DC Metro Sports - Green Scores 22 Points to Lead No. 17 Georgetown Past No. 9 Pittsburgh, 61-58

Written by Georgetown Press Release
Tuesday, 07 February 2006
Hoyas Used 14-2 Run Late in Second Half to Key Second Win Over Top-10 Team Washington, D.C. – Sophomore forward Jeff Green (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) scored a game-high 22 points and No. 17 Georgetown held off a furious rally from ninth-ranked Pittsburgh to hang on for a 61-58 BIG EAST Conference win on Sunday afternoon in front of 13,284 at the MCI Center. Coupled with Georgetown’s win over then-No. 1 Duke on January 21, it gives the team two wins over top-10 ranked teams this season. It is the first time the Hoyas have beaten two top-10 teams in one season since 1995-96, when Georgetown beat Villanova twice, first when the Wildcats were ranked sixth in the regular season finale, and then a week later, when they were ranked ninth in the BIG EAST Tournament. The win, Georgetown’s sixth-straight, improves the Hoyas’ record to 16-4 overall and 7-2 in league play. Pittsburgh falls to 17-3 overall and 6-3 in the BIG EAST. Georgetown, who trailed by seven points at the half, forced the game’s third tie when senior forward Brandon Bowman (Santa Monica, Calif./Westchester) made a fast-break layup with 11:14 to play in the game. The Hoyas then outscored the Panthers 14-2 over the next 9:27, taking a 59-49 lead on a pair of Bowman free throws with 38 seconds to play. That wasn’t the end, however, as Pitt guard Carl Krauser hit a free throw, made a steal and connected on a three-pointer to pull the Panthers to within six points (59-53) with 26 seconds left. Ronald Ramon followed with a three with 16 seconds left to cut the lead to three points (59-56) and Levance Fields’ layup with six seconds left cut the lead to one point. The Hoyas, who missed the front end of free throws twice in the final 25 seconds, got a pair free throws from senior swingman Darrel Owens (Napoleonville, La./Assumption) to increase the lead to 61-58. Ramon missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Pittsburgh led by seven points (35-28) at the break, but Georgetown chipped away, pulling to within two points twice. A fast break layup from sophomore guard Jonathan Wallace (Harvest, Ala./Sparkman) made it 40-38 with 14:23 to play, but Pittsburgh got a jumper from Fields and three-straight free throws from Krauser to open a 45-38 lead. The Hoyas scored seven-straight points – a layup from Green, a three from Wallace and a Bowman layup – to tie the game, setting up the decisive run. The Hoyas, behind a boisterous crowd, jumped out to a quick lead, scoring the first six points of the game, with Hibbert hitting three-straight jumpers. The Panthers climbed back into the game and tied it for the first time at 13-all on a dunk by Sam Young with 12:10 to play in the frame. The lead changed three times before the Hoyas tied the game at 18-all on a jumper from Green with 9:17 left in the half. That’s when Pittsburgh scored 15-straight points over a 5:45 span – with seven points from Gray – to take a 33-18 lead with 4:13 to play. The Hoyas went 6:35 without a field goal, ending the drought with a three-pointer from Green that cut the lead to 12 points, 33-21. That shot from Green keyed a 10-2 run to end the half. Bowman scored five points during the spurt as the Panthers went into the half with a 35-28 lead. Green connected on 9-of-14 shots from the field for 22 points, while Bowman added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Senior guard Ashanti Cook (Inglewood, Calif./Westchester) scored eight points, had three boards and two assists, while Wallace finished with seven points and four assists and Hibbert added seven points and four boards. The Hoyas shot 46.9 percent from the field (23-of-49), 35.0 percent from three-point land (7-of-20) and 66.7 from the line (8-of-12). Pittsburgh shot 43.1 percent from the floor (22-of-51), 35.3 from three-point land (6-of-17) and 80.0 percent from the line (8-of-10). Georgetown limited the Panthers to 58 points, it second-lowest output this season. Georgetown’s six-game win streak is the longest since winning 10-straight to open the 2003-04 season. Georgetown plays its second-straight home game on Thursday, February 9, hosting St. John’s. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. and will be shown live on ESPN2, with Dave O’Brien and Rick Majerus calling the action. The game can be heard live on SportsTalk 980 AM, with Rich Chvotkin serving as the “Voice of the Hoyas.” Georgetown University is a proud member of the BIG EAST Conference – the largest and most diverse athletic conference in the country. It was formed in 1979 and represents the athletic interests of 16 member institutions including the University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, DePaul University, Georgetown University, University of Louisville, Marquette University, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, Providence College, Rutgers University, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, University of South Florida, Syracuse .University, West Virginia University and Villanova University. The BIG EAST has captured 25 national championships in six different sports and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. For more information on Georgetown athletics, please visit www.guhoyas.com. For more information on the BIG EAST Conference and its membership, please visit www.bigeast.org.

< Prev		Next >