Georgetown men’s basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley wanted to make a statement, and he did. The Hoyas marked a new chapter in their rivalry with the University of Maryland Terrapins in a battle for the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, immediately opening with an impressive win.
The Georgetown Hoyas (2-0) led the University of Maryland (1-1) every step of the way in a dominating 70-60 win Nov. 7 and firmly announced their return on a nationally broadcast stage.
Both teams entered the game facing a big test. Maryland Coach Buzz Williams and his practically all new roster were playing their first home game in front of a serious opponent. Georgetown, looking to reestablish itself within the area and on the national stage, had a great chance to do so with a win over a Big Ten opponent.
The Hoyas came out into a hostile Xfinity Center environment, in front of a sold-out student section, and boasted a nearly flawless start. After taking the opening tip, sophomore center Julius Halaifonua drove to the rim, made his shot and drew a foul. Then, junior guard Malik Mack stole the inbound and was fouled on his shot. After making both free throws, Georgetown led by 5.
In the first two minutes, Georgetown established an 11-0 lead, forcing 2 turnovers and drawing 4 fouls. Cooley immediately pressed on the inbound and Maryland struggled to establish any rhythm offensively. The strong run forced Terrapins’ head coach Buzz Williams to call for Maryland’s first timeout before three minutes had elapsed.
Cooley said that run was crucial to the win, and that getting three stops in a row is a key analytic he looks to for success.
“On the road, sold-out crowd, I take that all day, every day,” Cooley said after the game. “If we get three stops in a row — we call that a cherry.”
“We have 10 four-minute wars and if we can get a cherry every war, you’re going to be on the winning side,” Cooley added.
When Maryland forward Pharell Payne made two free throws for their first points of the night, Georgetown junior guard DeShawn Harris Smith — and former Terrapin — checked in for the first time. He received a chorus of boos and was heckled every time he touched the ball.
The Hoyas continued to pound the paint early, and terrible shooting on Maryland’s part allowed Georgetown to solidify the early lead. By the under-12 timeout, the Hoyas led 15-8. The Terrapins struggled to shoot effectively the whole night — making only 13 field goals on 52 attempts. Maryland’s real offensive production came at the free-throw line, and they were in the bonus for the last 10 minutes of the first half. For a six-minute stretch, the Hoyas did not concede a single field goal.
The Terrapins got to the line 37 times in the game, and scored 30 of their points from the charity stripe.
By the under-8 timeout, Georgetown’s advantage had stabilized around three or four possessions, and at that break they led 23-14. After the timeout, the Terrapins were able to reestablish themselves defensively, and the Hoyas did not make a single field goal for the rest of the half.
Maryland went on a quick run into the break, and Georgetown’s halftime lead was 32-27. The Hoyas started the second half much the same as the first.
Mack made the first three of the night for Georgetown, and then another one. After the game Mack said those shots came to him.
“In the first half, I think I shot an airball in the corner, and I wasn’t ready to shoot the ball,” Mack said after the game. “So I came out in the second half, and I told myself, ‘I’m going to shoot the ball,’ and they gave me two good looks.”
Lewis then added on a layup and the Hoyas had their full advantage back. Buzz Williams again retreated with a timeout early in the half, as Georgetown stretched the lead out to 40-20.
After the brief huddle, Maryland’s offense started to respond, cutting the deficit to 42-29. The teams continued to battle, and the Hoyas extended the lead back to 50-33 by the under-12 timeout, but weren’t yet able to finish it.
Maryland went on another run, cutting it to 8 and forcing a Georgetown timeout with 5:24 left. Immediately out of the break, Lewis responded with a drained three-pointer, and gestured at the crowd to calm down as he ran up the court.
Another Mack three extended the lead back to 10 with under 2 minutes and the fans began to head for the exits and chants of “Hoya Saxa” rang out across the Xfinity Center.
After that three and a made free throw by Caleb Williams, the victory was all but a given.
After the game, Buzz Williams said Georgetown’s defense disrupted his team’s shotmaking.
“We didn’t handle their physicality well,” Buzz Williams said at the post-game press conference. “We got to the paint and didn’t finish.”
“What I said at pregame didn’t work, and what I said at halftime didn’t work,” Buzz Williams added.
Cooley said Maryland’s student section created an intense atmosphere that Georgetown took special care to prepare for with preseason scrimmages against George Washington University and Kentucky University.
“I hope Capital One Arena looks like this,” Cooley said.The Hoyas return to action next week, facing Binghamton University (1-1) Wednesday, Nov. 12, and Clemson University (1-0), another power conference opponent, Saturday, Nov. 15.
