Published Jan 30, 2021
Hoyas reject Providence's win bid
Ron Bailey  •  HoyaReport
Publisher

This is an official press release.

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Georgetown Comes Back for 73-72 Victory over ProvidenceWASHINGTON – The Hoyas scored the go-ahead basket with just over a minute remaining as the Georgetown University men’s basketball team overcame a 15-point first half deficit for an exciting 73-72 win over Providence in a BIG EAST Conference matchup at McDonough Arena on Saturday afternoon. With the win, GU improves to 4-8 on the season and 2-5 in league play, while the Friars fall to 9-8 overall and 5-6 in conference action.

ON THE RECORD“It was a great win for us. That’s one of the things I talked about with my guys, that we showed some growth today. We always talk about basketball as a game of runs. They jumped on us early, we went down 15. We fought back, cut it to four, but we didn’t give up there. We took the lead, they took the lead. It was nip-and-tuck … We just kept on fighting, kept on persevering and then was able to come away with the win. We showed a lot of growth today."- Head Coach Patrick Ewing on the comeback victory“It feels good. I am happy that we got the win … I feel that I am starting to get more comfortable with the system and knowing where I am going to attack and get my shots. It felt good to get this win for sure, to get back on the winning side.”- Georgetown graduate transfer Chudier Bile on his role in the win

HOYA HIGHLIGHTS● Bile led the Hoyas with a season-high 18 points off the bench, including going 10-of-12 from the free throw line, and also grabbed a game-best nine rebounds.● Jamorko Pickett and Donald Carey were both in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively, as they each knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.● Jahvon Blair and Qudus Wahab each chipped in nine points, while Blair paced the offense with six assists.● Making his first career start, Timothy Ighoefe tied a career high with seven rebounds to go along with two blocks and six points.● The Hoyas outrebounded Providence 47-33 and outscored the Friars in bench points 28-12.

HOW IT HAPPENED● Providence scored the first 10 points before two baskets by Wahab, sandwiched around a Pickett layup, cut the deficit to 12-6.● The Friars opened up a 15-point lead (29-14), but a quick 8-0 run by the Hoyas - including a jumper by Dante Harris and three points apiece from Pickett and Bile - made it 29-22 with 7:06 left in the first half.● A layup and 3-pointer by Carey made it a six-point game (39-33) before another trey from Pickett with 28 seconds remaining in the first half made it a 42-38 game at the midway point.● A bucket by Pickett and 3-pointer from Bile to open the second half gave the Hoyas their first lead of the game at 43-42.● After Providence retook a five-point lead, two free throws from Bile and a transition 3-pointer by Blair knotted things back up at 52.● The score went back and forth until Wahab hit a short jumper with 1:16 remaining to put Georgetown ahead 70-69.● Following a defensive stop, Pickett grabbed an important offensive rebound and Blair was eventually fouled. He hit both from the charity stripe to put GU up by three with 16 seconds remaining.● After a Providence basket, Bile hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it a 73-71 game. Providence was fouled with just a second left on the clock, but missed the second free throw as Wahab secured the rebound and the final buzzer sounded

.OF NOTE● Saturday was Georgetown’s first game in three weeks following a pause due to COVID-19 protocols.● Blair connected on a 3-pointer for the 25th-consecutive game, and now has 177 for his career which ranks sixth all-time at Georgetown.● Pickett sits in 11th place on GU’s career list with 151 career 3-pointers.

UP NEXT FOR THE HOYASThe Hoyas will next play at No. 17/14 Creighton on Wednesday, February 3 in the first of back-to-back contests against the Bluejays. Tipoff in Omaha is set for 9 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast live on FS1.