12/8/2004

Check out the Highlights of the Game!

The Hoyas (3-2) fell to the Number 1 ranked Fighting Illini (8-0) on December 9 by a score of 59-74. Jeff Green set a new career high in scoring with 20 points while leading GU's rebounding effort with 6 boards. This marks the fourth time in five games that Green has paced the team's rebounders. Fellow freshman Jonathan Wallace contributed 10 points while RaMell Ross and Ashanti Cook each added 9.

After trading baskets for the first 5 minutes the Hoyas put together a lead which lasted from 13:26 until 4:33. Unfortunately, turnovers cost heavily against an opportunistic Illinois squad and by intermission the Hoyas trailed by 7, 24-31. For the period the Hoyas shot 45.8% and held their opponents to 41.9% from the field. Although they only trailed by 1 in the rebounding department (14-15), they did have 10 turnovers to Illinois' 4.

In the opening moments of the second stanza the Illini demonstrated how they had earned the nation's number 1 ranking. Jumping out with amazing speed the visitors hit shots, forced turnovers and grabbed rebounds with abandon. Georgetown continued to shoot well (43.3%) and took much better care of the ball (only 4 turnovers in the 2nd half) but rebounding (11-16) and hot shooting hands (65.2%) by the visitors carried the day. The final was 59-74.

For the game the Hoyas shot 44.4% while Illinois averaged 51.9% from the field. GU was outrebounded 25-31 and had 14 turnovers to Illinois' 11.