Tuesday, January 21, 2014

My thoughts on Gtown's overtime loss to Marquette





The energy and exictement was there last night especially from the students. During warmups the Hoyas looking confident and bouncy so to speak. They looked like they were ready and they were. This time there was no big lead to be loss. Marquette came out of gates with an early 7-0 lead.

 The Hoyas didn't score their first basket until 16:50 by senior forward Nate Lubick. The Hoyas ddn't score another basket until after an offiicial timeout at 15:30. This made the score 7-6. The next Hoyas basket didn't come until 11:33 from senior point guard Markel Starks which tied the score up at 9-9. By then, I knew something special was brewing for the Hoyas. 

I knew they would fight the rest of the way because they didn't let Marquette's 7-0 run stop them from what they needed to accomplish in the first half. Senior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera knocked down a three pointer to pull within one point of Marquette at the 9:30 mark to make the score 13-12 in favor of Marquette. 

Starks made a layup at 9:39 to give the Hoyas their first lead of the game 14-13. After a free throw made by Marquette the score was tied 14-14 from 9:18 to 6:19 for both teams. Freshman Reggie Cameron knocked down two free throws. Score, Hoyas up 16-14.

During the first half the Hoyas only missed two free throws. Those were missed by senior center Moses Ayegba. At 5:52 the score was tied up at 16 by two free throws made by Marquette. 

At 4:41 the Hoyas took their biggest lead in the first half 20-16 on a tip in by Ayegba. Marquette tied the game up 25-25 on a layup made by Davante Gardner at the 1:51 mark of the first half. Marquette's John Dawson made a three pointer with .21 to put Marquette up 28-25. With .03 to Hoyas guard River-Smith was fouled. He went to the free throw line and sank two free throws. The score at the half was 28-27 in favor of Marquette. 

River-Smith knocked down two three pointer's to start the second half, but the Hoyas were still down by one point 34-33. 14:53 the Hoyas went to the line and knocked down two free throws. Moments later the Hoyas got fouled and went back to the free throw line to knock down two more free throws to give them a one point lead 39-38. 

At 13:43 Rivera-Smith knocked down another two pointer to give his team a 41-38 lead. The Hoyas kept their lead until At 12:21 Starks made a three pointer at 9:54 then a jump shot, this increased the Hoyas lead by seven, 51-44 with 9:00 to go in the game.

Now take in mind the Hoyas only went to the free throw line since the start of the second half. This told me no inside play was taking place whatsover at this point in the game. Hoyas big's rarely got any touches in the paint for the second half. I think the guards could have done a better job of getting their bigs involved in the paint.. 

The Hoyas only shot 24% in the paint against Marquette.The guards should've recognized that Marquette's Davante Gardner had two fouls on him at the 17:50 mark in the second half and to go right at him. Point guards/guards have to recognize this.

This is part of their many duties as assigned. The object of the game is is to get the most important players (opponents) into foul trouble early, especially your opponents big's. This didn't happen, and it was costly because Gardner got fouled and knocked down both free throw at 3:21 and .28 to bring his team within two 62-60. After a Marquette timeout (.28) Hoya Reggie Cameron was fouled, but he missed his crucial free throw.

Hoyas point guard Starks was fouled at .25. He went to the free throw line and knocked down two free throws to go up by four 64-60. With .19 to go in regulation Marquette's Gardner made a jump shot. His team was only down by two by then 64-62. 

Starks was fouled with .17 to go in the game, but he missed one of his crucial fouls shots that could've put his team up by  four instead of three points. .08 to go in the game, it was all in slow motion, Marquette's Todd Mayo knocks down a crucial three pointer at the top of the perimeter to tie the game at 65 and send it into overtime, something I know the Hoyas did not want due to being undermanned. 

During overtime Marquette came out of the gates with the first basket, to go on a quick 7-0 run. Quickly after Georgetown's timeout Smith-Rivera knocked down a three pointer, but the Hoyas were still down by 72-67 with 2:49 to go in overtime. 

Marquette called at timeout at 1:20, and out of that timeout they were fouled by the Hoyas. Marquette made the rest of their free throw in overtime to win the hard fought game from the Hoyas in ole Big East fashion.I guess you could say Marquette made all their free throw during crunchtime and the Hoyas didn't. This was the difference. Marquette knew automatically who had the hot hand and who to go to during crunchtime, Davante Gardner.

The Hoyas did not get to the free throw line. No inside play was available for the ole blue and gray during OT. The Hoyas must "consistently" to "consistently" get the ball inside to their bigs when they are posted up. 

I've seen a few times especially during crucial situations where Moses and Hopkins had their man sealed and was continously overlooked in the paint. This is a problem, and has been a problem all season. The Hoyas shot well from the free throw line except during the crunch time 18-24 @75%. Marquette shot 41% from the field and the Hoyas 37%.

The Hoyas have gone inside on many occasions, but they have also retreated from this in games relying on jump shots especially three pointers (8-20). I think Rivera-Smith and Starks can do a better job at this. Good fight Hoyas! Remember, free throws win championships, and the guards should know who's in foul trouble and who to keep going at during the course of a game. If the Hoyas would've kept going at Davante Gardner (2 fouls) it would've been a wrap. 

Make this guy better and feed him the ball when and where he wants it! 



 #4 gve #32 the ball inside make him better


Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done. Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.

PAIN is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.


Up next, Creighton 




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