The frantic final two possessions for Georgetown (6-21, 0-16) included three missed three-pointers, the final two by Jalin Billingsley, after Blue Demons guard Javon Freeman-Liberty scored the recreation’s final 4 factors, together with the go-ahead layup with 1:01 to play.
“We had opportunities to win,” embattled Hoyas coach Patrick Ewing stated. “We got some great looks at the end of the game. Jalin Billingsley got a couple good looks. It just wasn’t going in for us tonight.”
Aminu Mohammed led Georgetown with 18 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. The extremely touted freshman additionally had an offensive rebound in the closing seconds in addition to a steal that allowed the Hoyas to get the ball to Billingsley for a final three-point try.
Donald Carey added 15 factors and three assists, and Billingsley completed with 10 factors, making each of his three-pointers in the second half. The 6-foot-8 freshman ahead got here into the recreation having made simply one among his eight three-point makes an attempt on the season.
His final three-pointer got here as the shot clock expired and delivered Georgetown a 64-63 lead with 2:15 left in the second half earlier than Freeman-Liberty knotted the rating by making the second of two free throws with 1:31 to play, organising the hectic end.
“We didn’t turn the ball over as much in the second half,” Ewing stated. “Jalin Billingsley did a good job. They pressed. We did a good job of handling their press for the most part tonight.”
In a recreation with 11 lead modifications in the second half, Georgetown moved in entrance, 50-45, when Carey scored six factors in 30 seconds, together with a layup with 10:47 to play. But the Hoyas went and not using a area aim for almost seven minutes after that.
The Blue Demons went on a 13-3 run, getting 4 layups over that stretch, together with two in a row from Freeman-Liberty, who scored a game-high 25 factors on 8-for-21 capturing. He additionally made 8 of 12 foul photographs and added seven rebounds and three assists.
Nick Ongenda and Yor Anei every chipped in 11 factors for the Blue Demons (13-14, 4-14), who’ve solely seven scholarship gamers on the roster underneath Coach Tony Stubblefield, a former assistant who changed Dave Leitao this season.
The Hoyas claimed their first lead of the second half, 31-30, when Dante Harris transformed an acrobatic layup with 19:12 to play, however DePaul responded by scoring 5 in a row, with three of these factors from Freeman-Liberty.
Georgetown trailed at halftime, 30-26, after the Blue Demons threatened to construct a commanding lead on the power of a 12-0 run that includes consecutive three-pointers by Jalen Terry and Philmon Gebrewhit and Freeman-Liberty’s layup that led to Ewing calling timeout with 6:04 to go.
Ewing deployed small lineup following the stoppage, with all three of Georgetown’s 7-footers, together with beginning middle Ryan Mutombo, remaining on the bench. The tactic yielded back-to-back three-pointers from Billingsley and Carey to reel the deficit again to two possessions.
What to find out about Georgetown’s loss:
Malcolm Wilson contributes
The Hoyas middle got here off the bench to assist spark a 9-2 burst early in the second half with consecutive two-handed dunks. The first got here off a lob from Carey, and after a DePaul layup, Wilson dunked once more earlier than Carey’s three-pointer gave Georgetown a 38-37 lead.
Wilson completed with 9 factors, the second most in his profession, and three rebounds in 12 minutes. The 7-footer’s profession excessive is 13 earlier this season in opposition to Howard.
“He did a pretty good job,” Ewing stated of Wilson. “He got a couple rebounds, made a couple of key plays. I thought he did a pretty good job for the 12 minutes he played.”
Georgetown fell to 2-37 underneath Ewing in Big East video games when it scored 70 factors or fewer. This season the Hoyas’ six wins have come courtesy of their six highest level totals.
