Credit where credit is due. A pleasantly surprising outcome arrived for your Georgetown Hoyas (10-10, 2-7) on Saturday afternoon as they staged a historic comeback to defeat the Providence Friars (9-11, 2-7) by a score of 81-78 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. After trailing by as many as 21 points early in the second half, […]
Credit where credit is due. A pleasantly surprising outcome arrived for your Georgetown Hoyas (10-10, 2-7) on Saturday afternoon as they staged a historic comeback to defeat the Providence Friars (9-11, 2-7) by a score of 81-78 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. After trailing by as many as 21 points early in the second half, Georgetown utilized solid defense and an offensive explosion to secure their second win of the conference season.
Many of the Georgetown faithful had written Ed Cooley’s squad off before the second half started—down 43-25—but this second-half performance showed a resilience that has been missing for far too long. Hopefully, they can capitalize on this momentum, one game at a time.
The opening twenty minutes offered little for Hoyas fans to cheer about. Providence jumped out to a 43-25 halftime lead, fueled by a 50% shooting performance from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 mark from the free-throw line. Georgetown struggled to find any rhythm, shooting a dismal 8% from beyond the arc in the first half.
However, the second half saw a complete reversal of fortunes. Georgetown erupted for 56 points in the final period, shooting an incredible 68% from the floor and 62% from three-point range
The comeback was spearheaded by KJ Lewis, who finished with a game-high 26 points. Lewis was nearly perfect in the second half, scoring 21 of his points while shooting 8-of-11 from the floor.
- KJ Lewis: 26 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL.
- Vincent Iwuchukwu: 16 PTS, 4 REB, 2-2 3FG off the bench.
- Malik Mack: 13 PTS, 3 AST, 35 MIN.
- Kayvaun Mulready: 7 PTS, 3 STL, and a critical block in the final seconds.
Hoyas fans have heard much about the depth of this roster, and the bench proved vital, outscoring the Providence reserves 28-14.
Iwuchukwu provided a massive spark, finishing with a team-high +/- of +17 and recording a crucial steal and dunk to begin the second-half surge.
The defining moment occurred during a 12-0 Georgetown run that erased the Friar lead. With 2:55 remaining, Caleb Williams hit a 3-pointer to give Georgetown its first lead since the opening minutes, making the score 72-71.
The closing minute was a high-stakes battle. After KJ Lewis drained a stepback three to extend the lead to 81-75 with 27 seconds left, Providence’s Stefan Vaaks responded with a dunk and a free throw. In the final possession, Kayvaun Mulready sealed the victory by blocking Jaylin Sellers’ 3-point attempt as time expired.
While Georgetown (10-10, 2-7 BE) remains cautious about their standing in a competitive BIG EAST, this victory marks a significant milestone in the Cooley era—his first win at Amica.
Moreover, the second-half Hoyas showcased an ability to withstand a hostile environment and a significant deficit, traits that have been absent in recent years. Perhaps there is something more to this team than what fans have recently seen.
The Hoyas will look to carry this momentum back to Washington, D.C. as they continue their climb out of the basement of the conference standings with a home game against DePaul on Wednesday night (8:30 PM on FS1).
Hoya Saxa.
Category: General Sports
