For a day, Georgetown existed in THE college hoops spotlight. The last time this storied program did essentially was it's Final Four, NCAA Tournament in 2007.
How you ask?
Head coach Ed Cooley, staff and players ventured to Providence College, yesterday, falling in close measure to the homestanding Friars 84-76. Fueling the attention was Cooley's previous standing as PC's head coach (2010=23). Doing the most damage was obviously a player he recruited.
"They have one of the best two way players in college basketball." said Cooley of his former charge, junior guard Devin Carter. "And he really won that game".
Carter dropped a game best 29p, work that prompted Cooley to later note "I was happy to see Devin. I was hoping he missed a bunch of shots (chuckles). Devin is going to be a lottery pick. He's a helluva player".
A Miami, Florida native, recruited by Cooley after transferring from South Carolina, Carter saved his best work for last: With just 113 seconds to play and down one, Carter accounted for 11 PC points via one three pointer, two free throws and two layups along with a incredible flush.
The outcome was aided throughout, dramatically at close, by G'Town's play, including a lamentable two second stretch in which Hoya senior guard Jay Heath (5p, 2r, 3a) made an inexplicable turnover passing the rock, before allowing Carter those pair of charity stripers.
Carter went 10-14 from the field, 2-5 on long balls, 7-9 from the free throw stripe, entering the game second in BIG EAST scoring. A pair of grad transfers from George Mason, Josh Oduro and Ticket Gaines chipped in 22p, 6r and 14p, 7r. This tandem is a center and wing, respectively.
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As a unit, Providence HC Kim English's group managed 55% shooting from the field, 26% on three pointers. They won sub-battles in paint points (46-23), fastbreak points (15-5), blocks (7-0}, steals (10-6), 14-11 regarding assists.
Jayden Epps, G'Town's leading scorer that does the same thing on the BIG EAST level, logged 26p, 4r, 6a, while grad forward Ish Massoud poured in 16p, also equaling PC's Gaines for top game boarding honors with seven. Next up in Blue and Grey double figure scoring was junior center Supreme Cook, accounting for 15p, 4r.
Shooting stats for Georgetown were 44% overall, 35% beyond the arc. Points off turnovers was a mini-Hoya win (24-17), like total rebounds at 31-29.
But this game was about much more than shots, stops, boards and plays. The central theme was Cooley's return to a program he literally returned to prominence over these past 12 seasons. Add the palpable hostility many P'C fans showered Cooley and his program over the last nine months, when he announced plans for a first in history, intra conference coaches transfer.
.During an around a 12 minute postgame interview, Cooley repeatedly expressed love for Providence the town and school, as "i'm very grateful..I'll always be proud the be the former coach of Providence College. And I'm really proud to live and grow up here".
Was the game circled on his calendar like so many?
"Truthfully, no it wasn't. Everything that's circled on my calendar is the next game" responded Cooley, truly a professional coach since "In the BIG EAST, you better have every game circled.
"Now was emotion on 100% for this game? Absolutely" he continued. "But for the fans and everyone else, they SHOULD circle it".
In fact, he urged the Friar faithful to "Embrace the young, dynamite coach that you have...and you have a chance to develop with him".
That's Kim English, former HC at George Mason, a young coach he applauds: "What do I like about him? He's dynamic, he's innovative, . In today's style of play, his kids embrace it. You know, very simplistic, his team's really defend. I like his personality.
"And the best thing that i like, we have another African American coach, that's a high major coach, that not a lot of schools are BRAVE ENOUGH, to go back to back with minority coaches.
"That's a credit to the school".
He also dapped his guys, who fell behind nine in the first stanza, before entering intermission down just 37-33. The Hoyas proceeded to trail by 12 points during the second half, erased that deficit even taking a three point lead, clock then showing three ticks under three minutes.
"i had joy in my soul for my players because of how hard we played", recalled Cooley. "We haven't played the best this year. Our record is what it is. I was proud of how our players came back".
Next steps?
Per Cooley, "Our team needs to learn how to win. Our team needs to learn how to close out games...When you're building and starting a different culture and different identity, players need to learn how to win". He also opined "I think it's a trust thing with our men. I think it's a belief thing. And hopefully this elevates us a little bit".
The next chance for Georgetown (8-12, 1-8/10th in the BIG EAST) to display said improvement drops next Saturday, (2.3.24) when surging league foe Marquette comes to DC. Tip-off is 2p EST.
Providence has now won three consecutive games, and hopes the steak continues 1.31.24, when nationally ranked and defending National Champion UConn hosts the Friars , an 830p, prime time start. English's crew is now 14-6, 5-4/5th.
Quotables
Cooley on driving to the arena as a visitor and present PC support
"It felt different. I hadn't done that since i was the head coach at Fairfield. The energy around the city, around the game, honestly i was proud of that. i was proud of that. Because when we came here 13 years ago, that wasn't there..I had a small piece of the energy that was in here today".
Cooley on Carter and how he's being handled by English
"I've seen Devin make those shots so much, even in practice. You have to give Kim and his staff credit for his improvement. He plays with so, so much confidence.
"Confidence is everything in sport, as you know...He has the freedom, he has the where with all and ability - he can drive it, he can shoot it.
"I just think it's a credit to their organization and their putting him in positions for success".
Epps on Carter
"Like Coach said, he's a pretty good player. We scouted him. Fell like, like Coach said, he's a good player.''
"So we just did the best we could...down the stretch they executed, and came out with the win". .
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