Well, it sure is a good thing they’re breaking up the Big East, eh? Wouldn’t want any more instant classics like Wednesday night's double-overtime UConn-Georgetown battle, would we?
“I thought I had seen it all,” Kevin Ollie said when it was over. “But I guess I haven’t.”
A truly amazing game (even if the first half was as ugly as many figured the whole game would be). A 3-point shooting exhibition by both teams in the second half. UConn rallies from 12 points down with 4 ½ minutes left in regulation and five down with as little as 11 seconds left to send the game to OT. Georgetown rallies from seven down with less than 2 minutes left in the second OT and four down inside the final minute.
Otto Porter being Otto Porter. DeAndre Daniels being better than Otto Porter, at least on this night (25 points, 10 boards, three blocks, strong ‘D’ on Porter most of the night).
Great stuff. Shame this rivalry could be over, in the unlikely event that the Catholic 7 somehow breaks off by next season.
Here are a few quotes (we’ll have some video up around 12:30 a.m.):
RYAN BOATRIGHT:
“It was a very, very, very emotional game, man. These losses are the toughest, because you fight so hard to win the game and you fall short. These are the toughest pills to swallow, but it’s basketball, you’ve got to move on.”
(on his final shot in double OT)
“I just tried to get it up the court as fast as I (could). When I made my initial move, he kind of knocked me off line and I lost the ball. I had to move myself and try to get to an open spot. I thought I had an open shot, but I ran into Smith-Rivera. Once I hit him, I knew I only had two seconds so I went right up with it.”
“It actually felt good coming out of my hands, but it fell short.”
OMAR CALHOUN
“I’m confident when I get the ball. That’s one thing I’ve always had.”
DANIELS:
(on why he seemed to play with extra passion on Wednesday)
“Just hearing a lot of people saying I can’t play with Porter, and all this other stuff. But this is a team game, I just came out, my teammates were finding me and I was able to knock down shots tonight.”
JOHN THOMPSON III:
(on the Hoyas winning at Gampel for the first time in four tries)
“Storrs, Hartford, Fairfield, wherever. That was a great game.”
(on UConn)
“The guys in the other locker room, they could have cashed it in … they fought and fought and fought.”
PORTER:
(on Daniels)
“He’s a terrific player. He was just setting ball screens, popping, and we were having miscommunication with that. He’s a tough kid. He was knocking down shots when they needed it. He was playing good defense, trying to make it hard for me, clogging up the paint.”
(on game-winning shot)
“First, we were just trying to get the stop. That’s what I was worried about. Once we got it, I just sprinted the lane. D’Vauntes (Smith-Rivera) was able to hit me and I saw Mikael (Hopkins) sprint to the rim. So I was able to use him to get to the rim.”
KEVIN OLLIE:
(on Boatright’s last shot)
“We weren’t loking for that shot, but Otto Porter got to the rim with (9.5) seconds on the clock. Ryan got the ball. You try to push it and get to the rim, see if we can get an offensive rebound, see if we can get a kick-out. They played good defense, they bottled him up in the corner and he just had to make the play.”
(on his team)
“I’m very proud of my guys. They fought … down 12, they just kept battling, kept fighting, showed character, showed perseverance and showed heart. And that’s what our team is all about. You can say we’re small, we don’t rebound. You can write whatever you want to. But I hope you all write that we’ve got heart … I will go to battle with them any day. All of them, even the walk-ons.”
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