Below is a discussion of game aspects germane to Georgetown's 73-68 loss at Seton Hall, Wednesday night.
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Forward Kaiden Rice had a record setting outing -he bested former Georgetown and eventual NBA star Allen Iverson in single season three pointers, placing the graduate student tops in Georgetown history. For those counting, Rice logged a game high 17 points in a reserve role over 30 minutes. His work was done over 6-9 overall shooting, 5-8 from beyond the arc. r
Absent his team's loss, Rice's performance sounds made for TV; a player preparing for life after college gets his name in the history books, and that's certainly true. So is there a problem?
Well, yes, as Rice went scoreless in the second half, missing both of his shots during the last 20 minutes, including a possible game tying three ball with just nine clicks left in regulation.
How did things turn so drastically different?
"They didn't "give him any open looks" opined head coach Pat Ewing, who also noted of Rice's final shot attempt "even the one at the end it was open but they closed on him really fast and rushed his shot".
What was his play call that produced Rice's aberrant, final attempt?
Ewing revealed "We tried to get a three", yet would accept "whatever was available". He "thought they did a good job of getting him open...shot was just short".
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In terms of rebounding, the Hoyas were battered, with Seton Hall's Pirates besting them 45-29 in that department. Fourteen were secured in the second half. The last minute and four seconds crystalized this: Seton Hall's senior forward Jared Rhoden missed the front end of a one and one free throw opportunity, the team up a pair of points. Instead of securing the possession and protecting their slight deficit, Georgetown allowed Pirate junior forward Tyrese Sameuel to swoop in and grab the ball, securing another chance to extend their lead.
That they did, ironically after yet another offensive rebound, this one from graduate guard Jermaine Harris 17 seconds later. He was fouled, sank both charity stripe attempts, pushing Seton Hall's lead to an insurmountable four points, thereby securing victory.
Ewing lamented his team's work on the glass generally and Samuel's carom specifically, emphasizing "At the end of the game there we were down two, they were at the free throw line. They missed the free throw, we HAVE to come up with that rebound",
Could playing small - devoid of traditional, plodding frontcourt players - which helped keep G'Town in the game also be a rebounding curse?
Ewing wasn't hearing it, declaring "I don't care if we went small or what, we still have to come down with the rebound. Especially we gave them 19 offensive rebound, 14 of them in the second half".
Ewing summed "We have lost enough games, since I've been here with people rebounding". The antidote is "We just have to get it done".
Same for a related topic - back line pick and roll/slip defense. Often, being size challenged, Georgetown was forced to rotate smaller player to meet a larger Seton Hall performer in the lane, attempting to slow and guard them before the defense could reset.
Per Ewing "We just have to fight, compete. Other people have done it. It doesn't make a difference you have to want it that bad, you're going to do everything it takes to get it done. According to him "So it's something that we continue to work on, and we're going to get better at it as we go on".
Be sure to visit Premium Court for more, including how Collin Holloway held it down and Ewing's staying power.
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