PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – No Big East team had ever done to
Georgetown what Providence did Saturday night.
The Friars, behind some excellent defense and torrid 3-point
shooting beat the Hoyas (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) 103-79, the first time any
conference team topped the 100-point mark against them.
|  | | John Linehan, left, and coach Tim Welsh have plenty of reasons to applaud the Friars following their 103-79 rout of Georgetown. |
"I just wish I could bottle that performance tonight. I
actually even enjoyed it and like most coaches, I usually don't,"
Friars coach Tim Welsh said. "We were a 10-plus tonight against
one of the better teams in the country. I don't usually brag too
much about our guys but I can't hold it back tonight."
This one was over by halftime.
John Linehan had an almost perfect first half and the 5-foot-9
junior point guard again set the tone for the Friars (17-6, 8-3)
with his defense.
His first-half numbers were remarkable as Providence set a
conference record for points in a first half.
Linehan was 4-for-5 from the field, including 3-for-3 from
3-point range, had 11 points, seven assists, four steals and one
turnover as the Friars took a 61-35 halftime lead. The previous Big
East record for points in a half was 57 by Syracuse against Boston
College on Feb. 19, 1983.
Providence, which has won six of seven, shot 63.6 percent in the
first half, including going 9-for-12 from 3-point range. Georgetown
(19-4, 6-4) shot 48 percent in the opening 20 minutes but committed
19 turnovers which were converted into 25 Providence points.
"Providence really came out and did a great job at the
beginning of the game offensively and defensively," Hoyas coach
Craig Esherick said. "They took advantage of every mistake we made
on offense and it seemed they made 3-pointers off them. They hit
the shots when they were open and they got themselves open. In the
first half they thoroughly outplayed us and really we were just
waiting for the end of the game."
The Friars didn't let up in the second half, continuing their
hot 3-point shooting as they took a 73-42 lead with 16:15 to play
on an NBA-length 3-pointer by Linehan.
The Friars hit the 100-point mark on a short jumper in the lane
by Linehan with 3:03 to play that made it 101-74.
"We were focused and determined," Linehan said. "This is the
best I've seen this team play."
Karim Shabazz led Providence with 22 points and 11 rebounds,
while Linehan finished with 18 points, 10 assists and six steals.
Abdul Mills had 15 points, all on 3-pointers, and Erron Maxey and
Maris Laksa each had 14.
"John is the heart and soul of this team," Shabazz said of
Linehan. "He puts so much pressure on the ball for up to 27
seconds that it gives the other teams only eight seconds to execute
their offense."
The Friars finished 14-for-19 from 3-point range, falling two
short of the league mark for 3s in a game but hitting three more
than their season-best.
"Fourteen-for-19, that's unheard of," Welsh said of the
Friars' 3-point effort. "Our guys shoot the ball well, and when
they all start clicking together the big numbers can come."
Demetrius Hunter and Mike Sweetney each had 17 points for the
Hoyas, who finished with 25 turnovers.
"At halftime I told them 'Don't quit,' " Esherick said. "I
told them they had to continue to compete and I thought we did."
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