It took a few seconds to process the numbers on the screen: Zero. And 19. As in, Georgetown's record in the Big East Conference this season.
How did Georgetown — Georgetown! — finish 0-19 in the league with program legend Patrick Ewing as its coach?
The figures looked even weirder as the Hoyas hung with Seton Hall in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Wednesday night. Maybe being back in Madison Square Garden in March transformed Ewing's squad; last season's team made a shocking four-in-four run to the tourney title.
BIG EAST TOURNAMENT: Bracket: TV schedule, scores
Whatever the motivation, the Hoyas were poised to spring a mad March upset in 2022. They led by as many as 10 in the first half. They were up 50-46 with five minutes to play.
And then . . .
The Hoyas managed just three more points the rest of the way. They were down by two with the ball and 15.6 seconds to play, only to turn it over as they tried to get it into the hands of an open 3-point shooter. From there, Seton Hall grinded its way to a 57-53 decision and a date with UConn in the tournament quarterfinals Thursday night.
Georgetown ended its season 6-25 overall and on a 21-game losing streak. Its last win came Dec. 15 vs. Howard.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't have the year I would have liked, but you still have to be proud of the fight that we gave," Ewing said in the postgame press conference. "We could have easily let go of the rope and called it a night, but we never did that."
Ewing is just 68-84 in five seasons as Hoyas coach, but it appears there will be a sixth season for him: Georgetown reportedly signed him to a contract extension through the 2025-26 season in the afterglow of last year's tourney championship, and athletic director Lee Reed said last week (via The Washington Post) the university was "committed" to Ewing.
But the program hit rock bottom this season with its unprecedented futility in the conference. Ewing will be starting from there as he tries again to restore the Hoyas to glory.
"In life, you're going to have bumps in the road. And right now, this year, this was my bumps in the road, our bumps in the road. And, to me, that's one of the things when I'm talking to kids, it's all about how you come out of it; how do you handle it?" he said. "I think my guys have handled it with class. I think I've handled it with class. Our better years are still ahead of us."
