By Mark Bacon
CAVS ENCOUNTER GREAT WALL OF D.C.
Playing the Cavaliers, in Cleveland, on a four-game losing streak can be disasterous for any team, but last night, the Wizards came out on top in convincing fashion. John Wall exploded for 35 points and 10 assists to pace Washington to a 97-85 victory over the East-leading Cavaliers.- Wall was ready from the start and the Wizards got off to a 10-0 run. They finished the quarter leading 27-24; Wall scored eight points in the 12 minutes. The first quarter also foretold what would be a stellar defensive effort from the Wiz: Wall grabbed four steals and Marcin Gortat added four blocks in the first. Gortat finished with Washington’s only other double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds).
- The Cavs answered the DC’s run with a 14-4 string of their own, but they were not able to keep up with them, as the Wizards’ defense held Cleveland to 33.7 percent shooting from the field. The Wizards had a good shooting night, hitting 47 percent from the field.
- While Wall was the star on the offensive end, he got plenty of help from the starters. In addition to Gortat, Bradley Beal scored 18 points and Jared Dudley went 5-for-7 from the field (2-for-4 3-point) en route to 12 points in his second start this season.
- John Wall’s 35 points mark his highest scoring output since he scored 37 on November 22, 2013. His performance on both ends of the floor set the tone for the Wizards in a big victory.
- To start the third quarter, the Wizards went on a short 6-0 run to go up 19 early in the second half. From there, they were able to fend off any chance of a Cleveland run.
- PLAYER OF THE GAME: John Wall – 35 points, 10 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds
- UNSUNG HERO: Otto Porter – He only scored six points, grabbed five rebounds and had a pair of assists, but Porter finished with the team’s highest +/- ratio on the night with a +20. He was also tasked with guarding LeBron James, who scored 24 points but shot just 8-for-20 from the field.
HOYAS DEFEAT MARYLAND–EASTERN SHORE
Georgetown pulled to .500 tonight in unremarkable fashion last evening, beating Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES), 68-49. Senior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (DSR) turned in a lights-out shooting performance, scoring 30 points for the fourth time in his career. Otherwise, the win bordered on disappointing. After a DSR-fueled explosion before halftime, Georgetown held on after the break, always keeping the lead in double digits but never really accomplishing what should have been a blowout. Still, G’town won, setting up Saturday's reunion with arch-rival Syracuse.- Georgetown kept the ball moving and kept moving off of the ball. UMES turnovers and offensive movement led to easy opportunities at the rim for Bradley Hayes (11 points, 9 rebounds) and beyond the arc for Smith-Rivera. DSR broke out of a season-long slump from beyond the arc, where he had only made 10 of his first 35 attempts this season.
- In the second half, UMES came out of the break with a more focus and energy, and the Hoyas looked indifferent and tentative. Frustrated with his team's listless play, JT3 went to the rarely seen DSR-Peak-Tre Campbell-Reggie Cameron-Hayes lineup and stuck with it, without substitution, for almost the entire rest of the game.
- The win over Maryland-Eastern Shore was Georgetown's first game at full strength. Forward Paul White, who missed the team's first four games, played his second straight, with limited minutes, while the Tre Campbell returned from a three-plus game absence. Both sophomores are keys in the Georgetown rotation, and Campbell in particular logged heavy minutes against UMES, scoring 7 points while playing much of the second half. Even if White and Campbell's play didn't lead to a blowout win, their return is crucial to the Hoyas' long-term hopes.
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