University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Georgetown
Men's Basketball Falls To Georgetown
2/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2001
By ALAN ROBINSON
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Georgetown took Pittsburgh out of the game early with its strong inside play, led by Mike Sweetney's 24 points, and some timely 3-point shooting as the No. 15 Hoyas cruised to an 81-67 victory Monday night.
The Hoyas (19-3, 6-3 Big East) quickly made certain it wouldn't be upset by the Panthers (12-9, 4-6) for the second time this month, building leads of 15-6 and 30-13 to open a 20-point lead by halftime.
Pittsburgh began the game with the Big East's top-ranked defense but, with senior forward Ricardo Greer hobbled defensively due to foot and back problems, couldn't defend against Sweetney's strong inside play or the Hoyas' quick transition baskets.
Sweetney had 16 points by halftime before finishing with a season high on 10-of-16 shooting, and his strong work inside was complemented by the Hoyas' six 3-pointers. Overall, the Hoyas - the Big East's leading offense - shot 62.3 percent (33-of-53) in avenging a 70-66 home-court loss to Pitt on Jan. 20.
That loss ended Georgetown's season-opening 16-game winning streak and started the Hoyas on a stretch of three losses in four games, but they have since won two in a row.
Pittsburgh lost its second Big East home game in three days and its fifth in eight games despite point guard Brandin Knight's 20 points. Donatas Zavackas, coming off a 22-point night in a 75-67 loss to Notre Dame, never did get into a rhythm and finished with 8 points while taking only four shots.
Kevin Braswell hit a pair of 3-pointers while adding 15 points for the Hoyas and Gerald Riley, who was 2-of-3 from 3-point range, had 10 points.
The Hoyas' fast start took the crowd out of the game in an unusually quiet Fitzgerald Field House, normally one of the Big East's more difficult venues for a visiting team. With the Hoyas leading 63-38 midway through the second half, the usually vocal student section already was beginning to empty.
Greer started despite aggravating a back injury before the Notre Dame game, and had 16 points and six rebounds.
