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 | Late Lead Slips Away From the Hoyas

Four days after Groundhog Day, it felt just like the movie.

End of regulation. Tie game with seconds remaining. Deja vu.

Sophomore guard Jagan Mosely waited on the Friars logo at midcourt for a screen from junior center Jessie Govan. Mosely attacked right but could not turn the corner, forcing a contested runner from the baseline that bounced off the front rim.

Govan got tangled up with Providence senior guard Kyron Cartwright on the offensive glass. Creeping in from the perimeter to secure the board, Cartwright had no place to land with the ball but on Govan, who was whistled for the foul.

Cartwright’s two free throws did the Hoyas in.

WILL CROMARTY/THE HOYA
Junior center Jessie Govan scored a game-high 27 points while grabbing 7 rebounds, yet the Hoyas still fell 73-69 to the Friars. The loss marks Georgetown’s second time in as many games that the Blue and Gray have blown a lead with under a minute remaining.

The Georgetown men’s basketball team (13-10, 3-9 Big East) concluded its three-game road trip with a heartbreaking last-minute 73-69 loss to Providence (16-8, 7-4 Big East).

After playing their third- straight road game against a top-five team in the Big East, the Hoyas were unable to finish off their first big road win.

The loss followed a similar pattern to the Hoyas’ previous losses in Omaha and Cincinnati: establishing an efficient, high-octane offense to start, conceding a late first-half run, trading baskets down the stretch, having an opportunity to pull away at the end and not converting in the final minute.

Regarding the team’s recent stretch at end of games, Head Coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) was transparent.

“I got outcoached,” Ewing said.

Just like games against Butler and DePaul, late-game rebounding proved to be detrimental for Georgetown.

Up 2 points with 30 seconds remaining, the Friars missed a straight-away three. Friar sophomore guard Alpha Diallo was able to slip loose from Georgetown freshman forward Jamorko Pickett, corral the offensive board and draw a foul.

Diallo sank both free throws to tie the game at 69.

“I guess it’s just learning experience, but at some point, you got to learn,” Ewing said. “We can’t keep on letting games slip away from us. With two minutes to go and up five, we just stopped making plays…not getting rebounds, missing shots and got outcoached.”

Govan tied his career-high with 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting. He scored 12 of the Hoyas’ first 13 points for an early 10-point first-half lead. After the Friars roared back at the end of the half, Govan buried a contested three to give the Hoyas a 42-40 lead at the break.

Providence’s leading scorer, senior forward Rodney Bullock, was limited to four points on 2-of-8 shooting, shadowed mostly by junior forward Marcus Derrickson throughout the evening.

Pickett continues to gain more confidence. Both he and freshman guard Jahvon Blair continue to make good decisions with the ball when the offense flows their way. Pickett led the team with three assists.

The Hoyas continued to defend well, especially against the Friars’ screen-heavy flex offense. Providence shot 40 percent from the field and went 5-of-17 from deep. Without a corner three that cut the Hoyas’ late game lead to two, the Friars had few open looks from three-point range.

Georgetown heads home on Saturday for a late afternoon bout with Seton Hall. After a winless road trip filled with missed opportunities, the Hoyas will look for their first win against a team above them in the standings.

Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Capital One Arena. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

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