LINKS: Hoyas Hope to Maintain Momentum in Gavitt Game with Northwestern

In case you haven’t heard, the Georgetown Hoyas will see the debut of two high-ranked transfer as the Hoyas host the Northwestern Wildcats for the annual inter-conference Gavitt Games on Tuesday night at 6:30 ET. Not only is Jay Heath freed from waiver-application-purgatory, Patrick Ewing announced that Bradley Ezewiro has recovered from his wisdom teeth procedure. Look out!

The Hoyas had a heckuva second half on Saturday after finally waking up against Green Bay. The improved defense and ball movement needs to continue progress against a Northwestern team who is also looking to escape a predicted basement conference finish.

Georgetown faculty and staff are able to get complimentary tickets to the game against the Big Ten opponent on Tuesday night if they request tickets.

Here are the links:

Georgetown uses big second half to rout Green Bay and improve to 2-0 | The Washington Post (Patrick Stevens)

Georgetown didn’t appear headed for such a comfortable victory when it took a 31-29 lead into the break against a Green Bay team that also lost 25 games last season and added 10 new players this season. That start was even more ominous in the wake of a 99-89 overtime triumph Tuesday over a weary Coppin State team that played a night earlier.

But the Hoyas ripped off a 15-2 run to begin the second half Saturday and only committed one turnover in the final 20 minutes after making 10 in the first half.

“Our energy was a lot different,” Murray said. “We all had the same mind-set that we have to run the score up and we have to pass it more. The ball was sticking a lot in the first half, and then in the second half we started moving the ball.”

Georgetown shot 70.3 percent (26 for 37) and had 13 assists in the second half.

Hoyas Down Green Bay 92-58 | GUHoyas

“We were able to get the ball inside to [Qudus Wahab] and he is able to do something with it. [Brandon Murray] can score at all three levels and is also a lockdown defender. Primo Spears, who came in with me last time, had another fantastic game. But, it’s not about the scoring, it’s about defense and this kid right here [Murray] he makes all the right plays.” - Head Coach Patrick Ewing on today’s offensive efforts

“I think that’s just me making the right play, the right read throughout the game. It is nothing specific I’ve been working on, I can just make the right reads and see the court really well, that has been helping me.” - Sophomore guard Brandon Murray about his stats this season

“Yeah I’ve been working on [my left hand all summer. I am trusting it more but I am going to keep working on it and trusting it this season.” - Senior Qudus Wahab on his work over the summer

Wildcats Set to Officially Open 2022-23 Season Against Chicago State - Northwestern University Athletics | NUSPORTS

The Wildcats return 59-percent of their player minutes from last season - which ranks third in the Big Ten - from last season’s team that finished 15-16 (7-13 B1G). Four of five starters come back, led by senior guard Boo Buie who’s 14.1 points per game rank fifth among Big Ten retuning scorers for 2022-23. Overall, NU brings back 56-percent of its scoring from a season ago. Redshirt senior guard Chase Audige ranked third on the team last year averaging 9.8 points per game over 24 games played. He missed the first seven games of the season due to a hip injury. Audige’s 1.8 steals per game (42 total) ranked second in the conference, and he became the first Northwestern player to average 1.8 steals per game since Jeff Ryan (2009-10). Forward Robbie Beran rounds out the team’s core of three seniors. The durable wing has not missed a game in three seasons, appearing in 86 contests. Beran ranked second on the team last season pulling down 4.3 boards per game, blocking 23 shots and recording the second-highest 3-point percentage in Big Ten action (37.9-percent).

Men’s Basketball: What to Watch For: Northwestern readies for in-state battle against Northern Illinois | DAILYNORTHWESTERN

NU’s three captains — Beran, redshirt senior guard Chase Audige and senior guard Boo Buie — combined for 49 points, 18 rebounds and 17 assists against Chicago State. “Chase, Boo and Robbie have been three- and four-year starters in this program,” Collins said postgame Monday. “They’ve gotten better (and) they’ve developed … but those three seniors have really led us this whole offseason.” During a game in which the Cats attempted 32 free throws, the triad shot 24-of-26 from the charity stripe. They were an efficient 5-of-8 from distance. Audige and Buie shouldered much of the offensive creation, with the former posting a career-high nine assists. They were also each on the court for at least 30 minutes.

