AD Report: Hoyas End Losing Streak!
Enjoy this Georgetown game report, documenting the team's 81-76 win over DePaul, a termination of the Hoyas' 29 game, BIG EAST Conference losing streak.
For press conferences, visit Premium Court. Part of that package is an exclusive session with DePaul head guy, Tony Stubblefield. From a Hoya perspective, HC Pat Ewing, junior Akok Akok and Primo Spears, a sophomore, also commented to reporters.
Late Free Throws Push Hoyas Past DePaul
WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University men’s basketball team picked up their first conference win of the season against the DePaul Blue Demons 81-76. Primo Spears led a trio of Hoyas in double figures with 21 points, six assists and four rebounds. Brandon Murray and Akok Akok also reached double figures with 12 points each.
ON THE RECORD
“I thought the guys fought hard. They made the plays that they need to make, they made the free throws that they need to make. Those are some big free throws. (Primo’s) pull-up game wasn’t dropping today but he did a lot of other things to help us to win. BMurray coming back helped us, and this guy right here, Akok Akok. Four great blocks, especially that one on the break hitting it off the backboard. I told him the last game and this game, those are the energy and effort plays that we need out of him and he’s been bringing it for us” - Head Coach Patrick Ewing on today’s game
“We have a great group of guys in the locker room that don’t give up. From the end of the bench to the front of it with our leader to the right of me. I think that with the group of guys that we have in the locker room it’s easier than what it looks like to you guys because our locker room is so solid” - Primo Spears on the Hoyas squad
“Coach Ewing kept emphasizing the message just stay in the fight, keep believing. Some of the points that he’s made are pride and having pride in wearing the Georgetown jersey. That’s just a couple things that are important within our program, so just sticking in the fight and keep believing in our teammates and our coaches. I think that’s what led us to a win tonight” - Akok Akok on the win
● For the second-straight game, Primo Spears led the Hoyas in scoring, tallying 21 points on seven made field goals to go along with a squad-best six assists.
● Akok Akok added 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting, including a pair of triples, to go along with six rebounds and a game-best four blocks.
● Brandon Murray rounded out the Hoyas in double figures with 12 points to go along with a game-best four steals while he chipped in five assists on the night.
● Qudus Wahab led the Hoyas on the glass with 10 rebounds while adding in nine points.
● Georgetown (6-15, 1-9 BIG EAST) shot 44.6% (25-56) for the game but allowed DePaul 49.2% (29-59) shooting from the floor. The Hoyas tallied 20 points on 12 Blue Demon turnovers.
● The Hoyas owned the battle on the glass, outrebounding DePaul, 36-34.
● Despite the Blue Demons (9-12, 3-7 BE) getting on the board first, the Hoyas reeled off seven unanswered capped by a Jordan Riley layup to take an early 7-2 advantage.
● However, DePaul would not go away, clawing its way back in and even taking a 10-9 lead before a Spears bucket followed by an Akok 3-pointer pushed the Hoyas back up 14-10 (11:23).
● Despite five straight from Wayne Bristol Jr., DePaul kept chipping away, eventually knotting the game at 21 and even taking a 26-22 lead before Bryson Mozone tallied a quick five points and Bristol added another bucket for the Hoyas to regain the lead 29-26 (4:16).
● Down one (30-29), the Hoyas strung together seven straight bookended by Murray buckets to take a 36-30 lead. DePaul found momentum at the end of the frame and went into the locker room with the 37-36 lead.
● The Blue Demons were again first on the board to start the half, but the Blue & Gray looked to Qudus Wahab for a quick four. It would stay a one-possession game as the two teams traded points before a layup from Jordan Riley layup on the fast break pushed the Hoyas ahead five.
● Georgetown would lead by as many as nine (55-46, 12:44) but DePaul refused to give up and again found its way back in to eventually take a 58-57 lead (8:50).
● This time it was the Hoyas with the momentum staging a 12-5 run to take the 69-63 lead forcing the Blue Demon timeout at 3:25.
● The Hoyas pressed on the gas as free throws extended the lead to double digits with GU taking a 75-63 lead with 1:39 to play. Despite a mini run in the closing ticks of the game, the Hoyas won the game at the charity stripe, 81-76.
UP NEXT
The Blue & Gray hits the road on Sunday, January 29 when they head to New York for a matchup against the St. John’s University Red Storm. Tipoff at Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on FS1 with John Fanta calling the play-by-play and Tarik Turner providing analysis. Fans can hear the radio call of Rich Chvotkin, in his 49th season as the Voice of the Hoyas, locally on The Team 980 / Sirius XM 386.