Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
After some of the toughest weeks on the Hilltop, it appears that the Georgetown Hoyas have finally put the cancerous conditions of the beginning of the season behind them in favor of a 7-3 team.
Tonight the Hoyas had enough explosive firepower when they needed it from both Mac McClung and Omer Yurtseven.
The Retrievers had few answers for limiting the trio Yurtseven, 6-foot-8, 206-pound guard/forward Jamorko Pickett and 6-11, 237-pound freshman center Qudus Wahab.
Yurtseven led all scorers with 22 points on 11-for-14 shooting, collected a game-high 13 rebounds, and blocked three shots. He had a double-double in the first half with 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 10 rebounds, including four offensive boards.
After the game Hoyas Head Coach Patrick Ewing was asked what again was the difference in this team and what was during the first few weeks. How have they overcome this mess to get to this point?
“I think my guys have definitely stepped up with all of the distractions,” Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing said. “They have been resilient. They have been concentrating on what they need to concentrate on, they’ve been doing their schoolwork, and they’ve been playing extremely well.”
Pickett finished with 12 points and three rebounds before injuring his left calf and sitting out the remaining 11:52, and Wahab had 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, probably altering a few more.
After the game the Pickett injury was limited to his lack of intake of water and possibly cramping forcing him out of the game. It did not appear that he did anything on the court to warrant a second look from the training staff and should be able to play on Saturday against Samford.
The Hoyas team also finally is getting some production from Jagan Mosely, who had two thunderous dunks in the second half along with the one by Mc Clung that set the final tone of the game.
UMBC could not handle the Hoyas pressure in the paint and failed to find the right open shots when it mattered and after the game ballooned to 20 point lead it was apparent that the team that once knocked of the Number 1 Virginia Cavaliers in now what seems like a previous lifetime, just had no answers for the Hoyas bigs and the distribution of the ball.
UMBC played without senior forward Max Curran, who had started the three previous games. Senior forward Arkel Lamar and junior guard Darnell Rogers missed their sixth consecutive games.
Tuesday night’s game was only the third all-time meeting between the programs and the first since March 21, 2008 when Georgetown defeated the Retrievers, 66-47, in an NCAA tournament first-round game. The Hoyas lead the series, 3-0.