Teams

Georgetown:
The Hoyas were a little unlucky not to get a victory in this game. Aside from the slow start, the ran their offense effectively, finding open teammates, getting to the basket, and taking care of the ball for the most part. Even on the defensive end, they were blocking shots and forcing tough shots. However, they ran into a Marquette team that was on fire from beyond the arc. Even given that, Georgetown had the ball with a chance to win, and in a conference as tough as the Big East is this year, that is all you can ask for.

Marquette:
Marquette entered the game with two excruciatingly close Big East losses, and they played as if they would not allow it to be three. They are a team that relies heavily on the three-ball, and it paid off for them on this night. They hit 12-26 of of their three-point attempts, while were only 9-28 on their two-pointers. The Golden Eagles did as much as they could to win, but still needed a little luck to pull it out.

Players

Georgetown:
Austin Freeman had another big game with 20 points and six assists, but he did not get enough help from his teammates. Chris Wright was held scoreless in the second half, and Greg Monroe ended the game with as many turnovers as field goals, four. We know that when all three of these guys are on, the Hoyas are very tough to beat. We found out tonight that when only one of them is on, it will be tough to win.

Marquette:
David Cubillan was unconscious in this game, hitting all six of his three point attempts. At first, the Hoyas were allowing him open looks, but by the end of the game, he was making shots with a defender right in his face. I doubt he will have many games as successful as this one, but even if he has games that are only half as good, Marquette will be very pleased.

Coaches

I put this comment under Coaches, but it could equally have been put under Referees. The officiating was inconsistent, as the referees started the game by calling lots of touch fouls, then they let the teams play until the end of the first half, when they started whistling everything again. In the second half, they began to call some soft fouls, and Marquette Coach Buzz Williams received a technical foul for complaining. The only noticeable change in the officiating after that call was three off-the-ball offensive fouls called against the Hoyas for illegal screens. In a game where every possession mattered, it was a technical well worth it for Marquette.

Number of the Game

26: Points in the paint advantage for the Hoyas. Georgetown outscored their opponents 32-6 in the lane, but were still unable to pull out a win. It shows you how powerful the three-point shot is.