After falling behind 14 points in first half play, Geerogetown stablizlzed by it wasn’t enough, as Hc Ed Cooley’s Hoyas lost to Nebraska 81-59 in College Basketball Crown play. Their season ended in Vegas.
In first half round Crown action, sophomore Malik Mack went nuclear, dropping 37 points against Washington State. During Wednesday’s quarterfinal tilt he didn’t reach those heights, even starting with a lamentable two points, one rebound and one assist in the first 20 minutes – leading Hoya radio man Rich Chvotkin to muse Mack had a “quiet two” first half points. Yet to this credit, Mack finished with 25 points on 7-16/4-8 shooting. That work paced the Hoyas, while his 40 minute total was game tops.
Being behind 10 during intermssion, the Hoyas trailed by as much as 19 points at the second half’s 16:17 mark, before whittling it to eight close to five minutes later.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t get it done, as the Huskers answered every Hoya charge. Case in point: Being down 13 points after Nebraska senior guard Brice William‘s three ball, Mack sank two free throws. Williams answered the call again with a three ball, setting the Hoyas down 14 points. This happened within 31 seconds in the back half’s sixth minute.
Georgetown shot 39% to Nebraska’s 47%, while sinking a greater clip of long balls, 40% to 33%. Rebounding went to the Huskers (41-30).
As did bench points, a 25-14 Husker advantage. That stat tells a story – one bench guy, freshman guard Kayvaun Mulready dropped nine points – but doesn’t do Cooley and the Hoyas justice: The coach, in need of stealing some minutes for his six scholarship guys available, pressed into service walk-ons Austin Montgomery and Mike van Raaphorst. The former, a sophomore and latter being a frosh, competed at a high level, dropping two and three points, respectively.
Montgomery’s alley oop with 2:43 in the second half was not only notable – FS1’s broadcast discussed the play, one in which Mack tallied one of his three asssits, and was the team’s last points – but sublime. Mike van Raaphorst scored his first points as a Hoya before the second period’s first TV timeout, a jumper also assisted by Mack. Both standing around 6’3-plus, were on the floor together for over two minutes in the second half.
Nebraska’s Williams paced all scorers with 28 points. Senior forward Juwan Gary followed at 17 points, while also leading all rebounders with 10. From a Hoya perspective, sophomore forward Jordan Burks was tops on the boards at six, also scoring 11 points.
Next up for Nebraska (19-14/7-13 in the BIG TEN) is continued College Basketball Crown competition. Bosie State awaits Saturday, 3.5.25, at Las Vegas, NV’s T-Mobile Arena. Fox has the broadcast duties.
Georgetown now must refocus on populating their 2025-26 season. Sophomore center Drew Fielder has already left, with more surely to follow. Cooley and staff have lured Baylor’s Langston Love, and need to add more.
Note: Quotes were not integrated into this article, due to a long standing Hoya Sports Information Department policy/practice of not taping or providing road pressers to scribes. As witnessed below, MTC Media used sources to secure them.
To be fair, Georgetown’ published the presser, taped and made available to schools by Crown officials, later in the afternoon the day afterward. That timing made it impossible to incorporate in this article.
