Post by FLHoya on Dec 7, 2008 1:20:53 GMT -5
HOYAS-American (12/6/08, 73-49 W)
For the second straight game, Georgetown renewed a long-dormant series with a local rival.
And for the second straight game, the Hoyas did everything possible to kill the series.
A 13-0 run to begin and 16-0 run to end the first half was enough to do in American University on Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center in the second renewal of the series between D.C. neighbors.
To paraphrase John Feinstein, was this another case of “A Good Rivalry Spoiled”?
Last Sunday the Hoyas defeated the Maryland Terrapins 75-48 in Lake Buena Vista, FL before about 1,000 Hoya and Terp fans combined at a venue named after a dairy product. The saving grace for Maryland fans in the blowout was that it coincided with the Redskins’ clash against the NFC East leading New York Giants, which dominated the coverage in Monday’s sports sections across the Beltway. As highly anticipated as a regular season Maryland-Georgetown game has been, the Old Spice Classic third place game came and went with seemingly barely a whimper in the local media.
Though American and Georgetown didn’t play between the mid-80s and last December, the AU-GU showdown was never going to draw any real local buzz, despite the Eagles returning most of the pieces of last season’s NCAA Tournament squad. Even still, the Verizon Center seemed noticeably subdued throughout the proceedings on Saturday, with little to distinguish from the Drexel game two weekends ago—right down to roughly similar student fan groups seated in the 400 level. Recaps of today’s game will likely be buried tomorrow under preview articles for…the Redskins-Ravens game.
Perhaps the most important point to note about Georgetown’s last two local rivalry games is that neither was particularly important in itself—nobody will look back on the Maryland or American games at the end of the season with anything more than a passing glance and a laugh in the general direction of Greivis Vazquez.
Rather, the victories over Maryland and American were more properly an exam and a cram session. The victory over the Terps proved that the Hoyas had learned their lesson from a difficult opening round OSC game against Wichita State and a demoralizing late second-half collapse against the Tennessee Volunteers. The importance attached to Old Spice Classic Game 11 is not that Georgetown blew out and shut up Maryland…it’s that they turned the ball over less, rebounded better, shot the ball well from outside, and played their most complete game of the tournament.
Likewise, today’s game wasn’t about beating the school up Wisconsin Avenue. It was about whether we can beat the school that handed us our first loss last season—the Memphis Tigers. The second half resembled a 20-minute scrimmage, with bench players getting extensive run and the offensive and defensive strategy drilled into their heads.
So what have we learned?
If you listen to John Thompson III, there is still much to be learned.
"It's about us; it's not about the opponent,” Coach Thompson remarked after the game, “It's not about the score; it's about us trying to prepare, us trying to get better, us trying to improve."
Indeed, several areas of concern remain for the Hoyas. A relatively undersized AU squad outrebounded the Hoyas 30-24, including 18 offensive boards—spread evenly between the two halves, lest we conclude that the team simply stopped giving 110% in the second half while up nearly 30. The Hoya bench had as many fouls as points—eight. And the Hoyas allowed their opponent to outscore them 37-33 in the second half on the strength of numerous second-chance points and open jumpers from the elbow.
To be sure…the Hoyas DID lead 40-12 at halftime on 56% shooting, while holding AU to a mere 20% from the field. Chris Wright did chip in 22 points, Austin Freeman six assists, and Dajuan Summers a surprising three offensive rebounds.
But it will be the areas of concern, not the remarkable first half dominance, that weigh on the mind of Coach Thompson. He’ll consider the 37-33 second half as much or more than the 40-12 first half. He’ll think about Memphis as he’s pondering how the Hoyas competed against American.
Tomorrow…while the Ravens play the Redskins, a few thousand fans will travel to the Verizon Center to watch a local doubleheader—Virginia Tech vs. Navy and Maryland vs. George Washington. Last year was a banner year for Beltway basketball…as Georgetown, American, George Mason, Mount St. Mary’s, UMBC and Coppin State all made the NCAA tournament.
This year, many of the DC-area schools have struggled out of the gate…and while the sign held up at the Verizon Center today may hold a kernel of truth that the pecking order of DC basketball is Georgetown, everyone else, and Maryland, even the Hoyas have yet to make a big splash on the college basketball scene in 2008-2009.
Having dispatched with little fanfare two local opponents, Georgetown will get its next chance to do so…against another team from Tennessee…this Saturday.
AHEAD: The increasing efficiency of Chris Wright, the improving interior presence of Dajuan Summers, and the diminishing returns of the Hoya bench…in the PLAYER EVALUATIONS.