Northwestern Downs Huskies 63-46 Behind Lockdown Defense - Northwestern University Athletics | NUSPORTS

The Wildcats (2-0) limited the Huskies (0-2) to a 33.3% (17-for-51) mark from the field and forced 16 turnovers. Ty Berry registered his first career double-double by scoring 11 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds. For the second time this year, Robbie Beran scored a team-high 15 points, with eight coming in the game’s first six minutes. Boo Buie recorded his 300th career assist and dished out seven total while adding 13 points and six rebounds. Northwestern held a 41-35 advantage on the glass, with 12 offensive rebounds. Matthew Nicholson added eight points and seven boards.

Men’s Basketball: Rapid Recap: Northwestern 63, Northern Illinois 46 | DAILYNORTHWESTERN

Beran led the charge Friday night, racking up 13 points and 3 rebounds by halftime. On the glass, Beran limited the number of rebound opportunities for NIU. The Huskies only had one offensive rebound in the first half, allowing the Wildcats to limit the number of extra possessions given up. Beran seemed to be in the right place at the right time throughout most of the game. The senior forward picked up loose balls that led to key shots made down the stretch in the first half. On the defensive end, he held NIU forward Anthony Crump to 2 points at halftime.

Rapid Reaction: Northwestern prevails 63-46 over Northern Illinois | INSIDENU

Both defenses began to step up, with Northwestern looking especially stout in its paint. Despite this, the Huskies seemed unwilling to shoot three-pointers, taking just two in the opening 12 minutes and change. Instead, they continually attempted, with varying degrees of success, tough shots around the rim. Even with the offense not looking its best, NU still had a 23-19 lead at the under-eight timeout.

Northwestern started to take control of the game out of the break. It went on a 9-4 run over the next five minutes, where Ty Berry picked up two steals and NIU’s only two baskets came from tough fadeaway jumpers. Williams, who ended the half with 15 points, single-handedly kept the ‘Cats within distance. But it was his counterpart, Buie, who ended the first period emphatically with a posterizing dunk, which put NU up 36-27 at the break.

Men’s Basketball: Northwestern’s defense remedies poor offensive showing in win against Northern Illinois | DAILYNORTHWESTERN

Northern Illinois tallied just 19 second-half points on 21.2% shooting from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Following a 15-point first half performance, the Huskies’ leading scorer, Keshawn Williams, recorded just four points on an inefficient 1-of-8 shooting in the second half. Losing nearly half of its offensive production from last season, Collins has called on his returners to produce more on both ends of the floor. On nights like Friday, when the team struggled to muster much offensively, the Cats will need to hang their hats on their defensive performance. “It certainly wasn’t our prettiest performance,” Collins said. “Defensively, we really did the job when we needed to. In the first half, we did not do a great job of keeping them out of the paint … we were getting really spread out. But in the second half, we did a much better job.”

Northwestern Travels to Georgetown for Gavitt Tipoff Games | NUSports.com

For the first time in school history the Northwestern men’s basketball team will meet Georgetown on the hardwood, as the Wildcats travel to Washington, D.C. as part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games at 5:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 15. FS1 will televise the game with Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play) and Dickey Simpkins (analyst) on the call...

Despite not meeting before, there are many staff connections between the two teams. Georgetown assistant coach Pat Baldwin played at Northwestern (1990-94) and had one of the most notable careers in school history. His 272 career steals are still a program record, and he ranks third in career marks in assists (452) and fourth in free throw percentage (.880). Baldwin was named the 1994 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and served as an assistant on Collins’ staff at NU from 2013-17.

Northwestern special assistant to the head coach Brian James and Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing were both assistant coaches on the Washington Wizards staff in 2002-03 under head coach Doug Collins, Chris Collins’ father.