Chances missed, loss taken

December 11, 2014 - Going into last night's game with Kansas, most believed Georgetown would challenge the number 10 ranked Jayhawks, and that they did, whittling an 11 point first half deficit to just a pair by intermission. Continuing that trend G'Town kept the second half a nip and tuck affair, one that included seven ties. The Hoyas were down by just one with 1:42 remaining, with momentum on their side, assisted by the many of the 14,164 in attendance.

Unfortunately, John Thompson III's unit couldn't capitalize, falling 75-70. In the end, it has to be recognized Georgetown (5-2) had chances, yet let them slip away.

Take Kansas' three pointer by sophomore guard Brannen Greene just two minutes, 34 seconds before the final buzzer. The shot gave Greene his 17th point (he finished with a team high 19), and continued a trend; the Hoyas routinely lost him weakside, where KU players found him. Greene was perfect from three point land (5-5), no one on his team attempted more than three with just one player, sophomore forward Wayne Seldon connecting on two three pointers during the contest. Kansas finished with a 58.8%, long ball mark.

"We had some key defensive mix ups at some key times" acknowledged an obviously disappointed Thompson afterward, who later attributed them to the Hoyas' relative youth - three freshman logged over 23 minutes - saying "As I try to sit here and be positive, you hope that some of the mistakes that the young guys make, they won't make later in the year".

Compounding Greene's shot was D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera's three ball miss with 62 seconds remaining. Smith-Rivera, who scored 10 points, eight in the first half, finished at only 3-15 from the field, including shooting 11% (1-9) in the second stanza. The attempt came just sixteen seconds after the Hoyas secured a Frank Mason turnover - Smith-Rivera arguably shot too early in the shot clock - and when G'Town was down just a point.

On his misses, Smith-Rivera opined "I think it was more just missing shots that I normally make. Rushing some shots that I should have taken my time with. It wasn't necessarily anything defensively...It was just shots that didn't go in". He ended up 0-5 from beyond the arch. As a team G'Town shot 31.3% from three.

The Jayhawks' coach, Bill Self admitted "We got lucky tonight because Smith-Rivera" didn't make shots". Freshman swingman L.J. Peak did, scoring 18 points, as did senior Hoya center Joshua Smith, who led the game with 20 points, produced on 8-13 from the field.

The squad notched a 40.4% overall shooting clip (23-57), and was led in rebounds and assists by Smith-Rivera, at 10 and six, respectively. Freshman forward Paul White also reached double figures with 10 points, while senior forward Mikael Hopkins pulled down nine caroms.

The Jayhawks enjoyed double figure scoring numbers from Mason (14 points), while junior forward Perry Ellis finished with 13, and tied G'Town's Smith-Rivera by pulling down a game high 10 boards.

Saturday Self's guys host Utah at 215p. Thompson and his crew welcome Radford for a noon tip.

Thompson, knowing his team let one slip from their collective grasp was, was at a loss of words for what happened, saying "At this juncture it's hard to assess that right now. You just keep replaying different possessions on both ends of the court where if you do this or don't do that, use better communication…I don't know".

Answers will be found in the next two days.