Hoyas’ horrific shooting overshadows dismal defense
If you’ve recently been paying attention to the Georgetown Hoyas, you might have been feeling optimistic after two wins and positive rumors from the secret scrimmages. Not anymore. Micah Shrewsberry and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish came into Capital One Arena and put on a clinic on both ends of the floor. Georgetown shot 31% from the field and 25% from three (8-32), but even those stats betray the dismal Hoyas shooting.
Ed Cooley’s best win in his first season at Georgetown was in South Bend vs Notre Dame. A year later in DC and the Hoyas were no match for Shrewsbury’s Irish.
Notre Dame 84
Georgetown 63It was never a game in the 2nd half.
— Bobby Bancroft (@BobbyBancroft) November 16, 2024
The game was over in the first half as ND shot 17-26 from the floor and 7-12 from three while Georgetown was 10-38 for field goals and 3-18 from beyond the arc. The Hoyas were happy to take the shots that Notre Dame left open to them and badly brick most attempts.
In the first period, Georgetown grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second-chance points, but it was not enough to keep pace. Notre Dame moved the ball very well and sharpshooter Matt Alloco was 4-5 from three to break Georgetown’s backs early.
Overall, Malik Mack led the scoring for the Hoyas with 16 points (5-15, 4-8 3PT) and Jayden Epps scored 13 poitns (5-17 FG, 3-9 3PT). While freshman center Thomas Sorber did come off the bench with a stomach bug, he finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes.
Timely three pointers for the Irish led the way in the firs half, but ND also won the game with points in the paint (36-22) and total rebounds (42-33). Point guard Markus Burton had only 4 first half points but finished with 16 total (4-11 FG, 0-2 3PT, 8-8 FT) with Tae Davis scoring 13 points (5-6 FG, 1-1 3PT) and Alloco finishing with 17 points (6-10 FG, 4-8 3PT). The Irish had balance and solid defense.
It was difficult to watch for this Georgetown fan. Shrewsberry and Notre Dame brought player continuity, effortless ball movement, solid defense, and a couple fancy finishes—everything Hoyas fans have been starving for. On top of that, Shrewsberry has a top recruiting class coming in next year.
An incredibly disappointing margin of defeat — 21 points — for Georgetown at home today against Notre Dame.
But don’t sleep on the Irish.
Micah Shrewsberry looks like he may have a bubble team in South Bend. https://t.co/kFas2KspqI
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 16, 2024
Today’s beatdown is a tough pill to swallow on several levels. Perhaps, without Sorber starting, the rhythm was off to start the game, but the play of the young men in blue and gray felt more similar to prior years, especially with abysmal three-point defense and absent ball movement.
It’s a long season, and Georgetown has a handful of chances to get right before the road West Virginia and Syracuse games. There’s no referendum after game 3, but this game destroyed a lot of good momentum.
Scheduling Notre Dame was a good early test these past two seasons, but I’m not sure Ed Cooley will want to measure up against Micah Shrewsberry in the near future. ND’s rebuild appears to be lightyears ahead of Georgetown’s.