Davidson’s Stephen Curry (30) celebrates as Georgetown’s Jessie Sapp (21) walks away following Davidson’s 74-70 win in a second-round NCAA Midwest Regional basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday.

By Mark F. Gray, host The SportsGroove
NewsTalk 1450 WOL-AM

We learned this past weekend that in college basketball - as in life - nothing from the past counts especially in March.   This area began the NCAA Tournament with five teams having visions of the Final Four but as the Big Dance heads to its second weekend they all are gone.

Truth be told nobody expected Coppin State, Mount St. Mary’s, or UMBC to March to San Antonio.   There were hopes, albeit not legitimate ones, that George Mason would duplicate their run from 2006 but Notre Dame wasn’t having it in Denver.   However, the shock waves continue to reverberate following Georgetown’s 74-70 loss to Davidson in Raleigh.

Despite their consecutive Big East Regular Season Championships this Georgetown team was not as good as last year’s.  March Madness has a way of exposing the weaknesses of the great programs and that’s what happened on Sunday.   The Hoyas program has prided itself on developing stars that have gone on to success in the NBA.  

But there is also a rather ignominious tradition with Georgetown basketball.    They don’t shoot free throws well.  Whether John Thompson, Jr., Craig Esherick, or John Thompson III is at the helm, the charity stripe is just that for the opposition.  

This year Georgetown was 10th in the Big East in free throw shooting percentage making barely 66 percent of their 15 feet unobstructed attempts.  On this fateful Sunday in Carolina the Hoyas were just 8 of 17 (47 percent) from the free throw line while Davidson made 24 of 30.  Perhaps in the future the lawyers at the famous law school can petition the NCAA to allow them to shoot free throws from 20 feet six inches with a hand in their face.

Coaches, especially those named Thompson, don’t take stock in statistics and these defy logic.   Georgetown shot 63 percent from the field (24 of 61). They made 10 of 18 from beyond the three point arch to help build the 17 point lead early in the second half.  However, they committed 20 turnovers and Davidson had just five.  Midway through the second half it was hard to tell which team had previously been to the Final Four.

Georgetown won’t ask questions about officiating but a 13 free throw attempt disparity is one to ponder.  Roy Hibbert was a non factor playing on 16 minutes as often many calls seemed influenced by a decidedly pro Davidson crowd at the RBC Center.  Their campus is outside Charlotte roughly two and half hours from Raleigh giving them a home crowd that sharpshooter Stephen Curry said gave them a lift as they whittled away at the Georgetown lead.

There is not supposed to be a home court advantage and all teams are supposed to play at neutral sites which is why Georgetown was shipped to Raleigh and didn’t play at the Verizon Center while the school hosted first and second rounds of the west regional.  The Hoyas were undefeated at the phone booth this year and if they had been in a building either closer to home or with more neutrality then perhaps things would have played out different.

A 27-6 record and a regular season Big East title is a tremendous season and is an excellent post script for this senior class.  But in the words of “Big John” Thompson – who called the game on radio for Westwood One – this is a team that will be judged by the excellence of its past and unfortunately they didn’t measure up this time. 
 
Now the Hoyas can take their place amongst the other teams around the way as NCAA Tournament bystanders who will try to find other things to occupy their time over spring break.