Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
The bid for the Hoyas fifth straight Big East victory came to end today at the hands of the Villanova Wildcats, 80-73. Georgetown had several opportunities in the final 30 seconds off missed Wildcat free throws, but the Hoyas came up empty and could not find the go to man to either tie the game or cut it to one with an easy two pointer.
Malik Mack led the way for the Hoyas (13-11, 5-8) with 21 points. Georgetown also got 15 points and 12 rebounds from Vincent Iwuchukwu. KJ Lewis finished with 13 points.
The Hoyas struggled to find a way to stop Acaden Lewis for most of the second half and it was two big buckets in the final by Lewis that made the difference in this game. He finished with 26 points, six assists and three steals to lead the way for Kevin Willard’s Wildcats.
The two main take aways from this game today and the difference between a Hoyas loss and victory is the turnovers and the lack of ability to convert on two missed one and one free throw rebounds off the Wildcats miss in those final seconds. The shot selections seemed rushed both times and then forcing errant shots at the hands of Malik Mack with pressure from Villanova was not going to send this game to overtime, although it could have landed that way if the Hoyas had a go to player. Mack just was not that guy today as he has been in so many games before.
Mack kept the game close when the Hoyas needed him hitting 2 3-pointers, drawing a foul on another 3-point attempt and dishing to senior center Vince Iwuchukwu for a slam dunk. That run, behind Mack, tied the game at 66 with under six minutes to play. This seemed to be the last time the Hoyas really had any kind of offensive rhythm
After the game, Hoyas Head Coach Ed Cooley said those turnovers were the critical factor in his team’s loss.
“Would’ve. Could’ve. Should’ve,” said Cooley to open his post-game press conference. “I talk to my men all the time, and I just left the locker room, where I talked to them about little things during the course of the game.”
While this loss is a setback, the Hoyas remain right in the middle of the pack of the Big East standings going into the final three weeks of the regular season and could move up with a few key victories that starts with the next week off before traveling to Storrs, Conn., to face the No. 3 University of Connecticut Huskies (22-2, 12-1 Big East) at 8 p.m. Feb. 14.
