Hoyas Fight Back from 19-Point Deficit to Win Opener (photos)


It was looking bleak for the Georgetown University men’s basketball team on Wednesday, Nov. 6 — the season opener at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Early in the second half, the team was down 46-27 to the underdog Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers. The Hoyas were ice cold from the field, at one point missing 13 shots in a row in a 10-minute span and converting only one three-pointer in 10 attempts in the first half.

“We woke up,” said Hoyas Head Coach Patrick Ewing, describing what happened next. A Hoyas full-court press seemed to rattle the younger Mountaineers. Suddenly, the shots started to fall. Led by the play of sophomore guard James Akinjo’s 17 second-half points, and dominant play by transfer center Omer Yurtseven, the Hoyas climbed back to a tie score with 10 minutes to play. The team would finish with 20 straight points to ice the game. The final score: 81-68.

Yurtseven and Akinjo scored 20 points each. Mac McClung had 16 points for the Hoyas on 6-for-9 shooting. Yurtseven shot 7-for-9 with 12 rebounds. Jalen Gibbs had 19 points and Vado Morse added 18 points for the Mountaineers. In a stark reversal, the Hoyas were 7-for-11 from the three-point stripe in the second half.

The Hoyas hope to improve on last year’s 19 wins. Four starters have returned this season, with Yurtseven filling in for the capable graduating senior Jesse Govan. Starting forward Josh Leblanc sat out the Mount St. Mary’s game.

The Hoyas will be back in the Capital One Arena to play the Central Arkansas Bears at noon this Saturday, Nov. 9.

View Jeff Malet’s photos of the Hoyas defeat of Mount St. Mary’s by clicking on the photo icons below.

 

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