In a game that had the feel of an “old time Big East matchup” and featured more intensity than actual good play; St. John’s defeated Georgetown 74-73 in the opening round of the Big East Tournament Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Some of the names involved even evoke an era gone by; Mullin, Ewing and Thompson. The game included a flagrant foul, both benches clearing and a technical from St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin who had to be restrained from going at L.J. Peak and Georgetown assistant Patrick Ewing Jr.
The loss continued a trend of underachieving for Georgetown this season under head coach John Thompson III. Georgetown finishes the season with a losing record for the second year in a row. The first time the Hoyas have suffered back to back losing seasons in 45 years. What is the once storied program to do? Following the game JT3 spoke to the media, saying:
After a loss like that right now I don’t think it’s the time to [assess the state of the program]. I’m worried about the group that’s in there right now, the student-athletes that are in there right now, how they’re feeling right now.
They are probably not feeling good coach. Nor did the group last year. JT3 as you know is the son of Hoyas coaching legend John Thompson who led the team to unprecedented success including three Final Fours and a National title in 1984. Big John still hangs around the program and casts a very large shadow both literally and figuratively. How much of that shadow is holding the current Hoyas hostage?
JT3 and his staff have not been able to recruit the top tier talent and the program is in need of a reboot but can’t seem to get out of its own way. If you ask officials and people connected with the program they all say a change needs to happen. But there is fear and apprehension around the reaction from Big John. The Hoyas were once a perennial power in college basketball and there is no reason they can’t be good again, if they can just escape the past.