NEW YORK — The last time Madison Square Garden witnessed such a beating Roy Jones Jr. was unloading combinations on Felix Trinidad.
No. 6 Georgetown doled out one of the worst thrashings in Big East history last night, authoring a 74-42 decimation of St. John’s on its own floor. The loss was the worst in Big East play for the storied program, narrowly outstripping a 72-42 rout St. John’s absorbed from Georgetown in 1982.
Capping a virtually perfect evening for the Hoyas, that record-setting margin was secured when freshman walk-on Bryon Jansen dropped a 3-pointer at the buzzer to notch the first points of his career.
The victory gives Georgetown (17-2, 7-1 Big East) its best league start since 1996 and keeps the Hoyas two games atop the league standings heading into Saturday’s home date with Seton Hall (14-6, 4-3).
An hour before game time, Georgetown scratched DaJuan Summers from its starting lineup, electing to rest the sophomore forward rather than test his gimpy left ankle. The Hoyas still put on a 94-foot clinic without him.
Over the game’s opening 15:25, Georgetown did not allow a single St. John’s field goal. It was one of those mismatched, perfect storms in which a good team plays near its peak and a marginal one plays poorly. Over that game-opening stretch, the Red Storm (7-12, 1-7) committed 12 turnovers and missed all 11 of their shots as the Hoyas marched out to a 31-5 advantage.
“I think our guys were extremely attentive defensively,” Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. “But [St. John’s] also missed some shots they normally make. It was just one of those days for them. It happens to all of us sometimes.”
Defensively, the Hoyas were merciless, seemingly contesting every pass, shot and dribble en route to holding the Red Storm to a 2-for-16 shooting performance in the decisive half. In fact, the Hoyas were so dominant defensively that the crowd of 9,924 fans took a break from booing long enough to roar sarcastically when St. John’s forward Justin Burrell made the Red Storm’s first field goal with 4:34 remaining in the half.
Offensively, stars abounded for the Hoyas, who parlayed one of their best passing performances under Thompson into a 41-14 halftime lead that ballooned to 39 points when the Hoyas scored the first 12 points of the second half.
“It’s probably the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Red Storm freshman guard Malik Boothe said. “I mean, nobody wants to lose at all, but to lose by that much is worse.”
For Georgetown, junior guard Jessie Sapp (10 points, five assists) again was a catalyst, dropping his first three 3-pointers during Georgetown’s first-half sprint. In the team’s last four games, the Harlem native has averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range.
Sapp also shined defensively, beginning a task Jeremiah Rivers would finish by relentlessly hounding St. John’s leading scorer Anthony Mason Jr., who was coming off consecutive 29-point performances. With either Sapp or Rivers guarding him all night, Mason managed only nine points against the Hoyas, totaling more turnovers (four) than baskets (three).
The other Georgetown MVP on a night when almost everything went right was sophomore center Vernon Macklin. The 6-foot-10 reserve from Portsmouth, Va., gave the gift of rest to senior center Roy Hibbert (11 points, six rebounds).
Logging 25 minutes as Thompson gave Hibbert a virtual night off, Macklin used his spidery frame to post a game- and career-high 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting. Macklin even made two of his five free throws, which sounds like a modest achievement except that he entered the game shooting just 18.5 percent (5-for-27) from the line.
“We see that every day in practice,” said Sapp, hinting that Macklin’s foul shooting woes primarily have been mental.
Hoyas report
Last night at Madison Square Garden in New York
SEEN AND HEARD
Becoming the second most famous athlete to sport a walking boot in New York of late, sophomore forward DaJuan Summers was held out at the recommendation of team trainer Lorry Michel. Coach John Thompson III admitted Summers could have played but said the staff decided to take a conservative approach in the hope Summers would be 100 percent for Saturday’s home game against Seton Hall.
BY THE NUMBERS
4:34 Remaining in the first half when St. John’s recorded its first field goal, Division I’s most futile mark in that category this season. In its loss to Florida Gulf Coast earlier this season, Penn didn’t score until 6:31 remained in the first half.
— Barker Davis
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