The Georgetown University men’s basketball team pushed ahead of the pesky Saint Francis University Red Flash in the final moments of their Nov. 23 matchup to secure a decisive 82-65 win.
At the game’s outset, it seemed the Hoyas (7-1) would blow the doors off the Red Flash (3-6) after taking a commanding 19-4 lead just six minutes in. Graduate guard Micah Peavy powered the strong start with two 3-pointers, while sophomore guard Malik Mack punctuated the opening run with a tough and-1 midrange jumper.
However, the Red Flash dug their heels in and began to chip away at the lofty deficit. The Pennsylvania squad — short two of their standout guards due to injuries — fought back against the Hoyas’ early show of strength with major moves from guards Bobby Rosenberger III and Riley Parker.
With just 1:14 to go in the first half, St. Francis turned the tide of the game, cutting their 15-point deficit into a 3-point lead over Georgetown. The Hoyas struggled to contain Rosenberger on the perimeter and grew sloppy, turning the ball over seven times in the first 20 minutes.
Nevertheless, the Red Flash failed to expand on their 36-33 lead as junior guard Jayden Epps hit a terrific and-1 3-pointer to give the Hoyas a 37-36 edge heading into the locker room.
Just as the first, the second half began with a lightning speed run from the Hoyas, who opened up a 44-36 advantage following a 7-0 run against the Red Flash. Peavy and his passing prowess continued to drive the Georgetown machine, while first-year center Thomas Sorber scored the Hoyas’ first 4 points of the second half.
Nevertheless, the Hoyas continued to get lured into a dogfight, as St. Francis responded with a 21-12 run over the next 10 minutes, stealing the lead for a second time at 57-56.
Epps again fueled the Hoyas’ response, retaking control of the game with a 3-pointer to put them at a 59-57 advantage. Displaying their best skill in the game’s final minutes, Georgetown used their size and athleticism to go on a 23-6 run, shutting down St. Francis. Mack, Sorber and sophomore forward Jordan Burks scored 23 points off of St. Francis’ 20 turnovers, putting plenty of distance between the two teams in the game’s last minutes.
Overcoming close calls on both the scoreboard and the court, the Hoyas saw Sorber retreat to the locker room clutching his head after a collision late in the second half following a loose ball scramble. Fortunately, Sorber checked back into the game just minutes later, his presence in the game proving critical for the Hoyas’ hard-fought victory.
Georgetown men’s basketball will be back in action Friday, Dec. 6 on the road when they take on the West Virginia Mountaineers (5-2) in the annual Big East-Big 12 Battle. The Mountaineers are coming off an impressive 2-1 showing in the Battle 4 Atlantis, where they claimed third place with an 83-76 overtime victory against the University of Arizona. Fans can tune into the contest on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
