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| Georgetown looks to maintain momentum from upset of Xavier | Georgetown looks to maintain momentum from upset of Xavier |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Coming off its worst shooting performance of the season in a loss to fourth-ranked Villanova, the Georgetown men’s basketball team entered its next game with less than glowing prospects for a turnaround. No. 5 Xavier swept three meetings with the Hoyas last season, and the Musketeers’ Cintas Center is considered one of the more inhospitable venues for opponents. | |
| But Georgetown assembled its most complete performance of the season, shooting 51 percent in an 81-72 victory, and faces another demanding road test Saturday. Rekindling a storied rivalry from the Big East’s previous incarnation, the Hoyas play Connecticut at Hartford’s XL Center in a nonconference game rare this late in the season. | |
| “We moved fast” against Xavier, Georgetown Coach John Thompson III said. “There were times this year when it felt like we were stuck in the mud, and we were not moving. The ball’s not swinging, and we’re not pushing the ball. In that game, we had fast ball movement and fast body movement, which we’ve been trying to get them to do all year.” | “We moved fast” against Xavier, Georgetown Coach John Thompson III said. “There were times this year when it felt like we were stuck in the mud, and we were not moving. The ball’s not swinging, and we’re not pushing the ball. In that game, we had fast ball movement and fast body movement, which we’ve been trying to get them to do all year.” |
| Bracketology: Damage minimal after Oklahoma, Zavier slips | Bracketology: Damage minimal after Oklahoma, Zavier slips |
| Georgetown (12-7, 4-2 Big East) is playing Connecticut for the first time since Feb. 27, 2013, when the Hoyas won, 79-78, in double overtime in one of the more memorable games of the series. The Hoyas trailed by seven with 2 minutes 3 seconds left in the second extra session before closing with the game’s final eight points, including Otto Porter Jr.’s winning layup with eight seconds to play. Moments earlier, guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, then a freshman, had made a three-pointer to draw Georgetown within a point and got a steal that led to Porter’s decisive basket. | |
| Smith-Rivera is the Hoyas’ leading scorer this season and had 20 points, making 4 of 9 three-point attempts and 4 of 4 foul shots, with seven assists in Tuesday’s upset of Xavier. | Smith-Rivera is the Hoyas’ leading scorer this season and had 20 points, making 4 of 9 three-point attempts and 4 of 4 foul shots, with seven assists in Tuesday’s upset of Xavier. |
| “It was exciting,” Smith-Rivera said of the last Connecticut game in which he contributed 14 points and three steals coming off the bench. “I remember Shabazz Napier had a crazy game [with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists]. It’s been a long time. Seems like it was yesterday, but it’s been a few years.” | “It was exciting,” Smith-Rivera said of the last Connecticut game in which he contributed 14 points and three steals coming off the bench. “I remember Shabazz Napier had a crazy game [with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists]. It’s been a long time. Seems like it was yesterday, but it’s been a few years.” |
| Napier led the Huskies, as a No. 7 seed, to the national championship the following season as a senior and was named the American Athletic Conference player of the year. It was the Huskies’ fourth national championship overall and first under Coach Kevin Ollie. | Napier led the Huskies, as a No. 7 seed, to the national championship the following season as a senior and was named the American Athletic Conference player of the year. It was the Huskies’ fourth national championship overall and first under Coach Kevin Ollie. |
| These days, Connecticut (13-5, 4-2) is trying to fortify its NCAA tournament credentials. The Huskies are ranked No. 63 in Ratings Percentage Index, according to CBSsports.com bracketologist Jerry Palm, and their best opportunities for résumé-building wins come toward the end of the regular season in two meetings with No. 8 Southern Methodist. The Mustangs are rated sixth in RPI. | These days, Connecticut (13-5, 4-2) is trying to fortify its NCAA tournament credentials. The Huskies are ranked No. 63 in Ratings Percentage Index, according to CBSsports.com bracketologist Jerry Palm, and their best opportunities for résumé-building wins come toward the end of the regular season in two meetings with No. 8 Southern Methodist. The Mustangs are rated sixth in RPI. |
| An Ivy League grad’s education continues with GW basketball | An Ivy League grad’s education continues with GW basketball |
| Georgetown has much more work to do in its climb back into NCAA tournament relevancy. It took a major step by beating the Musketeers, who are No. 3 in RPI, but early-season losses to Radford and UNC Asheville, both at Verizon Center, sent the Hoyas into conference competition needing to secure as many quality wins as possible. | Georgetown has much more work to do in its climb back into NCAA tournament relevancy. It took a major step by beating the Musketeers, who are No. 3 in RPI, but early-season losses to Radford and UNC Asheville, both at Verizon Center, sent the Hoyas into conference competition needing to secure as many quality wins as possible. |
| “I don’t think we ever were not confident,” Thompson said. “In just about every game against a top team that we’ve lost, it’s the little things. We’re close. It wasn’t gaping holes or gaping deficiencies. It was little things in each game. I think [against Xavier] we did a much job at negating the little mistakes. To go in and win that game against that team this is a big win. They’re very good. They beat us three times last year. Hopefully that will give us some confidence.” | “I don’t think we ever were not confident,” Thompson said. “In just about every game against a top team that we’ve lost, it’s the little things. We’re close. It wasn’t gaping holes or gaping deficiencies. It was little things in each game. I think [against Xavier] we did a much job at negating the little mistakes. To go in and win that game against that team this is a big win. They’re very good. They beat us three times last year. Hopefully that will give us some confidence.” |
| The Hoyas certainly got a significant boost in that regard from Tre Campbell’s career-high 21 points. The sophomore point guard made 5 of 7 three-point attempts, including three during an 11-2 run in the first half that put Georgetown ahead to stay after it trailed 27-20. | The Hoyas certainly got a significant boost in that regard from Tre Campbell’s career-high 21 points. The sophomore point guard made 5 of 7 three-point attempts, including three during an 11-2 run in the first half that put Georgetown ahead to stay after it trailed 27-20. |
| Campbell (St. John’s High School) has started the past seven games after getting back to full health following an illness at the beginning of the season. The ailment kept him out for three games as well as the second half of a 75-71 loss to then-No. 3 Maryland in College Park. | |
| “I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Campbell said. “If [scoring] comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.” | “I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Campbell said. “If [scoring] comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.” |