LINKS: Govan, McClung Recognized in Win over ‘Nova

The Georgetown Hoyas (16-10, 6-7) beat the #17 Villanova Wildcats (20-7, 11-3), 85-73. This was the Hoyas’ biggest win in at least two years, that is, Ewing’s college coaching career, as it was his first win over a ranked opponent.

The recap may not illustrate how good the game felt as well as Jessie Govan articulated:

Beating the BIG EAST banner-carrier itself is a big enough storyline, but the full team of Hoyas is being recognized for putting together a complete game of energy, aggressiveness, and focus for the first time this season. And there was snow.

Govan and McClung paced the Hoyas but Josh LeBlanc’s defense (without fouling) anchored the starters’ efforts to slow Villanova’s two-man show. James Akinjo had 9 dimes and some huge buckets. Kaleb Johnson played every bit the role of crafty senior. Mosely led the bench’s defensive push. Mourning, active on the glass, nailed two jumpers, one of which was a three that made even Zo crack a smile. Greg Malinowski made a big three and helped calm everyone during the end-game pressure.

It was a well deserved team win—and the pundits and media are taking note.

Here are the links:

Georgetown 85, Villanova 73 | D1SPORTSNET

Jessie Govan had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Mac McClung scored 21 points and Georgetown beat No. 17 Villanova 85-73 on Wednesday night, snapping a nine-game losing streak against the Wildcats.

Georgetown (16-10, 6-7 Big East) beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 2017, and second-year coach Patrick Ewing earned his first win against a Top-25 foe in eight tries. James Akinjo had 10 points and nine assists as the Hoyas ended a two-game slide and beat Villanova at home for the first time since 2015...

Georgetown upsets Villanova to give Patrick Ewing first win over a ranked team | WASHINGTONPOST

It was the first time all season the Hoyas sustained a high level of both energy and focus for an entire game. Georgetown was more physical and gave more effort over a 40-minute span than it usually does, and it showed on the boards, where the Hoyas out-rebounded the defending national champions 39-33.

“Coming off two losses, the one loss at home — I don’t even remember who it was against [Butler] — and then getting blown out by Seton Hall, it stung,” Ewing said, explaining his team’s fire. “This was a must win for us, in my opinion, against a very good team.”

Villanova struggles on defense and on boards, loses to Georgetown, 85-73 | PHILLY

“I thought the first game he didn’t get to play, really,” Wright said of Govan, who fouled out in 13 minutes in the first meeting. “We really have much respect for him. He’s an outstanding player. We tried to go at him the same way [as the first game] but we didn’t get him in foul trouble.”

As for McClung, a freshman who had four points in the earlier contest, he scored 17 points in the first half in sparking the Hoyas to a 42-32 lead.

“He’s just young,” Wright said. “He’s going to be a really good player. When you’re young, you have good games and bad games. We knew he was much better than how he played us the first time. We were more aggressive against him in the first game, but we didn’t come in with great aggressiveness to start this game.”

Georgetown Dominates Villanova to Earn Biggest Win of Patrick Ewing Era | BIGEASTCOASTBIAS

Though Georgetown bent, committing several turnovers in the second half, it never broke, largely because Villanova couldn’t find its shooting stroke. No one outside of Paschall and Booth could find the bottom of the net for the Wildcats, and Georgetown capitalized by taking a 19-point lead as late as 4:01 remaining after Kaleb Johnson connected on a pair of free throws. Johnson’s eight rebounds and positional awareness keyed many of Georgetown’s best sequences. Villanova applied full-court pressure in the dying minutes, which forced turnovers and allowed Booth and Gillespie to add to their point tallies, but the Hoyas’ lead was never seriously threatened. Govan capped the win with a mailman dunk in transition with a minute remaining, sending the home fans into a frenzy.

McClung scores 21 as Georgetown knocks off No. 17 Villanova 85-73 | TIMESNEWS.NET

Georgetown shot 51 percent from the field and held Villanova to just 38 percent. The Hoyas’ bench outscored the Wildcats’ subs 22-9. Kaleb Johnson led the way for Georgetown with eight points...

The Hoyas have already surpassed last season’s win total of 15 games with five games remaining before the conference tournament. Georgetown finished 5-13 in league play in each of the last two seasons.

Georgetown overpowers Villanova 85-73 | VUHOOPS

Nova only led once in the first half after a Phil Booth floater to make the score 8-7 in favor of the Wildcats. It proved to be the last time Jay Wright’s squad was in-front. The Wildcat offense was frozen in D.C. as the team shot 38% from the field and an abysmal 24% from three. The trusted duo of Phil Booth and Eric Paschall did their part contributing 42 of Nova’s 73 points despite their struggles from deep.

Georgetown upsets No. 17 Villanova to break losing streak against rival | WASHINGTONTIMES

“We came out with a lot of energy, a lot of effort,” Ewing said. “Mac played the game extremely well, extremely hot, making his shots, driving. I thought that James (Akinjo) did an outstanding job of distributing the ball. Jessie did a great job of posting up real hard.”

Ewing praised his freshmen, particularly McClung and Akinjo (10 points, nine assists), saying, “Can’t look at those guys and call them freshmen anymore.”

Down Goes Goliath: Hoyas Upset Defending Champs | THOMPSONSTOWEL

On a snowy day in Washington D.C., the Georgetown Hoyas were anything but cold as they outclassed the 17th ranked Villanova Wildcats in route to an 85-73 victory. Senior forward Jessie Govan led the Blue and Gray with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Mac McClung added 21 points of his own. Villanova’s Phil Booth led all scorers with 26, but a cold 9-38 from three-point range doomed Jay Wright’s Wildcats. This victory comes at a crucial time, snapping a two-game skid and helping the Hoyas keep pace in the Big East Conference, remaining just one game out of third place in the league. Perhaps more importantly, the win marks second-year coach Patrick Ewing’s first triumph over a ranked opponent and snaps the Hoyas’ previous 9-game losing streak against Villanova.

NB: I’m enjoying Thompson’s Towel immensely this season, but calling Villanova a “Goliath” is either post-millennial super irony or a slight to those who lived through 1985.