Georgetown knocks off Louisville in rematch, claim second straight Big East regular season title

It was another typical, ugly game on the final weekend of regular season play in the Big East. Another game Georgetown was involved in that went down to the final minute and the last shot, coincidentally with the margin of victory five points or less. Another game the Hoyas thrived in the final moments of play. And another Big East regular season title for the Georgetown Hoyas.

On senior day in Washington, DC, No.10 Georgetown exacted revenge from last month’s 59-51 loss at Freedom Hall, downing No.13 Louisville 55-52 in both team’s regular season finale. The Hoyas claim their second consecutive Big East regular season crown, something that hasn’t been accomplished since Jim Calhoun’s UConn Huskies went back-to-back in 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Unlike his father, Georgetown head coach John Thompson III has guided the Hoyas to two consecutive regular season titles in a league that has swelled to 16 teams. JTIII has reestablished Georgetown as a premier Big East and national power. A year ago the Hoyas reached the Final Four, only to be ousted by Ohio State. While this year’s team has Final Four aspirations again, this time around, Georgetown announced the Big East belongs to the blue and gray.

With the likes of former Hoya great Patrick Ewing, along with his former coach and current Georgetown radio broadcaster John Thompson Jr., everyone packed into the Verizon Center got treated to some throwback, Big East basketball.

While both teams set offense back a few years in the first half, they proved why they’re the two best defensive teams in the Big East. Georgetown took a 24-19 lead at the break, holding Louisville to their worst first-half point output all season. Both teams combined for 17 points through the first 10 minutes of the game. Roy Hibbert and David Padgett each had just two points apiece in the first. Louisville had 10 turnovers to Georgetown’s nine, while the Cardinals built a brick city of three’s, shooting 1-of-8 from 3-point range. The Hoyas closed out a gruesome first half with a 10-0 run. Their five point advantage was the largest of the game for either team through the first 20 minutes.

The second half played out perfectly if you’re a Big East fan: back-and-forth, smash-mouth style, with the game coming down to the final seconds. Georgetown had an 11-point lead, 40-29, with 14:30 to go, but Louisville didn’t fold. The Cardinals used a quick 7-0 spurt to erase the double-digit hole, bringing them within four. The rest of the way neither team had larger than a four-point lead.

The bigs elevated their play in the second half. Hibbert and Padgett each finished with 12 points, each scoring 10 second-half points. But this matchup, and the rematch, belonged to the Hoyas. Hibbert added six boards and four blocks to go along with his 12 points, and while Hibbert was a game-changer for the blue and gray at both ends, Padgett was kept off the glass, unable to pull down a single rebound the entire game.

In the waning moments, Louisville’s Earl Clark connected on one of two free throws to pull things even at 52. The Hoyas’ Jonathan Wallace had the ball in his hands, and took advantage of a defensive mix up by Louisville. Terrence Williams never rotated early enough, and Padgett was too far away to close out on DaJuan Summers, who dialed it up from downtown, and found the bottom of the cup. With Georgetown up 55-52, Louisville ironically had three cracks to tie, all from downtown.

Louisville misfired on all three attempts. Jerry Smith, who failed to connect on a 3-pointer all day (0-of-6) couldn’t hit. Earl Clark’s try ended up being an air ball, and still tenacious on the offensive glass, Louisville got the ball back into the hands of Edgar Sosa, whose prayer fell well short as time expired. This one went to the dogs, err, Hoyas. Make it five in a row for Georgetown, 12 of their last 14 they’ve be on the winning end. Georgetown sends seniors Roy Hibbert, Patrick Ewing Jr, Jonathan Wallace and Tyler Crawford out on a winning note, while notching the No.1 seed when the Big East tournament begins next week.

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With this win, Georgetown is 6-0 in games decided by five points or less, and while the Hoyas aren’t without faults, they sure do have a flare for the dramatic, especially this season group. Roy Hibbert sunk UConn with a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Patrick Ewing Jr rejected a West Virginia shot at the buzzer. Jonathan Wallace iced Villanova at the free throw line for another win.

by Frank Minniti
BigEast-fans.com Director of Content

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