Georgetown men’s basketball (8-4, 1-1 BIG EAST) failed to best the Xavier University Musketeers (9-4, 1-1 BIG EAST) in a heated BIG EAST competition on Saturday, Dec. 20. Despite a standout performance by junior guard Malik Mack, the Hoyas couldn’t quite finish in the game’s final minutes, resulting in a 80-77 loss.
Coming off of a 41-point loss to Creighton University this past Wednesday that snapped their five-game winning streak, Xavier was playing with a vengeance. No one was more determined than graduate forward Tre Carroll, who dominated the game’s opening after a season-low performance against Creighton. Carroll scored six of Xavier’s 12 points in the game’s feverish first five minutes, and had assists on the team’s remaining six points.
However, Carroll’s dominance was short-lived: after racking up two fouls in the first five minutes, he was largely absent for the rest of the half. Still, Georgetown struggled, with several missed free throws leaving Xavier up 17-13 eight minutes into the first half. Just after a Malik Mack three-pointer brought the Hoyas on the Musketeers’ tail, a frustrated head coach Ed Cooley called a timeout.
Cooley seemed to rally the Hoyas back to a solid pace. Taking back the lead back, Georgetown dominated the latter portion of the game’s first half, going on a 19-5 scoring run just after the timeout. Still, a hungry Xavier managed to regroup, cutting Georgetown’s lead to just four points with just under four minutes left in the half.
A three-pointer by sophomore guard Kayvaun Mulready padded the Hoyas’ lead, but Carroll subbed back in just before the clock ran out, turning up the heat in an already blazing final few minutes. With just seconds left in the half, senior guard Jeremiah Williams blocked Xavier’s last shot, ending the half with Georgetown up 40-35. Still, the cracks that would lead to the Hoyas’ demise in the second half were already beginning to show: Georgetown was only 8/15 on free throws compared to the Musketeers’ 6/8, despite beating out Xavier on field goals, three-pointers, and points in the paint.
The beginning of the second half was the Malik Mack show: just six minutes in, Mack had earned 14 points for the Hoyas, hitting 1000 career points. However, Mack was matched on Xavier’s side by Carroll, back in the game in full force. Georgetown lost their lead five minutes into the half and never comfortably regained it again. With missed shots by sophomore forward Caleb Williams and junior guard KJ Lewis, it seemed that Mack was truly the Hoyas’ only hope outside of free throws .
Georgetown officially lost the lead for the first time in the second half with a dunk by Xavier’s graduate guard Isaiah Walker. Thus began nine minutes of lead changes and ties. The Hoyas’ sophomore center Julius Halaifonua immediately tied things up with a free throw, and after a scoreless minute, made a layup to bring Georgetown back into the lead. To this point in the second half, the Hoyas had seen six ties and 10 lead changes. With just under seven minutes left, Georgetown had only three fouls compared to Xavier’s eight, allowing them to play more aggressively. However, the Hoyas immediately committed three fouls in 22 seconds, bringing the Musketeers dangerously close to receiving free throws off each Georgetown foul.
After a traveling turnover by Mulready and several failed opportunities to convert, a layup by Carroll brought Xavier up by three points with just over three minutes left. Lewis answered with two successful free throws to bring that lead to just one point, but after a layup and pair of free throws by Carroll, the Hoyas were down again. The game’s last minute was full of fouls and glimmers of hope: a dunk by Halaifonua and a free throw by Caleb Williams kept Georgetown within a score, but several missed opportunities kept them from retaking the lead. In a last-minute dash of hope, Mack shot a three in the game’s final seconds in an attempt to unsuccessfully tie the game. Xavier ended the game victorious, 80-77.
The Hoyas hit their stride in the middle of the first half, but struggled to find a defensive solution to Carroll and relied heavily on Mack in the second half. Carroll finished the game with 22 points, while Mack led the Hoyas with 21. The Hoyas’ largest missed opportunity came via free throws: while Xavier made 78%, Georgetown was far behind with just 58% of shots made. In a game where free throws dominated second-half scoring, converting on fouls makes all the difference.
After the game’s conclusion, Cooley threw a water bottle that hit a child in the crowd behind him. Georgetown Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed announced Sunday that Cooley will be suspended for one game as a result of his actions.
“I met with Coach Cooley today to discuss the incident which occurred after last night’s game against Xavier,” Reed wrote in a statement. “I expressed that his conduct did not align with the standards we expect of our coaches, nor does it reflect the values of Georgetown Athletics or Georgetown University.”
In a statement released alongside Reed’s, Cooley apologized and took responsibility for the incident.
“I am deeply sorry for my actions during last night’s game, and sincerely apologize to the Nyahkoon family, whom I have known for years and regard as my own family,” Cooley wrote. “My conduct was unacceptable and does not represent who I am or the leader I strive to be. I want to also apologize to the Georgetown community, team, fans, the league and my family. I take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences. I will learn from this experience to ensure it never happens again.”
Next, the Hoyas will face off against Coppin State (2-13, 0-0 MEAC) at home on Monday, Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m. EST, led by Associate Head Coach Jeff Battle in light of Cooley’s suspension. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
