Field Level Media
Nov 21, 2019
Mac McClung scored 19 points as Georgetown roared back to run past No. 22 Texas 82-66 on Thursday in a semifinal of the 2K Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Georgetown on Friday will face the winner of Thursday's later game between No. 1 Duke and California, while the Longhorns fall to the third-place game against the loser of that contest.
The Hoyas took charge through the middle of the second half via a 16-4 run and never let Texas back in the game, leading by as many as 18 points in the final seconds.
Jamorko Pickett hit for 15 points for Georgetown (4-1), while James Akinjo added 14 points and Omer Yurtseven scored 10 points.
The Hoyas outshot Texas 50.9 percent to 37.7 percent, outrebounded the Longhorns 34-28 and were 21 of 28 from the free throw line compared with the Longhorns' 7 of 8.
Matt Coleman led all scorers with 22 points on 7 of 11 shooting but Texas (4-1) shot just 22 percent (6 of 27) from the floor in the second half. The Longhorns were outscored 45-24 after halftime and finished without a field goal for the final 5:06 of the game.
Coleman went 4 of 5 in the first half, scored 12 points and led the Longhorns to a 42-37 lead. Texas shot 50 percent from the floor, and hit 8 of 18 from beyond the arc, but did the majority of its damage from the perimeter, going without a free throw over the first 20 minutes.
Georgetown was led by McClung's 11 points in the half as the Hoya stayed close by forcing eight Texas turnovers that led to 14 points.
The game was tied at 52 after free throw by the Hoyas' Qudus Wahab that was part of a 12-0 Georgetown run that allowed it a 62-52 lead with 9:49 to play. Texas missed six straight shots during that pivotal stretch.
--Field Level Media