WE NEEDED THAT: Georgetown Out-Muscles DePaul, 68-65

Hoyas use second-chance points in the second half to fight off Demons

Your Georgetown Hoyas (8-7, 1-3 BIG EAST) earned their first conference win over the DePaul Blue Demons, 68-65. The Hoyas found some solid stretches of defense that led to good runs, but really relied on second-half second-chance points (16-6) to win and climb out of last place.

Jayden Epps returned to the lineup after missing time due to a sprained ankle and Ed Cooley started Epps, Rowan Brumbaugh, Dontrez Styles, Ismael Massoud, and Supreme Cook.

Neither team looked more skilled or polished during the first half but the Hoyas walked into halftime after a 7-0 run and led 34-32. Georgetown was 11 for 23 from the field in the first period and five for 12 from the perimeter. They were also 7 for 10 from the free-throw line in the half. Georgetown beat DePaul on the first half rebounds 17 to 15. DePaul scored 10 points off of turnovers while Georgetown only scored four DePaul also led in bench points, 14 to 10, as well as points in the paint 18 to 6. Overall, in the half, DePaul shot 12 for 30 from the field and only two for 12 from three.

Epps led the Hoyas in the half with 10 points on 4-7 shooting for the field and 2-5 from three, while Massoud contributed in 9 first half points on three for five shooting from the field and one for two from the perimeter. Drew Fielder chipped in seven points from the bench on two for three shooting from the field, hitting his only three pointer and making both of his free throws in nine energetic minutes.

The Hoyas had 7 first half assists and six turnovers. The Blue Demons had 10 assists on their 12 buckets, and managed to only have three turnovers in the half. Georgetown led the half in total rebounds 17 to 15 but was behind DePaul in off rebounds 5 to 3, as well as second chance points 5 to 4.

The Hoyas started the second half on a 12-6 run over the first six minutes, GU was leading 46-40 with 13:37 left.

But Georgetown followed it up with allowing a DePaul 8-2 run over three minutes. GU was still leading, 54-51, with 8:05 left.

Nearly 7 minutes later, the gap was still only three after each team scored 10 points and the score was 64-61 with 1:21 left. It was too close for comfort.

Georgetown had held the Blue Demons without a field goal almost 4 minutes, but only had free throws for a long stretch themselves.

DePaul’s Oden hit a three—with his foot debatably close to the line—with 9 seconds left to bring the score to 67-65. The Hoyas successfully inbounded the ball and Brumbaugh was sent to the line where he hit one. DePaul had a clean corner look to potentially send the game to overtime but missed and the Hoyas celebrated their first conference win.

In the second half, the Hoyas’ second chance points carried them to the win as they out-scored DePaul 16 to 6 and had beaten them on the offensive boards 11 to 5, as well as total rebounds 18 to 13. Georgetown also edged DePaul in the second half on points in the paint, 18 to 16, and points off of turnovers, 5 to 2. In the half, Georgetown shot 12 for 28 (42.9%) from the field and 3 for 9 from the perimeter, with Brumbaugh’s three three-pointers being the only bright spot in that department.

DePaul shot 13 for 24 (54%) from the field in the second period and only 3-6 from three. Cook and Brumbaugh each had 10 points to lead the second-half scoring while styles had six points and Massoud had four points. Epps, who had his eye scratched during the half, was held scoreless in the second half on 0-4 shooting including 0-2 from three. Georgetown had five assists on their 12 second-half baskets.

DePaul’s Da’Sean Nelson led all scorers with 15 points for the game on eight for 11 shooting. Nelson was on the bench for significant second-half time after his fourth foul. Supreme Cook led the Hoyas with 14 points for the game on three for five shooting and 8 for 12 from the charity stripe.

Massoud had 13 points on 5-10 shooting from the field and only one for three from the perimeter. Cook only had 4 rebounds for the game but Styles had 13 boards with his 7 points (3-7 FG, 0-1 3PT).

The Hoyas showed some different looks on defense, including the 1-3-1, which confused the Blue Demons at times. DePaul’s slower pace and long possessions allowed Georgetown to get some good in-game work on that end.

In the end, Georgetown’s offensive boards saved them from what could have been a troubling loss. The Hoyas led for 27 minutes in this one, but struggled to break away. Georgetown looked best in the second half when they got a paint touch from Cook or Styles. That also shifted DePaul’s bigs to open up lanes to crash the glass.

Georgetown next hosts Seton Hall (10-5, 3-1) this Tuesday at 6:30pm on FS1.