11/23/2022

WASHINGTON – Rallying from a 16-point first-half deficit, American University men’s basketball turned up the heat with a huge second half that lifted the Eagles (3-2) past Georgetown (3-3) for the first time in 40 years. Led by three players in double figures, American shot nearly 52 percent from the field in the 74-70 victory at Capital One Arena on Wednesday.

QUICK NOTABLES

• American picks up the win over Georgetown for the first time since 1982.
• The win is the Eagles’ largest over the Hoyas since Feb. 24, 1973 when they won 90-68 at home.
• The win marks American’s third-straight win after opening up the season 0-2, marking the program’s first three-game win streak since the 2019-20 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Georgetown opened the game with 5-0 run before junior Matt Rogers was able to break up the run with American’s first points of the game, putting the score at 5-2.  
• Freshman Geoff Sprouse put in the Eagles first three-pointer of the game to pull American within a bucket, 7-5, heading into the first media timeout.
• The Hoyas pushed out the lead to 10-5 with 13:58 left to play in the half.
• American countered with a 6-0 run to take an 11-10 lead with 12:06 left to play in the half as the second media timeout of the half was called.
• Georgetown came out of the media timeout and stormed out to a 27-13 lead.
• American went on a 4-0 run to make it 29-17 as Georgetown called a timeout with just over six minutes to play in the half.
• The game hit halftime with the score 40-30 in favor of the home team.
• Graduate student Jaxon Knotek headed to the free throw line just minutes into the second half for three extra shots, making all three to put the score at 40-33.
• Junior Johnny O’Neil followed up Knotek’s extra shots with a three-pointer to pull American within seven. He put in another basket a minute later after a three by Georgetown, to put the score at 43-39.
• A jumper by Knotek pulled American within three, 44-41 and after a Georgetown jumper, O’Neil put in one of his own to keep the deficit to just three.
• The deficit stayed at three until with 13:39 left to play, a layup by freshman Jermaine Ballisager Webb pulled American within one, 48-47.
• Georgetown pushed out the lead to five before a 4-0 run by the Eagles gave them the 53-52 advantage.
• The Hoyas once again retook the lead, 55-53, with 9:59 left to play a free throw and a jumper by Ballisager Webb put American back in front 56-55.
• With 5:06 left to play, American took its largest lead of the day, a seven-point 64-57 lead, and from there never lost it.
• Georgetown battled to pull back within four, putting in a three-point shot, as the clock hit zero to give American the win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• O’Neil, Sprouse, and Knotek all finished the game in double figures, with O’Neil leading the way with 16, followed by Sprouse with 15 and Knotek with 14.
• Ballisager Webb led the team in rebounds with a career-high seven along with a career-high nine points.  
• The Eagles outscored the Hoyas 44-30 in the second half after being outscored 40-30 in the first half.
• American shot 13.7 percent better than Georgetown, shooting 51.8 percent from the field. The Eagles also shot 81.8 percent from the free throw line.

FOLLOW US

• For the latest on American University Men’s Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_MBasketball), Facebook (/AU.MBasketball) and Instagram (@au_mbasketball).

COURTESY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS