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 | Hoyas Shut Down by Marquette in 21-Point Loss

The Georgetown men’s basketball team came up empty on the road Wednesday night against Marquette in a 93-72 losing effort, maintaining the Hoyas’ eighth-place standing in the Big East in their third straight loss.

Georgetown (15-13, 5-10 Big East) again proved unable to contain Marquette’s (18-9, 8-7 Big East) senior guard Markus Howard, the nation’s leading scorer, after conceding 42 points to Howard in the Hoyas’ 84-80 loss Jan. 18. On Wednesday night, Howard led all players with 30 points and seven assists for the Golden Eagles.

Howard’s big night put the game out of reach early on for Georgetown. Marquette opened the game on a 7-0 run, asserting their dominance over the short-handed Hoyas from the opening tip. Two mid-range jumpers from graduate student guard Terrell Allen on back-to-back possessions cut the lead down to three, but the Golden Eagles improved their scoring from there. 

Backed by a roaring home crowd of over 13,000, Marquette took a 20-point lead with 3:37 remaining in the first half. The Hoyas seemed overwhelmed and outmatched, managing just 37.9% accuracy from the field compared to the Golden Eagles’ 48.4% shooting percentage in the first half. 

Despite the Blue and Gray’s offensive struggles throughout the first half, a promising 14-5 run late in the first kept Georgetown within striking distance, and the Hoyas went to the locker room trailing 43-32.

Early in the second half, junior forward Jamorko Pickett notched five straight points to cut the lead to 51-41, but the 10-point deficit was as close as the Hoyas would get to claiming the lead for the duration of the second half. Marquette followed the Hoyas’ comeback attempt with an 8-0 run concluding in the seventh minute of play to diminish any hope for a Georgetown victory.

In the remaining 13 minutes, the Golden Eagles extended their lead to as many as 29 points. A last-second three-pointer from junior guard Jahvon Blair closed out the loss, bringing the final score to 93-72. 

FILE PHOTO: Kirk Zieser/The Hoya | Senior guard Jagan Mosely battles a Marquette defender in the air during the Hoyas’ Jan. 18 matchup with the Golden Eagles. In Georgetown’s Feb. 26 rematch with Marquette, Mosely recorded a season-high 19 points along with three assists and six rebounds.

Senior guard Jagan Mosely had his highest scoring game for the Blue and Gray in spite of the loss. He finished with 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Blair scored 18 points and dished four assists for the Hoyas, while Pickett added another 12 points. The Hoyas combined to shoot 41.9% (26-62) from the field and 46.7% (7-15) from beyond the arc.

Two Hoyas continue to write their names in the record books. Blair’s four three-pointers move him to 14th in program history for career three-pointers made with 134. Mosely’s three assists also place him at 14th in school history with 331 in his career.

Unfortunately for Georgetown, their two leading scorers on the season, senior center Omer Yurtseven and sophomore guard Mac McClung, did not play again due to injuries. 

Head Coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) was proud of his team’s effort despite their struggles on both ends of the court without Yurtseven and McClung.

“My guys fought, they fought hard. But when your two best players are not there, it’s hard to generate offense. My guys didn’t give up,” Ewing said in an interview with GUHoyas.

The absences of Yurtseven and McClung have led to younger players getting some action. Sophomore guard Jaden Robinson tallied five points and an assist in the game, but the young and inexperienced Georgetown bench only combined for nine points in comparison to Marquette’s 32 bench points.

The loss destroys most hope for Georgetown to make the NCAA Tournament through an at-large bid. It seems that they will have to do it the more difficult way — by winning the Big East Tournament. 

Georgetown looks to end their losing streak at home Sunday, March 1, against Xavier in its home finale. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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