Rutgers Falls at No. 12/14 Georgetown

Saturday, January 23

Washington, D.C.

12:00 PM

Rutgers University

Georgetown

Jan 23 | Men's Basketball

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 23, 2010) - Redshirt junior forward Jonathan Mitchell (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) scored a career-high 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including five treys, but it was not enough as Rutgers (9-10, 0-7) fell to No.12/14 Georgetown (15-3, 6-2) by a 88-63 score at the Verizon Center Saturday afternoon. Sophomore guard Mike Rosario (Jersey, City, N.J.) chipped-in with 15 points and senior center Hamady Ndiaye (Dakar, Senegal) contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in the Scarlet Knights’ fifth loss to a top 12-ranked team in the past eight games.

“We had a great practice yesterday and I felt our guys battled and gave effort,” said Rutgers head coach Fred Hill. “It was 10 (point difference) with two minutes to go in the first half but all of a sudden they close out on a 7-0 run and it becomes a 17-point lead. They opened up and hit the first few shots (of second half). We battle back like we have always done but we were missing layups…We got open shots and we couldn’t knock them down.”

Ndiaye notched his 300th career block at the 9:28 mark in the first half when he swatted a Julian Vaughn layup against backboard. The senior captain becomes the third Scarlet Knight in school history to compile 300 or more blocks in his career joining former Scarlet Knights Roy Hinson (355 blocks, 1979-1983) and James Bailey (304 blocks, 1975-79).

Four Hoyas scored in double digits. The hosts were led by Greg Monroe, who posted a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

With Georgetown leading 17-14 at the 14:25 mark in the first half, the Hoyas went on a 12-0 run before Mitchell hit a trey from the top of the key to end a five-minute drought for RU. Mitchell and Ndiaye combined to score RU’s first 17 points.

A free throw by junior guard James Beatty (Wilmington, N.C.) at the 7:15 mark was the first RU point not scored by one of the two team captains.

Beatty hit a three from the right corner to cut Georgetown’s lead to single digits, 29-21. Rosario deposited a three for his first basket of the game with 6:05 remaining to put the Hoyas’ advantage at 32-24. The eight-point margin would be the closest RU would get for the remainder of the contest. Georgetown closed out the first half on a 14-5 run to take a 46-29 lead into the locker room at the midpoint.

The Hoyas remained in control of the contest after the break, courtesy as their strong shooting and stringent defense. Georgetown shot 63.0 percent for the game, including 66.7 percent in the second half.

Rosario began to catch fire in the second stanza. He scored 10 consecutive RU points, including two treys, to reduce the deficit to 65-47 with 11:55 on the clock. The Hoyas answered with a 15-0 run and never looked back.

Rutgers remains on the road for its next contest, as it travels to Marquette Tuesday (Jan. 26) for a 9:00 p.m. (Eastern) tip-off at the Bradley Center. The game will be televised live on ESPNU.

POSTGAME NOTES

·         Ndiaye notched his 300th career block at the 9:28 mark in the first half when he swatted a Julian Vaughn layup against the backboard. The senior captain becomes the third Scarlet Knight in school history to compile 300 or more blocks in his career joining former Scarlet Knights Roy Hinson (355 blocks, 1979-1983) and James Bailey (304 blocks, 1975-79).

·         At least three Scarlet Knights scored in double digits for the fifth  straight game and the 14th time this season with Jonathan Mitchell (21), Mike Rosario (15) and  Ndiaye (10) all scoring 10 or more points.

·         Rutgers started James Beatty, Dane Miller, Mitchell, Ndiaye and Rosario for the fifth straight game. Mitchell has started all 19 games this season.

·         Rosario’s 15 points marks the 16th time and 44th time during his career that he has scored in double digits.

·         Ndiaye’s 10 points gives him 10 double-digit scoring efforts for the season and 13 for his career.

·         Mitchell’s 21 points is a career high and marks the 10th time this season and 13th game of his career that he scored 10-plus points.

·         Ndiaye’s four blocks marks the 17th contest this season, and 51st time in his career, that he has swatted three or more blocks.

·         The loss drops Rutgers’ record against Georgetown to 15-25. The Hoyas have won eight straight in the series.

·         Today’s game was the first of two between the schools this season, with GU slated to visit the RAC on Sunday, Feb. 14.