Feb. 17, 2015 Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 
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Georgetown University Head Coach John Thompson III
On Georgetown's scoring balance...
I thought we did a good job of doing that. We have different people that can score in different ways. When we look bad offensively it's when the ball is stagnant and I thought today we did a good job of keeping it moving and we have some different people that can score.
On shooting 68% from the field in the second half...
In the first half we were also getting open shots they just weren't going in. The shots that we missed in the first half we were fortunate to make in the second half.
On the early transition game setting the tone for Georgetown's victory...
I think what led to that set the tone. I think our defense, early and throughout the whole game was really good. Because we were getting stops and getting rebounds we were able to get out in transition, which we want to do. When we get stops and rebound the ball we want to get out because we have guys that are good on the break. I think the defense, which led to the transition, set the tone.
On holding D'Angelo Harrison without a field goal...
You get lucky some nights. Our guys worked very hard, they did a very good job of helping each other for the most part. We lost (Phil) Greene a couple of times. For the most part we did a good job of making second, third, fourth rotations. He doesn't have a game like that, you can't just credit our defense he was a little off today. He's such a good offensive that can score in so many different ways, he's not just a three-point shooter, he can put the ball on the floor, he can post up, he plays hard. It was just one of those days were the stars were not aligned today.
On Isaac Copeland's rebounding getting the Hoyas started...
It's been the case all year. Some people happen to just get the ones that fall to them, he goes upstairs to get them and he gets the ones out of his area. That energizes our team and it energizes him, but he got some big, big rebounds today.
On Mikael Hopkins's play off the bench...
That's not surprising, Hop is a senior, Hop wants to win. I've said this many times, Hop may understand what his coach wants more than anyone in that locker room, some of the coaches included. Starting or not starting I know he understands what that's about and he's a player. He gets in there and plays.
On unconventional lineups...
Whether Mikael and Josh are together or one of them is in the game or both of them are on the bench we can play many different ways. We don't need to reinvent the wheel if those two guys are on the bench. We have basketball players, we make adjustments we play.
On Joshua Smith's play...
Josh tonight had energy.
On Rysheed Jordan...
I don't want to not give our guys credit, because I thought we did do a good job defensively, but that wasn't the Rysheed we've seen on tape for as many games as they've played so far. He was a little off also. Sometimes it's good to be lucky.
On where the team is right now...
We're better. We can't get complacent. We are going to have some pretty hard practices here the next couple of days. I think that a lot of it is our players, it takes time, but I think they're starting to take pride and understand that attention to detail is important. We still have to keep the focus that we've had lately and still keep trying to get better.
On having a week off and getting rest ...
I think it was very big. It gave guys like D'Vauntes Smith-River and Jabril Trawick, guys who play a lot of minutes, time to rest their bodies and recover, but it also allowed us to focus on defense. We knew that St. John's was a good offensive team so we were able to focus on some of their schemes, so I think it was good for us.
On the key to locking St. John's down towards the end of the first half ...
It was winning time. I know the main focus was to get stops. We already had the lead, we just wanted to come down there, key in, get stops and finish the game up.
On his dunk in the second half ...
I know that know that now that I'm starting to hit more three pointers people are going to run out and close out on me a lot faster, earlier in the game I was getting that mid-range shot but it wasn't falling, so Tyler Adams told me `next time go up to the rim and finish them' and that's what I did.
On his offensive rebounds in the first half and how they energized the team ...
I think once I started getting some rebounds it opened the door for everybody else to crash the boards. We're a pretty athletic team too, nobody really talked about our offensive rebounds, but I think we're starting to make a statement now.
Head Coach Steve Lavin
Opening Statement
I thought Georgetown played very well from start to finish. Balanced scoring and the numbers indicate, in all facets of play, that they were clicking. Clearly we faced a team that played well and we were disappointed with our performance. We struggled all night to find any type of rhythm offensively and we had no answer defensively. What we talked to the team about is that at this stage of the year it is about short memories and get ready for Seton Hall. This is not a game we can dwell on. [Verizon Center] has been a house of horrors for us during my five years here, even prior to this group of seniors arriving. They have handed it to us pretty well. Over the past five (years), or even before my tenure, they have had their way with us in D.C. We just now have to turn our attention to Seton Hall and a three-game homestand. We are in the same position we were in last year in terms of record in conference and doing some things well. We are banged up and hopefully, in the next couple of days, we can get Chris Obekpa and D'Angelo (Harrison) back closer to full strength and have to prepare for a very dangerous Seton Hall team that is having some struggles, but is a very capable ball club. We will have our hands full on Saturday and that is where our energies is now focused.
On D'Angelo Williams' calf and if it limited him in the second half ...
