 40 minutes. The big man from Tanzania entered the game averaging nearly 15 points but scored just four with seven blocks. But even the outlandish block total did not push Connecticut over the edge. Thabeet wildly spiked most of his blocks out of bounds; fun to watch for the fans, but ineffective as far as getting possession back for the Huskies and starting the break.

Every time Connecticut got within two or three possessions, Georgetown did enough to stymie the Huskies’ run by continuing to stretch out the shot clock, drive and take high-percentage shots. And Connecticut never did enough to cement a run of their own, “big timing it,” Calhoun said, “and we’re not good enough to be big timing it.”

“There were some plays we took off,” Thabeet added.

The Hoyas, on the other hand, never took their foot off the gas. Monroe worked each of his touches to get the appropriate shot. The game saw several forced, wild and out-of-control drives, but none came from the Hoyas’ freshman. He hit his two attempted three-pointers – both wide open – while passing up on contested outside looks.

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