Final Score: 74-66 Husky loss (6-2)
Four Factors:
You might be shocked to learn that the Huskies won both the shooting and rebounding factors. However, they won them by slim margins and got decimated in the other two, posting a season high TO% of 31.6. Terrible. I don't care how good a team you are, you're not winning if you turn the ball over that often.
Summary:
The game was close in the first half. Back and forth early, Georgetown pulled ahead late, then UW closed and took the lead before going into the half down one. Quincy Pondexter was all over the floor, and despite numerous fast break chances that resulted in no points (due to missed shots and turnovers) and a lot of sloppy play the Dawgs were playing the Hoyas tough and looked like they had a very good shot at winning. A couple of adjustments to stop easy baskets and tighten up the ballhandling and they could come out and take a lead and come out with a W. Unfortunately that's the exact opposite of what happened. Nothing changed on defense, and John Thompson III exposed the Huskies fronting the post by extending the wings and spacing their offense out so that a help defender could not arrive in time to stop after the lob pass was made. Easy baskets were had all half. UW's perimeter defense didn't change either. They played passing lanes and continued to get sizzled on backdoor cuts. Offensively the ball was like a greased ham to the UW players. Georgetown came out in the second half with energy and a plan of attack, and made their run. By the time Washington made its counter run, the game was over, and all the run did was get the game to single digits.
Player of the Game:
I'm tempted to give it to Darnell Gant, for being the only Husky without a turnover, but it has to go to Pondexter yet again. 26 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. He also had 5 turnovers, but I can overlook those pretty easily when he had 5 steals to balance them out.
It Was Over When:
Georgetown went on a 516*-2 run to start the second half.
Stat of the Game:
25 turnovers
Other Observations:
The game came down to two things: coaching and turnovers. The team was simply not ready to play the second half, and that falls on Lorenzo Romar and company.
More on coaching: with Georgetown up 3, coach Raphael Chillious got whistled for a technical. Georgetown hit both free throws and scored on that possession, turning 3 into 7 and sparking their run.
Darnell Gant needs to play more. He can guard every position (very helpful in Romar's system) and is probably the best team defender on the roster. He rebounds and does all the little things well. I keep finding myself wondering why his minutes are shrinking.
Abdul Gaddy is close. Closer than people think. I feel like in the next few games he's going to have lightbulb moment where it clicks for him. That doesn't mean he's going to start scoring 20 with 10 assists, but the offense will run much more smoothly.
I could write all day on this game, but I feel like it's been pretty well covered. I still like where this team is. As I said earlier, the two losses were away from home to teams that are a combined 17-0. There's no shame in that, and as long as the play improves throughout the season, we'll be in great shape come March.
*Approximate