Historic day and good Hoya win on Martin Luther King Day!

Hoyas Back in Stride Again

A very historic Martin Luther King Day and the second swearing in of our 44th President Barack Obam here in the nation's capital. It's wasn't a bad thing to also have my favorite college hoops team the Hoyas play and have a big 63-47 win on the road. A "thorough beating" the South Bend Tribune, described in the their newspaper sports headlines. After a loss on the road to South Florida the Hoyas seem to regain their swag against the Irish. They managed to take the lead the early and really never look back. Although the the Irish wouldn't give up easily in the first half the Hoyas stay poised. 

Even with the Irish making two runs in the second half they stay  poised. Super sophomore Otto Porter was in All-American mode tonight scoring 19 pts. 9 rebs., 2 stls., & 2 blks. His first half was spectacular. The other player that stepped up tonight the for the ole blue and gray was freshman D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera 14 pts., 2 rebs., 1 assist. A valiant effort on behalf of the freshman. Good job D'Vauntes!!!! Good to hear the announcer say, "he's growing up right before our eyes" of the freshman. Good job from junior forward Nate Lubick 4-4 8 points, and sophomore guard Jabril Trawick 3-6, 7 pts. Great defense tonight Hoyas! 

The Hoyas seem to mature overnight from their last loss keeping the lead for the whole game. “This group needs to understand that they have to be good every night,” Thompson said in a telephone interview. “It can’t be good one night and not the next, particularly when you’re a man down.” 

They did! 

“We have to bounce back from it,” Thompson said of the South Florida loss. “Life in the Big East going to be even more up and down. Hopefully, we learn. We won’t make the same mistakes again.”

They did and they didn't! Good job Hoyas! The closest the Irish had ever gotten was at  12:02 of the second half. The freshman Rivera made a big three at 11:45 of the second half to put the Hoyas up 43-37. Afterwards, it was all she wrote the Hoyas went on a sprint. They stay poised throughout the remainder of the game. The Hoyas shot 24-45 @53.4%, 7-15 3's @46.7%,  8-12 ft's 66.7%. The Hoyas outrebounded the Irish 34-22, assist were Hoyas 19, Irish 11. 

Junior Markel Starks was everywhere on defense tonight Hoyanation. 100 proof! See below!

And there you have it Mr. Starks, the leader! 

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