» NCAA Basketball » Hoyas Outlast Vanderbilt, 66-65, With One Money Shot by Jeff Green
Hoyas Outlast Vanderbilt, 66-65, With One Money Shot by Jeff Green
Story by: Richard thomas
Posted March 23, 2007
Photos by: Sol tucker
East Rutherford , NJ--
The night might not have started the Hoyas wanted, but it certainly finished the way they liked it to with one final shot by Jeff Green with two seconds remaining propelling the Hoyas into the Elite 8 eight with a 66-65 victory over Vanderbilt.
“It was one heck of a ball game,” said Hoyas Head Coach John Thompson III. “Our guys never gave up even when we were down at the half.
The Hoyas faced a 12 point deficit with 13:07 remaining in the first half behind the strong three point shooting by the Commodores.
Vandy connected on 6 for 15 from three point range in the first half, but it was like night and day in the second half, when they only hit on 25 percent from long range, shooting just 3 for 12.
The Hoyas were led by Jeff Green andDaJuan Summer with 15 points points a piece. Summers also added seven rebounds for the Hoyas, but it was Green’s final two points that were the most important ones of the night.
Georgetown suffered a serious blow in close battle they had with Vandy when Roy Hibbert picked up his fifth foul with a little over 2 minutes remaining in the game. Again, the Hoyas pulled together and picked up the defense and forced the Commodores to take long range shots they had not hit a lot of in the second half.
"With Roy absent I had to step up," Green said. "He is a big target down there. I had to take his place, get those rebounds he was able to get and do other things. But as a group I think we all had to step up."
Vanderbilt was led by Derrick Byars 5 for 12 from the field and 17 points. Dan Cage also had 17 points.
The Commodores set up the outstanding finish after they had taken a 65-64 lead with 17.9 seconds to play when Dan Cage hit two free throws after being fouled collecting the rebound of a Patrick Ewing Jr's missed jumper.
Georgetown advances to the Elite Eight on Sunday to play the winner of USC vs. UNC winner in the second game from East Rutherford.
DaJuan Summers Celebrates With Jeff Green after He Hit the Game Winning Shot to Help the Hoyas Advance