LINKS: Hoyas Play ‘Terrible’ in Win Against Richmond

Aspects of the game certainly looked “terrible,” but fans will take a win for the Georgetown Hoyas, even against a short-handed, struggling Richmond Spiders team. Here are the links:

Go-Go-Govan: Senior Big Man Helps Hoyas Withstand Richmond, 90-82 | CASUALHOYA

This game wasn’t a disappointment because of the Hoya attack. The problem was once again Georgetown’s defense, which couldn’t corral a Richmond squad that lacked two of its three leading scorers. Four days after enabling the nation’s leading scorer go off for 45 points, the Hoyas once again were charitable, allowing sharp-shooting freshman Jake Wojcik to pour in a career-high 20 on the strength of 6 triples. Wojcik was one of four Spiders in double figures, led by Grant Golden torturing Georgetown for 22. In all, the Spiders made 12 of 26 threes and a scorching 59 percent inside the arc. Richmond’s 82 points on 73 possessions was a season worst for the Georgetown defense.

Georgetown plays ‘terrible,’ yet still holds off Richmond | WASHINGTONPOST

“We played terrible,” Ewing said, hoarse from the cold he’s getting over and the two hours he spent bellowing at his team during the game. “If we want to beat the teams I expect us to beat, we have to do a much better job. They shot 12 for 26 from the three. If we can’t guard the paint and also the three-point line, we’re going to get beat.” ...

“We made the game a little harder than it had to be with some of the decisions that we made down the stretch,” Govan said. “[Ewing] said when we get to Big East play, playing tougher teams in conference play and all that, those mistakes are going to cost us.”

Men’s Basketball Defeats Richmond Despite Uninspired Performance | GEORGETOWNVOICE

While Richmond stayed close through Cayo and Golden, Malinowski scored on back-to-back possessions, both times assisted by junior guard Jagan Mosely, to give the Hoyas a 73-62 lead. Though the Hoyas were unable to shut down Richmond head coach Chris Mooney’s Princeton-style read offense, they kept Richmond at arm’s length by continuing to feed Govan, who did his work on the block and from the free throw line (7-for-7 on the night) against the undersized Spiders frontcourt.

The Hoyas made just enough defensive stops to give themselves some breathing room down the stretch, while McClung and Akinjo iced the game with six free throws in the final minute as Georgetown hung on 90-82.

“We just didn’t play. The way we practiced for the last two days was the way we played,” Ewing said. “If we want to win, if we want to continue to grow, we’re going to have to play harder, we’re going to have to share the ball… we have to stop being selfish.”

COLLEGE HOOPS: Mac McClung scores career-high 16 points in Hoyas win over Richmond | HERALDCOURIER

McClung struggled at the start, hitting just one of the first eight shots he attempted. However, he heated up in the second half as the Hoyas held off the Spiders.

The 6-foot-2 McClung was 4-for-12 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line. He also had three rebounds, one assist and did not commit a turnover.

NB: These were McClung’s first free-throws in college...

Signs of growth were most evident, but short-handed Spiders fall 90-82 at Georgetown | RICHMOND

The short-handed Spiders and deeper Hoyas were tied 54-54 with 14:10 left. UR’s legs then seemed to fade a bit as 3-pointers that were hit earlier started missing...

UR hit 5 of 11 3-point shots in the first half, after which it trailed 40-35, and then converted four more in the first five minutes of the second half. The Hoyas led 52-49, but GU coach Patrick Ewing had seen enough UR 3s and called timeout. Richmond hit only one in the next 10 minutes, when the Hoyas escaped to a 10-point lead. Still, the Spiders left encouraged.

Georgetown Grabs Third Straight Win, Defeats Richmond 90-82 | BIGEASTCOASTBIAS

The teams exchanged three-pointers before an 8-2 Richmond run tied the game with 14:17 remaining. McClung went on a personal 5-0 run to put Georgetown back in front, and Govan added a layup shortly after to extend the lead to double digits, 68-58. From there, the Hoyas maintained a steady grip on the game, leading by as many as 12 and as few as five points in the final nine minutes.

Jessie Govan scored 29 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting. Mac McClung scored a career-high 16 points, while James Akinjo and Greg Malinowski also reached double-digit scoring. Georgetown committed just eight turnovers for the second-consecutive game. They entered the game averaging 15 per game. Jamorko Pickett’s struggles continued, as the sophomore attempted just two shots, scoring three points. Jahvon Blair did not play (coach’s decision).

The Hoyas Are Bouncing Back | WASHINGTONCITYPAPER

While Georgetown freshmen are prohibited from talking to the media until their second semester, players like McClung, James Akinjo, and Josh LeBlanc, have let their games, teammates, and even NBA champions speak for their impact. Akinjo is the second leading scorer on the team with 13.5 points per game for the Hoyas heading into the Nov. 28 contest against Richmond, which Georgetown won, 90-82, to improve to 6-1. The guard from Oakland, California, was named Big East Freshman of the Week earlier this month.

“Their guard play is amazing,” says 2006 NBA champion Alonzo Mourning, who was in town over Thanksgiving break to watch his son, Trey, finish with a career-best 27 points and 12 rebounds against Campbell University. “Both of those guys [McClung and Akinjo] are going to be fun to watch for years to come.”

During a lull in play against Campbell, Ewing’s deep, booming voice can be heard all across the cavernous arena. “Move here!” he instructs his players, jabbing his index finger in the air. When he speaks, people listen.

NBA making a ‘long-term play’ in Africa | WASHINGTONPOST

The 18-year-old Ighoefe has committed to play for Patrick Ewing at Georgetown University next season, only three years after switching to basketball in his hometown of Lagos. “I need to work on my speed, running down the floor baseline to baseline,” Ighoefe said this week at the unveiling of a new training facility at the NBA’s African academy in Senegal. “My left hand, I need to improve, to finish with my left hand.” In other words, there’s potential but it’s a work in progress — just like Africa itself for the NBA.

NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Top-5 2019 prospect Cole Anthony officially visits Georgetown | BUSTINGBRACKETS

Georgetown has 12 players currently on scholarship, meaning that Ewing has the ability to bring five players on an athletic grant-and-aid next season... He has already signed a pair of 6-foot-11 big men from the class of 2019 in Malcolm Wilson and Timothy Igohoefe. Wilson is a three-star recruit from Columbia (SC) while Igohoefe is from Nigeria via the NBA Global Academy. That leaves the Hoyas with three scholarships left...

Besides Anthony, the Hoyas are reportedly still in the mix for several 2019 prospects as they have 11 open scholarships. A few of the Hoyas’ top targets include four-star shooting guard Lester Quinones (Brentwood, NY), four-star power forward Carl Lewis (Compton, CA), four-star power forward Akok Akok (Manchester, NH) as well as a three-star power forward Kenyon Martin Jr. (West Hills, CA). North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, and Wake Forest are the other teams in the 2018 U18 FIBA gold medal’s final six list. North Carolina is the leader to obtain Anthony’s services according to 247 Sports.