Teams

Georgetown:
The Hoyas gritted out a big win in a hostile environment to extend their winning streak to four games, beating Villanova 69-66. It was not the prettiest of performances, but Georgetown did enough down the stretch to preserve the victory.

Things started to look bleak for the Hoyas near the end of the game, as two costly turnovers due to the Villanova press allowed the Wildcats, and the crowd, back in the game. But, from then on out the Hoyas played nearly flawless basketball, scoring on every possession in the last two minutes and also not allowing the Wildcats’ most effective three point shooters an open look to tie the game on their final possession.

Georgetown’s defense also continues to look much improved, as they didn’t allow much penetration from the Villanova guards until the end of the game, when they were more focused on preventing the three-ball. And considering Georgetown got very little production from Chris Wright – six assists, four turnovers, and no points – the fact that they were able to win shows a continuing ability for the Hoyas to be successful without all their stars shining.

Villanova:
The Wildcats did not have their best shooting night, but were still able to stay in the game until the final moments. They trailed the entire second half, and while they could never get over the hump, they fought the whole time, and every time it looked like Georgetown was ready to put the game away, the Wildcats responded with a run to get back in it. Their press created turnovers, and perhaps if they had applied it earlier, it might have changed the outcome. However, for a team that relies on its shooting as much as Villanova, the Wildcats only make five threes in the game, and it will be tough for them to win when that happens.

Players

Georgetown:
Austin Freeman had another 30 point game, seemingly effortlessly. He made a number of clutch plays down the stretch, scoring 10 of the Hoyas last 12 points, including a pull up 18 footer with the shot clock running down to put the Hoyas up three with under a minute to go. Freeman also had six assists, none more important than his pass through a trap to Nate Lubick under the basket for a dunk on Georgetown’s ensuing possession.

Last year when the Hoyas traveled to Villanova, Julian Vaughn was saddled with foul trouble, played limited minutes, and finished the game without a point. He had a much better performance this year. Before Freeman’s end of the game heroics, Vaughn had a streak of his own, scoring seven straight points for the Hoyas midway through the second half. An often forgotten player for the Hoyas, Vaughn came up big for the Hoyas.

Villanova
Corey Fisher is a great shooter and slasher, and he can get to the basket effectively. Georgetown did a good job on him in the second half, only letting him score one field goal. However, his backcourt teammate Corey Stokes picked up the slack. He had been in a slump recently, but he seems to have snapped out of it, going 3-4 from beyond the arc and scoring 11 of his 13 points in the second half.

Referees

With two minutes to go in the second half, Georgetown called timeout. I remember thinking that this timeout meant neither side could stop the clock anymore, and the game would come down to which team could execute better without the aid of stoppages to discuss strategy. However, this would end up not being the case, as multiple times during the final minutes, the referees stopped the game to look at replays for seemingly no reason. There were no controversial plays or questionable three-point calls. It seemed like the only reason they were stopping play was to allow the coaches time to talk with their players. It probably benefited Villanova more, as they had used their final timeout with eight minutes remaining in the game.

Fans

The proximity of Washington DC and Philadelphia makes Georgetown-Villanova games a great environment, with fans from both schools packing the house. This game was no exception, as there were a lot of Hoya fans at the game, and they could be heard throughout the game with their chants of “Hoya Saxa” and “We Are Georgetown.” And while I prefer to not make too much noise when in the opposition’s gym, I couldn’t help myself from shouting along with the “Austin Freeman” cheer with under a minute to go.

Number of the Game

15: Free throws made by Austin Freeman and Julian Vaughn. The two Hoyas were a perfect 15-15 from the stripe against the Wildcats, and every one of those was crucial, as there were a number of one-and-one trips that the two converted. In a game that comes down to the wire, every point is critical, and seeing that Villanova was only 17-24 from the line, the free throws really helped make the difference.