For the second straight game, Georgetown renewed a long-dormant series with a local rival.
And for the second straight game, the Hoyas did everything possible to kill the series.
A 13-0 run to begin and 16-0 run to end the first half was enough to do in American University on Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center in the second renewal of the series between D.C. neighbors.
To paraphrase John Feinstein, was this another case of “A Good Rivalry Spoiled”?
Last Sunday the Hoyas defeated the Maryland Terrapins 75-48 in Lake Buena Vista, FL before about 1,000 Hoya and Terp fans combined at a venue named after a dairy product. The saving grace for Maryland fans in the blowout was that it coincided with the Redskins’ clash against the NFC East leading New York Giants, which dominated the coverage in Monday’s sports sections across the Beltway. As highly anticipated as a regular season Maryland-Georgetown game has been, the Old Spice Classic third place game came and went with seemingly barely a whimper in the local media.
Though American and Georgetown didn’t play between the mid-80s and last December, the AU-GU showdown was never going to draw any real local buzz, despite the Eagles returning most of the pieces of last season’s NCAA Tournament squad. Even still, the Verizon Center seemed noticeably subdued throughout the proceedings on Saturday, with little to distinguish from the Drexel game two weekends ago—right down to roughly similar student fan groups seated in the 400 level. Recaps of today’s game will likely be buried tomorrow under preview articles for…the Redskins-Ravens game.
Perhaps the most important point to note about Georgetown’s last two local rivalry games is that neither was particularly important in itself—nobody will look back on the Maryland or American games at the end of the season with anything more than a passing glance and a laugh in the general direction of Greivis Vazquez.
Rather, the victories over Maryland and American were more properly an exam and a cram session. The victory over the Terps proved that the Hoyas had learned their lesson from a difficult opening round OSC game against Wichita State and a demoralizing late second-half collapse against the Tennessee Volunteers. The importance attached to Old Spice Classic Game 11 is not that Georgetown blew out and shut up Maryland…it’s that they turned the ball over less, rebounded better, shot the ball well from outside, and played their most complete game of the tournament.
Likewise, today’s game wasn’t about beating the school up Wisconsin Avenue. It was about whether we can beat the school that handed us our first loss last season—the Memphis Tigers. The second half resembled a 20-minute scrimmage, with bench players getting extensive run and the offensive and defensive strategy drilled into their heads.
So what have we learned?
If you listen to John Thompson III, there is still much to be learned.
"It's about us; it's not about the opponent,” Coach Thompson remarked after the game, “It's not about the score; it's about us trying to prepare, us trying to get better, us trying to improve."
Indeed, several areas of concern remain for the Hoyas. A relatively undersized AU squad outrebounded the Hoyas 30-24, including 18 offensive boards—spread evenly between the two halves, lest we conclude that the team simply stopped giving 110% in the second half while up nearly 30. The Hoya bench had as many fouls as points—eight. And the Hoyas allowed their opponent to outscore them 37-33 in the second half on the strength of numerous second-chance points and open jumpers from the elbow.
To be sure…the Hoyas DID lead 40-12 at halftime on 56% shooting, while holding AU to a mere 20% from the field. Chris Wright did chip in 22 points, Austin Freeman six assists, and Dajuan Summers a surprising three offensive rebounds.
But it will be the areas of concern, not the remarkable first half dominance, that weigh on the mind of Coach Thompson. He’ll consider the 37-33 second half as much or more than the 40-12 first half. He’ll think about Memphis as he’s pondering how the Hoyas competed against American.
Tomorrow…while the Ravens play the Redskins, a few thousand fans will travel to the Verizon Center to watch a local doubleheader—Virginia Tech vs. Navy and Maryland vs. George Washington. Last year was a banner year for Beltway basketball…as Georgetown, American, George Mason, Mount St. Mary’s, UMBC and Coppin State all made the NCAA tournament.
This year, many of the DC-area schools have struggled out of the gate…and while the sign held up at the Verizon Center today may hold a kernel of truth that the pecking order of DC basketball is Georgetown, everyone else, and Maryland, even the Hoyas have yet to make a big splash on the college basketball scene in 2008-2009.
Having dispatched with little fanfare two local opponents, Georgetown will get its next chance to do so…against another team from Tennessee…this Saturday.
AHEAD: The increasing efficiency of Chris Wright, the improving interior presence of Dajuan Summers, and the diminishing returns of the Hoya bench…in the PLAYER EVALUATIONS.