Yeah. We have to consider the home stretch in terms of his health and how to best utilize his fuel because he is critical to our objectives. Him being closer to full strength is going to be critical for us to be able to have the success we need to coming down the stretch in conference play. Trying to manage him as best we can. His off days and now both his calves. Because he strained the other so now both are issues. He is with the doctors, he is with our trainers and we are trying to get him rest in between games but also enough practice so that he is sharp in terms of the preparation that is necessary to play quality teams, as we will coming down the stretch in BIG EAST play. He has fought through as a senior, his toughness has been admirable. But you can see the fact that he is laboring and he is beat up and, as a result, has not been as sharp offensively as we know he is capable of.
On Georgetown having seven days rest and if it was evident that they had fresh legs ...
Yeah, they were fresh and they were sharp. The interesting thing is that, as a coach, you are never sure if that time off is going to help or hurt until you actually see the way your team responds. Because there are times that you come out and you are flat and you, in hindsight, feel as so a game would have helped to stay in rhythm. But I think, based on the way Georgetown performed tonight, I think that the time off helped them because they were sharp at both ends of the floor and they had fresh legs. We caught them on a night where they played extremely well and we played very poorly and therefore you have the disparity in the score. As I told the team, we have come up here and it has been a house of horrors for us, independent of what combination of players are on the floor or at what stage of the season we are playing them. That speaks to the level of program that they are, they have had a roll here for 10 or 15 years. We just now have to turn the energies to Seton Hall and try to get ready for that game. But I thought that they were razor sharp and were firing on all cylinders tonight. The balanced scoring was an indication of that, but even defensively, if you look at the numbers and the way that they were able to contain or limit our transition and contain our leading scorers. Rysheed (Jordan) and D'Angelo (Harrison) had been in the midst of a pretty impressive run and if you look at those numbers, 1-for-15, tip the hat to Georgetown and now we have to get ready for Seton Hall.
On the reason for Rysheed Jordan having a setback performance ...
I think it was there was really anyone on the team who played well. Rysheed (Jordan) and D'Angelo (Harrison's) number jump out more than some of the others but, the reality is, collectively we played very poorly. There really wasn't a bright spot in this game. Maybe in the first half Amar (Alibegovic) did some things that I thought were impressive. Phil Greene, in the first half, looked like he might get it going. But just overall, it was a game where every facet of play we failed and Georgetown was stellar, they were exceptional in all aspects of play.
On the feel that he has of his team after games like this versus wins ...
I'm feeling probably the same that that John Thompson probably felt when they lost to Villanova and to Providence and struggled against Marquette, but then you have a break through like they did today. I think in this league, other than Villanova who has really separated themselves from the pack, everyone else is a game or two within striking distance and Butler would probably be the next team that is obviously playing at a very high level. But I think, like all coaches, you are glad we are in the hunt and you have to get ready for the next game. We have three straight at home now so if we take care of business on our home court, that bodes well for all the objectives and goals and things we aspire to do come March. It is so important to have a short memory in this business because if you dwell on it than one loss can turn into two or three, or in Seton Hall's case, eight out of 10. It is a razor thin margin for error in this league and you just have to keep getting ready for the next game. Seton Hall has got to be where all the energy and focus has to be now because that is going to be a very tough game for us.
Senior Guard Phil Greene IV
On Georgetown's early fast break action putting St. John's on its heels ...
We didn't have a sense of urgency at the beginning of the game. We were supposed to get back like we really wanted to. We came out slow and we can't have slow starts. That started them off and they got into a rhythm.
On the surprise of tonight's outcome ...
Big surprise. It's a letdown for us. This was a big game for us and we had momentum coming into the game. We just have to get back to the drawing board and, like coach said, get ready for Seton Hall.
On frustration of Georgetown's breaking St. John's zone with an effective fast break ...
It is very frustrating. Just not having a sense of urgency that we should have had. This was basically a must-win for us. We wanted to win here, we haven't won here. The effort that we had was unacceptable. We just have to get ready for Seton Hall on Saturday.
Senior Guard/Forward Sir'Dominic Pointer
On the challenge of guarding Joshua Smith ...
He is a big guy. He is one of the better bigs in our league. He is a big dude. That didn't hurt us though. They hurt us as a team. They had six people in double figures so that hurt us more than [Smith] did. We didn't have enough urgency at the beginning of the game and we dug a hole and that really hurt us.
Asked to describe St. John's effort tonight ...
Poor. We just know that we are a better team than that and we know that we shouldn't have come out that slow. That's not us. Over the last month, we have been playing some great ball and to revert back to the beginning of the conference is not good. So we have to go back to the drawing board and this cannot happen again.
Is Georgetown a bad matchup for D'Angelo Harrison ...
I'm not sure. I don't think he likes this gym. When we play them at our house, he's fine. But for some reason, at Verizon Center, he doesn't get a lot of shots off and he doesn't make a lot. It is what it is here. He will be fine next time we play them.
When D'Angelo Harrison struggles, does it have a ripple effect through the rest of the team ...
That is one of our leaders. When he is not scoring the ball, which is what he does, it hurts us because we want him to keep shooting the ball. But he is not taking shots. You can't take shots ever three to five minutes, that is not how you get into a rhythm. So we need to get him more shots and get him taking it to the basket more.
