ROAD DOGS: Hoyas Out-shoot Undefeated SMU, 91-74

The (6-3) Georgetown Hoyas beat the (8-1) SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum in Dallas on Saturday night, 91-74. Completing their road trip, Patrick Ewing’s reduce-sized squad took out two undefeated teams. For better or worse, the word of the week is “statement” for it’s many meanings.

The reborn Hoyas looked formidable on both sides of the floor against SMU—especially in the first half and a good chunk of the second. Roles were taking shape with point guard Terrell Allen dishing 10 assists (and no turnovers) and Jahvon Blair hitting 7 of 11 three-pointers off the bench to tie his career-high of 21 points.

In case the 91-74 score didn’t indicate that this Texas affair was indeed a shoot-out, each team had about 60 field goal attempts. For the game, the Hoyas shot 34-61 (55.7%) from the field and 14-27 (51.9%) from three, while holding SMU to 21-59 (35.6%) shooting and 8-27 (29.6%) from beyond.

First Half

The new normal starting five of Terrell Allen, Mac McClung, Jagan Mosely, Jamorko Pickett, and Omer Yurtseven got off to a hot start.

The Hoyas got to a 6-0 lead on the back of two McClung three-pointers within the first 90 seconds of the first half before giving up a dunk to make it 6-2. SMU would not score for 4-plus minutes as GU went on a 14-point run before the Mustangs’ Tyson Jolly hit one of two free-throws.

With a score of 23-3 at 12:35 left in the half, the Hoyas were 9-12 from the field with 5-7 from three. Both McClung and Mosely had buried two threes each, with Blair hitting his first off the bench. The team was moving the ball with ease and the 10 assists (McClung leading with 3) at this point did not tell the full story. Southern Methodist was 1-13 from the field and 0-4 from the arc. Georgetown looked solid—only having two turnovers. SMU only had three turnovers at this point, along with 6 rebounds (3 OREBs) and two fouls. Georgetown was using their length to disrupt shots and clean up.

With 10:51 left in the first half SMU’s Jolly made a three pointer off an assist from Kendric Davis to make it 26-11, Hoyas. Jolly had 8 points (1 assist) and Kendric Davis had 3 points (2 assists) Georgetown went on 16-7 run to make it 42-18 with about 3 minutes left.

The score at half had the Hoyas up 20: 49-29. Georgetown was 17-27 from the field (63%) and 9-17 (53%) from three. Mac McClung was 4-7 (14 points), having only shot threes. Yurtseven (4-4 FG) and Blair (3-6 3PT) each had 9 points. Mosely had 8 points from 3-4 from the field including 2-2 from three.

The Mustangs were 6-30 shooting and 4-14 (28.6%) from the arc. Georgetown had 12 assists while SMU had 6. Each team had 9 turnovers and 5 steals. The Mustangs had 9 offensive rebounds, but the Hoyas led on total rebounds 21-17.

Second Half

The second half started with the Hoyas again moving the ball and the hot McClung driving and making a circus layup.

However, the Mustangs slowed down a bit and ran their sets. In particular there were two lobs over the Hoyas for alley-oop dunks. The two dunks were followed with two SMU blocks and a three-pointer to get the crowd back into it. Ewing called timeout. With 16:34, the lead was down to 15 with Georgetown up 53-38.

Pickett had back-to-back big baskets with a floater late in the shot clock and a charge-reversed-to-and-one drive to make it 58-40 with 14:17 to go. After trading turnovers, Allen found Pickett for another big dunk. 60-40 with 13:43 left. The Hoyas were on a 19-7 run the prior 4:30.

McClung finally hit a second half three-pointer (5-9) with 12:30 left to go up 65-42. SMU’s Feron Hunt was fouled on a dunk and made both free-throws. Yurtseven missed a bunny and drew a foul from Everett Ray on the rebound to make it 65-44 with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

Former President George W. Bush was featured on the broadcast (wearing blue and red) at the end of the media timeout. After another foul, Georgetown in-bounded the ball and Allen gave his 7th assist (without turnover) to Blair for his fourth three-pointer. It was 68-44 with 11:49 left.

Blair made three more threes within four minutes (7-11, 21 points for the night) to make it 79-52. There may have been 7:44 left, but the game was over.

Georgetown won 91-74. The Hoyas shot 34-61 (55.7%) from the field and 14-27 (51.9%) from three, while holding SMU to 21-59 (35.6%) shooting and 8-27 (29.6%) from beyond. SMU got 17 rebounds on each of offense and defense. Both teams had 13 turnovers.

Patrick Ewing smiled a couple of times throughout the game as Blair checked his heat. However, even with the Canadian guard shooting so well, Terrell Allen’s point guard play was the story of the game. Simply put, the heady graduate transfer was making everyone on the floor better all night.

Dishing 10 assists with no turnovers was the key reason that Jahvon Blair was able to hit 7 of 11 three-pointers. Omer Yurtseven had 19 points on 8 for 12 shooting, with 8 rebs. Mac McClung started with a hot first half and scored 19 in the game on 5-12 from the field, with 5-9 from beyond the arc, along with 7 assists in 28 minutes. Pickett was 5-9 for 11 points in 23 minutes. Wahab had 9 minutes and 6 points (2-2), with four fouls. Galen Alexander had two points in 19 minutes and Myron Gardner had 3 points in 14 minutes. Yes, they played and no we don’t have a clearer picture.

With everything going on this past week, and a few statements by Coach Ewing and Athletic Director Lee Reed, the Georgetown Hoyas players made their own big statements on this road trip.

In the post-game TV interview, Ewing talked about his pre-game discussion with Jahvon Blair in his need to—like any of the great shooters—take and hit the open shot. The third-year coach referenced that the ball was moving around on offense by saying that the the basketball “wasn’t sticking” to players. Ewing, wearing a towel on his shoulder, also referenced that John Thompson, Jr. was in the hospital.

Your Georgetown Hoyas return home to face the Syracuse Orange on Saturday, December, 14, 2019.