What a brutal way to lose such a hardfought game. Georgetown, with 10 freshmen and sophomores, went up to the Carrier Dome and outplayed Syracuse for 45 minutes. Yet, the experienced Orange prevailed where the young Hoyas couldn't. Kris Joseph hit a dagger 3 pointer with 26 seconds left in overtime to beat Georgetown 64-61. Thankfully, it is only February, because if Georgetown lost a game like this in the NCAA Tournament, I'm not sure I'd get out of bed for a week.
Georgetown had PLENTY of opportunities to win this game, but they weren't ready to do so. Henry Sims hurt us down the stretch, not converting layups and getting blocked on the Hoyas final possession in regulation. Otto Porter was the exact opposite, showing people across the country what we've seen all year - this kid is special, and will be special for a long time. Porter had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Jason Clark had an enormous 13 points, including two ridiculous three-pointers late in the second half.
More thoughts after The Jump.
The referees did nothing to help Georgetown down the stretch, calling phantom fouls and absurd possession changers in a game that came down to the last moments. That said, Georgetown, with good execution, would have won this game. Unfortunately, there was no Hollis Thompson three to bail us out BECAUSE THE REFEREES WOULDN'T LET HIM IN THE GAME ON THE FINAL POSSESSION.
Regardless, there were many good things that came during this game. The Hoyas showed that they are going to compete for the rest of the season amongst the best teams in the country. For a team this young to go up to the Carrier Dome and outplay the #2 team in the country, things bode well for March. There are no such things as good losses, particularly in a rivalry this heated, but tonight was about as close as we can come to a good loss. The freshmen are officially men. Porter, Jabril Trawick, Mikael Hopkins, and Greg Whittington played monster minutes in the second half, keeping us in the game throughout.
This is a loss that will make this Georgetown team hungrier. For a young team, this kind of loss will build confidence. We went toe-to-toe with one of the three best teams in their country on their home floor and had the game ripped from us. I can honestly say that tonight Georgetown was the better team, but Syracuse executed better. Obviously, there are still some massive concerns. Why John Thompson III didn't stay in zone during overtime was baffling, particularly because it allowed Joseph to free himself throughout the extra five minutes. In addition, Sims and Hopkins have to finish better for Georgetown go deep into March. Hollis Thompson still isn't seeing enough shots either.
Alas, I am proud of our guys tonight, we are primed for a top 4 finish in the Big East and a strong March. We are a tough group that fights throughout every minute of every game, and close losses in February will prepare us for the next month and a half. The future is bright, and the present is even brighter.
St. John's is next on Sunday.