DARE TO DREAM: Georgetown Pulls Off Incredible Comeback at Villanova, 64-63

Hoyas finished the last 5:45 on an 11-2 run on MLK Day

Your Georgetown Hoyas played cat and mouse with the Villanova Wildcats (12-8, 5-4 BE) on their tiny, on-campus court and came out on top, 64-63. Micah Peavy led the way with 24 points (9-16 FG, 6-9 3PT), including the go-ahead bucket, while Thomas Sorber (3-14 FG, 9-10 FT) and sixth-man Jayden Epps (5-11 FG, 3-6 3PT) each worked their way to 15 points apiece. The Hoyas used a 9-0 run over the last 2:34 to take their first lead since 4 minutes before halftime. This was the first win for Georgetown at the Pavilion since 2005.

It was a game of runs where fans felt like the youth of the Hoyas was going to come up short against fifth-year player Eric Dixon and the Wildcats—and Dixon almost pulled it off with a buzzer-beating jumper off a fullcourt pass that clanged off the rim.

On this Martin Luther King Day, Ed Cooley spoke about a dream—much like John Thompson’s dreams—to have opportunities for men and women who were underserved. Cooley requested the BIG EAST for Georgetown to play on MLK day and lead the conversation about justice and race. He said he listens to that speech each year and he is living that dream. While the inauguration displaced the Hoyas today, their road trip to the Philadelphia suburbs gave them a different kind of opportunity.

With each team trading 7-2 and 8-1 runs through both periods, Georgetown was down most of the game, but never gave up. Down 7 with 4:52 left, neither team scored for 2 minutes before Sorber was fouled and made both from the charity stripe, Malik Mack scored his first three points on an and-one driving layup, and Micah Peavy finished a floater on an inbounds play to take the final lead.

The Hoyas miraculously held ’Nova scoreless for the last 4:52 and finished the last 5:45 on an 11-2 run. On the road—where Villanova beat UConn on January 8th, 68-66.

Going back to the tip, Georgetown started Malik Mack, Micah Peavy, Thomas Sorber, Drew Fielder, and Caleb Williams. Jayden Epps came into the game a few minutes later.

Villanova started Jahmir Brickus, Wooga Poplar, Enoch Boakye, Jordan Longino, and Eric Dixon. Poplar was ejected after pushing Epps and taking a swing at Sorber during a dead ball situation ahead of a throw-in.

Villanova had a 10-2 run and Georgetown fought back with a 7-2 swing of their own. Each team had another run with Villanova going 7-1 and Georgetown running 7-2. After the Hoyas led 25-34 with 4:20 left, a 10-2 swing had Villanova leading at halftime 34-27.

In the first period, Peavy led the Hoyas with 11 points on four for six shooting (3-5 3PT). Sorber had 9 points on 2 for 8 shooting from the field, but collected five of six free throws. Mack was 0-6 and hearing “airball” from ’Nova Nation every time he touched the ball.

Dixon ate the Hoyas up in the first half with 16 in the first half (5-12 FG, 3-7 3PT) but had 4 of VU’s 7 first-half turnovers. Longino shot 4-8 from the field including 2-4 from three for 11 points before halftime. Overall, in the first half Villanova shot 12 for 30 (40%) from the floor, including 6 for 16 (37.5%) from beyond the arc.

While Georgetown had fewer turnovers (5-7) before intermission, and led on points off turnovers 7-6 and steals 2-0, the Wildcats dominated on rebounds 22-16 (9-6 offensive), second-chance points 16-8, and assists 7-4. Interestingly, the Hoyas had no one with more than one foul while Villanova saw Brickus and Kris Parker with two fouls, as well as Wooga Poplar already ejected.

After halftime, the Hoyas struggled with Sorber turning the ball over twice and missing a jump hook in the first 4 minutes. Dixon had 5 points quickly and Villanova outscored Georgetown 10-5 before Epps hit a three and Cooley called a timeout. Hoyas were down 44-35.

Thomas Sorber made a candidate for the assist of the year while fielding an entry pass to a physical low-post battle and falling out of bounds with a one-handed touch-pass to Caleb Williams for a floater in the lane. This nifty dish and the Hoyas press sparked a 6-0 run before a Kyle Neptune timeout. Wildcats led 46-41 with 12:14 left .

During the timeout, Ed Cooley asked his team for their attention as he requested another level of intensity. Georgetown did not respond as Parker hit a layup off an inbounds baseball pass and Dixon hit a three.

After a pair of Boakye free throws, the three-point contest portion of the evening began as Epps hit two in a row, Dixon hit one, Peavy hit one, Longino drained another for Villanova, and Peavy hit another. Cooley called timeout down 59-53 with 6:10 left.

Villanova only scored 4 more points for the rest of the game—a layup by Dixon and a jumpshot from Longino. Burks had a dunk for the Hoyas.

With 4:52 left, VU led 63-55, and neither team scored for three minutes. At the time, this felt bad for Georgetown, especially because Georgetown was in the bonus and Villanova was not fouling as much as they did in the first half. Then Sorber made two free-throws at 2:34, to pull within 6 points.

With 1:25 left, Mack found a great time to get his first three points on a 1-against-4 transition drive that drew a foul and he made the free-throw. Georgetown drew within 3, 63-60.

After a 30-second Villanova timeout, the Hoyas were prepared for the ball to be in Eric Dixon’s hands and collapsed to force a steal. Peavy slashed down the lane for an uncontested layup.

Dixon got the ball on the other end and missed a turnaround jumper, rebounded by Sorber. He was fouled and Villanova sequentially used their three fouls-to-give on Epps. Georgetown called timeout and drew up a play to get Peavy the ball. The grad transfer took care of business and made the biggest shot of the season thus far.

Villanova had a chance with an inbounds play where they screened Fielder, who was guarding the passer, and launched a bomb to Dixon. Dixon turned and shot and missed as the buzzer sounded.

Georgetown stole a road victory against a team who looked a bit more poised and experienced throughout the game. Every time the Hoyas fought back from a bad run, Villanova pulled away again. The last few times, Georgetown was able to put the clamps down on Dixon to force tough shots and capitalize on the other end.

Late-game defense is looking to be the hallmark of this young Hoyas squad. After a four-game losing streak, Malik Mack and Micah Peavy came up huge at the right time. Having Sorber take a bulk of the defensive focus and a healthy-looking Epps contribute on the stat sheet undoubtedly assisted the comeback efforts.

This was the biggest conference road win for the Hoyas in several years and Ed Cooley’s young squad now has wins over Creighton (home) and Villanova (away), who each beat UConn in January. The initial three-game BIG EAST win-streak does not feel so far away after this W.

After briefly revisiting depression with that four-game drought, Georgetown fans have to feel optimistic for an injury-free run heading into February—especially seeing Providence and a return for Cooley to Rhode Island coming up next on the schedule (Saturday, 12:30 PM FOX).

HOYA SAXA!