The Morning After: Praise for the Underclassmen

Georgetown vs. Louisville: No. 12 Hoyas defeat No. 4 Cardinals in Big East opener - The Washington Post
Louisville Coach Rick Pitino credited Starks and the Hoyas’ freshmen for putting an end to the Cardinals’ best start in 37 years. "You take away Hollis Thompson," Pitino said, "and their two freshmen and one sophomore go 14 for 17 from the field." Pitino was referring to Starks, Porter and Jabril Trawick, who scored all of his nine points in a turnover-laden first half for the visitors. In all, the Hoyas committed a season-worst 16 turnovers, nine of which came before halftime.

Ballin' is a Habit: Georgetown's win over Louisville showcases Big East's balance up top
Gorgui Dieng's length bothered Sims, Clark couldn't find any openings offensively and Thompson saved his stat line with a couple of late jumpers. All told, Georgetown's Big Three went 8-26 from the floor, turned the ball over eight times and scored a whopping 24 points, which is about 15 points below their season average and precisely the kind of defense performance Rick Pitino wanted on those three players. With their stars struggling, Georgetown's role players provided their best basketball of the season.

Poised Hoyas upset Louisville on road - Washington Times
"These guys are players," said Thompson, with as much excitement as, well, wiping perspiration from one’s head. "Age, class, maturation, all that stuff goes out the window. We’re just out there playing ball and trying to protect each other."

Rick Bozich | Louisville basketball ‘humbled’ by a better team | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com
Georgetown won because Georgetown was better. Better at making certain the game was played at the more deliberate pace Hoyas coach John Thomson III wanted. The Cards managed two baskets on fast breaks. Better on the glass, where the Hoyas were plus-six.

Hoyas knock off Cards
"When you're in the heat of the battle you're just playing in the flow of the game, shots are going to come," Starks said. "Whether you make them or miss them, those are shots you've got to be able to take. I took them and they were able to fall."

Louisville basketball falls to Georgetown 71-68 | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com
"We took an ‘L’ at home, but Georgetown is a great team," said junior point guard Peyton Siva, whose team held a pair of nine-point first-half leads. "They’re hot right now."

Pitino: 'They were the better team' - Louisville Cardinals - CBSSports.com RapidReports
Coach Rick Pitino on his team's follies down the stretch against Georgetown: "I thought we really rushed -- we jacked up shots when it was still a game. There were 15 seconds on the [shot] clock and we were looking for a three. We haven't done that. But they were the better basketball team.

Hoya Prospectus: Recap: Georgetown 71, Louisville 68
The briefest of summaries: Hoya bench (Trawick, Hopkins) - good Otto Porter - very good Markel Starks - tremendous

Vox Populi " Underclassmen key to Hoyas’ upset victory over Louisville, 71-68
With road wins over nationally-ranked Alabama and Louisville under their belt, the Hoyas have demonstrated twice over their ability to go into some of the most intimidating venues in college basketball and win. Such accomplishments in the second half of 2011 bode well for the first half of 2012, during which Georgetown will visit the unforgiving home courts of the likes of West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Marquette.

Hoya Saxa – a big win! | Ted's Take
I don’t think a single self-professed expert picked Georgetown to do well this season, can you find me one? Did you? A big win again over the number 4 team in the land; the team steps it up against nationally ranked teams; how can Georgetown not be ranked now in the top 10? I am proud of the team; and our University. Hoya Saxa. Nice win.

Heavy Mettle: #12 Georgetown 71, #4 Louisville 68 | Over the Hilltop
Learning from seasons past, the Hoyas will have to prove themselves anew with the next game, which comes all too soon. Big East play affords little rest for the weary, let alone the young and only newly battle-tested. Georgetown returns to action Saturday afternoon in the Hoyas’ Big East home opener, against Providence. Until then, savor the best win of the season so far. Hoya Saxa.

Georgetown Deals Louisville First Loss - Card Chronicle
Georgetown hit 7-of-11 threes, we has a ridiculous technical called on us, missed a handful of shots from close range as well as some key free-throws, and we were still right there with a chance to win in the game's final minute. Oh yeah, and the opponent is the No. 12 team in the country and has already defeated two other top ten teams this season.

GLIDEHOYAS: On the road Hoyas glide over Louisville 71-68
It's great to see the Hoyas have each other's back. This team has got it together.All of them played their hearts from the seniors to the freshman. "It was a very good, big win against a very good team in a difficult place to play," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "We aren’t worrying about validation right now."