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

Gamecocks Stop Hoyas’ NIT Run

The Hoyas’ season came to an end Thursday night because of the type of scoring drought that had cost them so many other games this season. With a spot in the semifinals of the NIT on the line, Georgetown could not hold onto an eight-point halftime lead and fell 69-66 to South Carolina before 10,662 at the Colonial Center in Columbia, S.C.

Georgetown finishes its 2004-05 season at 19-13. It is the fourth time in the last six years that it has finished the season with exactly 19 victories.

In what may have been his last game in a Hoya uniform, senior swingman Darrel Owens had what was probably his best game at Georgetown. He finished with a career-high 26 points, hitting seven of 12 three-point attempts while grabbing 10 rebounds. The seven threes ties a school record set by Mark Tillmon (CAS ’90) against Providence in 1990.

Though he is a senior, Owens has a year of eligibility left since he was ineligible to play his freshman year. He has stated that he would like to return, but Head Coach John Thompson III said that no decision has been reached yet about whether to give him a scholarship for another year.

Owens’s four threes in the first half helped the Hoyas get out to a 34-26 lead going into the locker room. The Gamecocks opened the second half on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to two, but the Hoyas rebounded to push the lead back to 47-40 with 12:34 to play.

But at that point, the Hoyas fell into one of their characteristic droughts. Georgetown would go scoreless over the next 6:21 before a jumper by freshman forward Jeff Green finally broke the skid. In the meantime, South Carolina reeled off 13 straight points to turn the seven-point deficit into a 53-47 lead.

The South Carolina lead stood at 60-52 before Owens caught fire again to help the Hoyas climb back in the game. He drilled three three-pointers in a two minute span, the last one part of a rare four-point play, to bring Georgetown to within 64-63 with 1:03 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Green fouled South Carolina junior guard Tre Kelley, who hit both free throws to extend the lead back to three points.

Owens and Green had chances at game-tying shots, but both were off the mark. The Gamecocks hit their free throws at the other end to seal the victory and the end of the Georgetown season.

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