Your Georgetown Hoyas moved to 3-0 on the season Wednesday night, securing a 83-70 win over Binghamton at Capital One Arena. It was not the team’s sharpest performance, especially with a mercurial defense and some awkward-looking rotations, but it was a victory built on solid discipline and interior scoring, providing plenty of material for the coaching staff to evaluate ahead of a big game this weekend.
Hoyas fans were kept on edge for much of the first half, as Binghamton proved resilient. A late burst in the final two minutes, capped by a KJ Lewis jumper at the buzzer, gave the Hoyas a 41-36 lead heading into the locker room. That momentum carried over into the second half, as Georgetown established control and pushed the lead to as many as 23 points before the reserves finished the game.
Binghamton’s performance was a strange contrast of two halves. In the first period, they shot an efficient 47% from the field and 44% from three-point range, keeping them in the game despite 11 turnovers. After halftime, they protected the ball, committing only two turnovers, but their shooting touch vanished as they hit just 37% of their shots.
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Much of the Bearcats’ early success was thanks to guard Jeremiah Quigley. Many Hoyas fans are likely unsurprised that a small, quick guard from the DMV (Accokeek, Md.) had a hot half in Capital One Arena.
Quigley was the best player on the floor for stretches of the first half, scoring 14 of his 17 points on 4-of-6 shooting before the break. The Hoyas’ defense adjusted, holding him to just 3 points in the second half.
A major bright spot for Georgetown this early in the season was their solid ball security. The Hoyas finished the night with an impressively low four total turnovers. No single player committed more than one, a testament to the team’s discipline on the offensive end.
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That discipline was necessary, as the Hoyas struggled from deep, hitting just 4-of-19 (21.1%) from three-point range (1-8 3PT in 2H). Instead, the team relied on its interior play.
KJ Lewis led the effort with a strong double-double (his first of many), finishing with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Vincent Iwuchukwu was critical off the bench in the first half, providing a much-needed lift by attacking the basket; he scored 17 points and was aggressive in drawing contact, going 7-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Malik Mack managed the offense well, adding 13 points while committing a single turnover.
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Ultimately, the win gives Ed Cooley and his staff plenty of game tape to analyze as they continue to work on defensive consistency and lineup rotations.
The Hoyas host Clemson on Saturday at Noon (Peacock).
