MEN'S BASKETBALL | GU Posts 89 Points in Lopsided Win

After two low-scoring affairs in its last two home games, No. 15 Georgetown (8-1) brought its offense Monday night, demolishing Longwood (2-7) in an 89-53 win.

Those 89 points were the most the Hoyas have scored all season, easily eclipsing the 78 they put up against UCLA in a win last month.

Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. was once again the Blue and Gray’s leading scorer, recording a career-high 22 points and leading the team with — as Head Coach John Thompson III pointed out, another career-high — seven assists.

“I was just getting open looks and knocking them down,” Porter Jr. said. “I was making easy buckets.”

Thompson III downplayed the role of assists for the team, noting that much of the higher-octane offense could be chalked up to one thing: made baskets.

“I don’t think it was a question of movement,” he said. “Our guys just put the ball in the basket today.”

As encouraging as Porter Jr.’s strong numbers was junior Markel Starks’ return to form in just 19 minutes on the floor.

The guard scored 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting. But even more encouraging was his four three-pointers, tying his season-high against Indiana.

Both Starks’ and Porter Jr.’s tallies helped make up for an off night from sophomore Mikael Hopkins, who picked up three early fouls and was quiet — scoring four points — in just nine minutes.

That Georgetown held Longwood to 53 points was even more impressive because the Hoyas had just 26 rebounds — an especially disappointing statistic since the Lancers grabbed 36 boards.

“It’s always a concern when you’re out-rebounded,” Thompson III said. “So we’ve got to address that.”

Georgetown’s defense made up for the discrepancy, however, forcing 30 turnovers, the most since 2003 and the highest total in the John Thompson III era.

“I thought that our full-court defense, … our presses were very effective,” Thompson III said. “I told the guys in the locker room that our half-court defense, which has been pretty good, I don’t know how good that was today.”

But, more importantly, the Hoyas capitalized on the giveaways, scoring more than half their points — 47 in all — off turnovers.

Having built a 40-24 lead before the intermission, Georgetown was able to get every player on the roster into the game, with freshman David Allen entering in final minute. Freshmen guards Stephen Domingo and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera both proved to be scoring threats, notching seven and six points, respectively. And Thompson III noted junior Moses Ayegba’s five rebounds — a team-high — as being a valuable contribution.

Overall, however, junior forward Nate Lubick, who finished with six points and seven assists, best summed up the sentiment from the arena Monday night.

“We struggled last game with our offense,” Lubick said. “To be able to get some offense out of our turnovers today was a little boost for us.”

Georgetown’s next game will be against Western Carolina Saturday. Also at Verizon Center, that matchup tips off at noon.