Georgetown makes quick work of DePaul
It's a lesson a young player won't soon forget -- the type that gets hammered home, literally, every time he takes the court in Big East play.
"It's physical," DePaul freshman forward Mac Koshwal explained. "The refs, they just let us play. That's why it's the Big East. We've just got to get tougher."
DePaul wasn't nearly tough enough Tuesday night against Georgetown. The seventh-ranked Hoyas imposed their will from the opening tip, wiping out any notions of a DePaul upset before the first media timeout.
Much like its last visit to the Allstate Arena, Georgetown gut-punched DePaul and never looked back, cruising to a 76-60 victory before 11,252.
The Blue Demons (6-8, 2-1) endured their second-worst shooting performance from the field this season (32.4 percent) and their worst from behind the 3-point line (17.4 percent).
"They just took up a lot of space and really contacted us," DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright said. "They stopped our movement, and then you start settling for shots. We probably took the path of least resistance.
"You're trying so hard that things don't happen and you look up there and it's 11-0."
It wasn't quite the 18-2 canyon DePaul faced two years ago against Georgetown, but an 11-point deficit that quickly stretched to 17, then 24, slammed shut an already narrow crevice of opportunity.
DePaul missed its first 7 shots, 3 on the game's opening possession, and finished a disastrous first half at 24.2 percent.
"We just forced some bad shots," Koshwal said. "We didn't play together in the beginning."
Demons seniors Wesley Green and Karron Clarke shot a combined 0-for-10 from the floor in the first half, and top scorer Draelon Burns went 2 of 7.
"I think an awful lot of Wes' ability to shoot," Wainwright said. "I thought early on we could loosen them up a little bit by getting him some looks. The shots just didn't fall for him. Then he compounded it a little bit by passing up a couple more."
Green also struggled to contain 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert, who led Georgetown in points (17), rebounds (11) and assists (5). Georgetown (12-1, 2-0) began the game with post feeds to Hibbert, who scored easily or found open teammates back-cutting to the basket.
"You score a little bit, and when people start focusing on you, they turn their backs to their guys," said Hibbert, who also scored 17 in his last trip to Allstate.
"He said the tone very early," added Georgetown coach John Thompson III.
Georgetown made its first 7 shots and finished at 65.5 percent for the half. The Hoyas stretched their lead to 28 midway through the second half as four starters scored in double figures.
"They're going to beat a lot of teams in our league by 20 points," Wainwright said. "They have really good pieces."
DePaul's best pieces continue to be freshmen. Koshwal led the Demons with his third double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds) of the season, and Dar Tucker added 14 off the bench.
"A lot of our young players really grew up in the second half," Wainwright said.
That growth must continue Saturday at St. John's for the hangover-prone Demons to avoid a slide.
"It's a setback," Burns said, "but we've got a quick turnaround. We've just got to bounce back."