When Georgetown tipped at 8p EST last night against DePaul, obviously the design was to win, a victory that would end their program record 27 straight losses to consecutive high major/Power 6 teams, a swoon that started last season and includes 20 straight BIG EAST setbacks in 2021-22 (including a BIG EAST Tournament loss to Seton Hall). Add three additional league losses this year to their regrettable total.
Did HC Pat Ewing's crew erase the fall?
No, as despite chipping a 10 point first half deficit to one late in the period, even taking a three point lead with 9:42 in regulation, Georgetown fell 83-76 to DePaul in Chicago's Wintrust Arena, further propelling their futility.
This time, ultimately ending G'Town's chances of victory was a 10-zip Blue Demon run over close to four, back stanza minutes, pushing them to a seven point lead. Brandon Murray's free throw with a minute to play set his Hoyas down just a pair of points, but that's as far as the Hoyas would get.
The slide unfortunately continues at 28.
Speaking of Murray, a sophomore guard, he set his career high last night with 29 points, producing that total via 11-17 shooting, 5-5 from three ball land. A downside were the seven turnovers he made.
Other Hoya accomplishments:
Sophomore guard Primo Spears dished 11 career/game best assists. He also tallied eight points, three rebounds and a steal, though five cough ups were also credited him.
Senior center Qudus Wahab's pulled down 16 rebounds, his highest total, one nobody equaled last night. Thirteen points, two blocks also were achieved, though he only made three of seven shots.
Ewing on GUHoyas.com, applauding Wahab and his team's overall glass cleaning (44-27), yet expressing disappointment for not fully taking advantage of it noted "we had 15 offensive rebounds but we only got 12 points out of it. We need to continue to rebound the basketball at that high clip, i thought that Q did a great job with seven offensive rebounds but we have to be able to capitalize on those".
Globally, he also lamented giveaways as "we had been doing a good job of keeping our turnovers down" yet "Today, we had 18 and gave them 25 points off those turnovers".
One player the Hoyas missed was junior forward Akok Akok, who managed just six minutes and provided no statistically identified input. Akok played no second half minutes, even staying longer in the locker room after intermission.
In the vacuum created by an assumed Akok injury, Wayne Bristol, Jr. and Bryson Mozone stepped up. The former, a junior wing, put up nine, Hoya-career best points. Grad forward Mozone also dropped nine points, while tying his personal Blue and Grey best seven rebound number.
DePaul, (7-7, 1-2 in BIG EAST) and coached by Tony Stubblefield, saw grad guard Umoja Gibson pour in 31 contest tops points, Classmate and forward, Javan Johnson logged 21 points, followed by Jalen Terry, a junior guard, scoring 14 points. Junior forward Da'Sean Nelson equalled Terry with five rebounds.
The Blue Demons shot 45.2% overall, 50% beyond the arch. Next up for the group is Providence, a home, January 1st tilt. Tip-off is set for 230p EST.
Georgetown (5-9, 0-3) is also set to host a fellow BIG EAST team on Sunday also, when Butler comes to DC. Festivities begin 630p EST.
""We made some good strides but, still disappointed in the loss. I thought our guys - we competed" said Georgetown's Ewing of their DePaul battle.
They will have to tamp down on turnovers, rebound and compete if Bulter's Bulldogs will be sent packing, Sunday, and avoid 29 consecutive high major defeats.
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