 used a 12-0 run early in the second half that rallied the crowd and had ''Let's go Hoyas!'' chants echoing throughout the arena. With his retired No. 33 New York Knicks jersey hanging in the rafters, Ewing helped orchestrate another wild one at his favorite arena.The Hoyas are trying to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2015 and an early win over a Top 25 team could give that resume a boost.Ewing walked on the court and waved his arms to implore the crowd to get louder in the waning moments.That pose is a familiar sight around New York.Ewing's image is plastered inside and out at the Garden where he forged a Hall of Fame career. The most popular photo in the arena in one with his arms outstretched and his back toward the camera from the May 22, 1994, Game 7 win over the Chicago Bulls in the conference semis. His game-worn jersey and sneakers are encased in glass on the concourse. There's photo of Ewing outside the Garden with his name in bold and the quote, ''I always will be a Knick. And I will always be a New Yorker.'' The Knicks tweeted a photo montage of Ewing with the Hoyas and Knicks and wrote, ''Pat comes full circle.'' New Yorkers and Georgetown fans haven't forgotten the big man: Ewing walked off the court hugging and high-fiving fans on his way to the locker room.Matt Coleman made all six 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Longhorns (4-1). Texas lost with former Longhorn and injured Nets center Kevin Durant watching courtside. Former Longhorn and Nets center Jarrett Allen also rooted on Texas from a courtside seat.Texas moved into the Top 25 this week at No. 22 with wins over California Baptist and Prairie View. The Longhorns are ranked for the first time this season and for the first time since November 2018.The Hoyas made the charge to open the second half kept the pressure on to advance to the title game of the four-team tournament.Ewing had beckoned Qudus Wahab up from the bench for a late first-half pep talk. Ewing had a few things to say to his 6-foot-11 freshman center and they ended the conversation with a fist bump.Ewing's motivation eventually worked on his big man. Wahab had a thunderous dunk for a 54-52 lead and the active Hoyas defensive forced another turnover under Texas' basket. Ewing waved on the fast-break like a third base coach sending a runner home, and Terrell Allen scored to get the Garden fans up and going wild for the momentum shift. Ewing pumped his fist and the Hoyas were pushing for an upset.The Longhorns shot only 37 percent from the floor and had 12 turnovers.Jamorko Pickett scored 15 points and James Akinjo had 14 for the Hoyas.BIG PICTUREGeorgetown: Former Hoyas star Alonzo Mourning was at the game to watch them knock off a ranked team for the third time under Ewing.Texas: The Longhorns are sure to fall out of the Top 25 and now have to win a consolation game to salvage something out of their trip to New York.UP NEXTThe Hoyas play the winner of No. 1 Duke vs. Cal on Friday in the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project championship. Texas gets the loser of that game.---More college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/-Top25)
Nov 20, 2019Four wins in four games have sent Texas back into the national polls for the first time in nearly a year, but the No. 22-ranked Longhorns will have to really work to keep that standing while playing in the 2K Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.Texas plays Georgetown (3-1) in Thursday's semifinals, with the winner taking on either Duke or California on Friday, and the losers squaring off in the consolation game.Three solid double-digit victories over non-Power 5 opposition in Prairie View A&M, California Baptist and Northern Colorado, and a gutsy win at then-No. 23 Purdue, has showcased the Longhorns' balance and defensive prowess.The Longhorns have held their first four opponents to an average of 55.3 points on a combined 36.3 percent field-goal shooting, including a 28.8-percent mark from 3-point range. Texas' defense has allowed only 25 assists while forcing 67 turnovers."We want our defense to be our anchor," Texas coach Shaka Smart said after the Longhorns' win over Prairie View. "The last two games, we scored 26 points in the first half, but our defense allowed us to have a lead going into halftime both times."Our guys are doing a really good job getting their hands on the basketball. We've had deflections in the high 30s the last two games. Our goal is 32." Junior point guard Matt Coleman III leads Texas in scoring (14.5 points per game) and assists (4.3) while converting 55.9 percent (19 of 34) from the field, including a 58.3-percent mark (7 of 12) from 3-point range, through the first four games.Redshirt sophomore guard Andrew Jones, who has battled leukemia the past two seasons, ranks second on the team in scoring (13.3) while converting 50 percent (20 of 40) from the field, including a 39.1-percent mark (9 of 23) from 3-point range.Georgetown heads to the Big Apple on the heels of a 91-83 win over Georgia State on Sunday. That victory came after an 81-66 loss to Penn State, and wins against Mount St. Mary's and Central Arkansas."It definitely felt good (to get the momentum back on our side)," Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing said. "We would hate to be going to New York with two losses. So hopefully it helped pick us up individually and collectively and get ready for Texas." Center Omer Yurtseven has recorded a double-double in four straight games and leads Georgetown in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (12.5).Guards Mac McClung and James Akinjo are tied for second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points; Akinjo paces the Hoyas with 18 assists.Despite winning three of their first four games, Georgetown has been slightly outshot by its opponents this season from the field (44 percent to 43.9 percent) and on 3-pointers (38.4 percent to 31.1 percent). Thanks mostly to the 7-foot Yurtseven, the Hoyas have out-rebounded the opposition by 11 boards per game.Thursday's game marks the third meeting between Texas and Georgetown -- and first since 2012 -- with the series tied at a game apiece.--Field Level Media
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