It came down to one shot. The Hoyas most exciting and productive season in five years relied on the stroke of its fifth-year senior sharpshooter.
When Darrel Owens’ wide-open three-point shot hit back iron with seven seconds left, Georgetown’s run to the Sweet 16 turned sour and they dropped a hard fought contest, 57-53 to No. 3-seeded Florida.
“The only time I was nervous was on the last play when I tripped and fell and, in my mind, I saw the guy hit the three, but luckily it came off,” Florida sophomore forward Corey Brewer said of the game’s do-or-die play. “That’s the only time I was nervous down the stretch and my heart was in my mouth.”
“That’s just the nature of athletics,” Head Coach John Thompson III said. “We got the shot we wanted for who we wanted it and the ball didn’t go in. That’s the breaks.”
Before Owens let it fly, Brewer made the biggest play in a back-and-forth game that saw seven ties and 13 lead changes. After an offensive rebound he drove across the lane, got tangled up with senior forward Brandon Bowman and heaved up a prayer while falling away. The shot somehow found the bottom of the net as Bowman was whistled for a foul with 27.5 seconds left. Brewer hit the free throw to give the Gators a 55-53 lead and the Hoyas would not score again.
“We thought we made a good defensive play,” senior guard Ashanti Cook said of Brewer’s heroics. “But he just made a tough shot. He’s a good player and that’s what good players do, they make tough shots.”
The ending was even tougher to swallow for the five Georgetown seniors who helped resurrect the program back to national prominence.
“You can look back and say ‘What if?’,” Owens said. “I usually make those shots. It’s something that’s going to haunt me for a long time, but there has to be positive energy for this team. I still think we could have been a Final Four team. There is no reason to hang our heads.”
Bowman and Cook did their best to make sure that they wouldn’t end their careers in the twin cities. Bowman registered 10 points and seven rebounds while Cook added 12 points and three assists of his own.
“I think this was special for the school and for our families,” Owens said. “I think we brought a sense of pride back to the University. We fought hard all season long and this is just a glimpse of what’s to come.”
The first half started off well for the Hoyas, looking for their first trip to the Elite Eight in a decade, when they opened up a 21-12 lead with 8:40 left in the first half on a Cook driving lay-up. Florida fought back over the next four minutes with a 16-5 run highlighted by a Brewer steal then a fastbreak two-handed dunk with 4:49 remaining. The Hoyas held a 30-28 lead at the half despite shooting 39.3 percent from the floor.
The loss was the second for Georgetown in games decided by four points or less and the Hoyas’ 23.8 three-point percentage (5-for-21) was their second-worst percentage of the year.
As the Hoyas move on without their seniors, this year’s sophomore class now has the postseason experience to lead Georgetown in the future. Center Roy Hibbert (10 points, seven rebounds) and forward Jeff Green (15 points, six rebounds, four assists) joined Cook and Bowman as the only Hoyas in double-figures.
“It starts now,” Owens said. “They don’t want to have the same feeling again that we have this year.”
