Late in Tuesday night’s win at Louisville, Greg Monroe drove to his left from the wing, drew three defenders in the lane and then threw a pass behind his head to Julian Vaughn. The And 1 Mixtape pass surprised Vaughn, but Monroe trusted his teammate to catch it and make the layup.

Trust, the Hoyas have said all season, has been the key to their offensive success. They trust each other to make the right play, pass to the open man and knock down shots.

“Trusting in your coach, trusting in what we’re doing, trusting in your teammates is what makes us win,” Head Coach John Thompson III said Thursday afternoon.

Monroe, the best big man on the floor at Louisville, deferred to his teammates in a second-half comeback, recording as many assists as points (four) in the half.

The sophomore center was named to the midseason Naismith Trophy team this week as one of the top 30 players in the nation as much for his four assists per game in Big East play as for his 15.7 point scoring average.

“It’s always been about winning with me,” Monroe said. “The numbers are just me trying to do whatever my team needs me to do to win.”

Six players have led the team in scoring in a game. It’s not important that everyone gets an equal number of shots, just that someone is putting the ball in the basket. As Monroe took fewer shots in the second half at Louisville, his passing helped trigger junior guard Austin Freeman’s 24-point second-half explosion.

“We trust each other – that’s the big thing,” Freeman said. “We’re good players, and we know that if somebody is hot, get them the ball.”

A Georgetown player has scored 20 points or more 25 times this season, a feat they only accomplished nine times a year ago.

Still, even with Freeman on a roll against Louisville, the best shot was always the open one, no matter who was taking it.

On the possession before Monroe’s behind-the-head pass to Vaughn, sophomore guard Jason Clark hit a three-pointer at a critical juncture to stop a 6-0 Cardinal run and quiet the raucous Freedom Hall crowd.

“I think the trust comes from being around each other all the time and knowing what people are capable of and what they’re good at,” junior point guard Chris Wright said. “I have the utmost respect for everybody on the team. I trust everybody to the fullest in every situation.”

Time spent off the court is just as important as playing together in practice and games according to the Hoyas.

“A lot of the game, especially chemistry-wise, is far beyond the basketball court,” Wright said. “It’s almost like a fraternity; you’ve got to know about each other. . Once you understand where they’re coming from, their lifestyles and what they like to do, it becomes that much easier for you to talk to them.”

Last year, five out of eight players to see action in at least 28 games were going through their first Big East season. This year the starters and top five scorers are all returning regulars, something that has given them experience both on the court and in their friendships.

“We hang out together a lot,” Clark said, adding that the players live with their teammates. “When we go out to a movie or something, everyone is included.”

The chemistry built outside of basketball is a boost for the Hoyas’ offense, predicated on sharing the ball and involving all five players. With a number of talented pieces, Georgetown can win games in many ways.

“There are different ways to skin the cat, but everyone needs to believe in what you’re doing and who’s doing it with you,” Thompson said. “If that happens, you can win in many different ways and with many different styles. I think this group does have a lot of trust in us and in each other.”

Freshman Hollis Thompson, the Hoyas’ sixth man, has noticed the trust among the team and the unselfishness needed to run the system.

“There’s never any time in this offense where we isolate or it’s a two-man game. It’s always all five players participating in every play,” the forward said. “I think a lot of it happens in practice, and it slowly happens outside of practice, too. The bonding in the gym and outside of the gym has a big effect.”

With three games remaining in the regular season, the Hoyas will continue to rely on each other as they jockey for seeding in the Big East tournament. Next up is Notre Dame, which upset No. 12 Pittsburgh by 15 points on Wednesday without star Luke Harangody.

The senior forward, who averages 24.1 points and 10 rebounds per game, has missed the Irish’s last three games with a bone bruise on his right knee. In the Big East’s weekly teleconference on Thursday, Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey said he doubts that Harangody will play at Georgetown.

The Hoyas’ star for Saturday’s game remains to be seen as well. With trust in all their teammates, anyone on the floor can be the center of attention.