[PAmedic]

well you knew it had to happen, but GEORGETOWN? (I woulda bet Memphis, maybe)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/ ... ION=SPORTS

Fans Storm Court After Hoyas Stop Duke

By JOSEPH WHITE
AP Sports Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Georgetown fans surged on the court at the buzzer, celebrating a win that evoked the Hoyas' powerhouse days of John Thompson and Patrick Ewing - an 87-84 victory over No. 1 and previously unbeaten Duke.

The Blue Devils (17-1) have never been 18-0, and paint-defending, layup-producing Georgetown wasn't about to let it happen Saturday, despite J.J. Redick matching his career high of 41 points for Duke.

With surprisingly easy backdoor moves and open 3-pointers, the unranked Hoyas shot 61 percent, built a double-digit lead deep into the second half and nervously survived the frantic final minutes to preserve the upset.

Brandon Bowman scored 23 points, and Jeff Green had 18 for the Hoyas (12-4), who had lost nine straight against ranked opponents and hadn't beaten a No. 1 team since an 85-69 win over St. John's on Feb. 27, 1985. The victory marks the first defining moment for the school under coach John Thompson III, son of the Hall of Fame coach who guided the Hoyas for more than two decades.

Redick played like the All-American he is, but Shelden Williams scored a season-low four as the Hoyas' defense left the big man no room to maneuver in the paint. Duke's 17-0 record had matched the best start in school history.

Duke methodically cut a 16-point deficit to two on Williams' layup with 4:03 remaining, but Jonathan Wallace answered with a reverse layup, and Darrel Owens capped a chaotic sequence with a fast-break dunk to get the lead back to six. Bowman's fast-break dunk made the score 82-74 with 1:15 left, but poor Hoyas free-throw shooting - 7-for-12 over the final 1:46 - gave Duke a final chance to tie that ended with Wallace stealing the ball from freshman point guard Greg Paulus near midcourt with 4 seconds left.

Georgetown was shooting better than 65 percent for most of the game, but the nerves started to get to the Hoyas with about eight minutes to play. A tentative possession ended with a bad pass that Redick converted into a three-point play that made the score 66-59, putting the deficit into single digits for the first time in the second half.

Sensing an upset, the Georgetown fans roared like never before in the MCI Center. The Hoyas have sold out the building only twice - both against Duke - since the building opened in 1997. The crowd of 20,035 was nearly all for Duke in the upper deck, and good chunks of the middle and lower decks were pro-Blue Devils as well. The attendance was more than triple that Hoyas' MCI Center average of 6,131 entering the game.

Duke didn't hit the rim on its first three possessions - a turnover, an air ball and a block on Williams by Roy Hibbert - and the Blue Devils found themselves stifled by a Duke-like Georgetown defense, a tough man-to-man that pressured the ball and clogged the paint when necessary.

Bowman's reverse dunk - on a backdoor play, naturally - put Georgetown ahead 18-8, making the Hoyas the first team to lead Duke by double digits this season.

Duke led only once in the game, when Redick pulled off a solo 8-0 run with a pair of 3-pointers to make the score 22-20 with 8:10 remaining in the first half.

Otherwise, the first-half offense highlights were produced by a balanced attack of backdoors and 3-pointers from Georgetown. A 19-5 run that included five Georgetown layups ended the first half, and Green showing no sign of intimidation when he went around Williams for a reverse layup.

The score was 42-28 in a half in which the Hoyas shot 67 percent.

Georgetown's assist-to-turnover ratio was 24-to-16. Only one other team, Valparaiso, had more assists than turnovers against the Blue Devils this season.

[Sly Fox]

How about North Dakota State winning at #15 Wisconsin? Its been a tough day for ranked teams.

[PAmedic]

'Nova beat a tough Syracuse team by 15, the mighty Zags pulled out a squeaker ove San Diego by 1 lousy point, and Pitt got beaten.

[bigsmooth]

dkue was bound to lose sometime. Gtown was under the radar, but should not be. redick is a player,and if you would have told me shelden williams would have just 2 points in the game i would have laughed! how about pitt going down as well? theya re a good team, but not as good as many think. they usually feast on cupcakes before big east play.

[Guest]

How's this for a one month span: Pitt, Indiana, Syracuse, Villanove, West Virginia, Villanova. Ouch, that's UConn's schedule starting Jan 31. All top 13 teams except the Orange who're still a top 25 team. It's not gonna be easy to hang on to the top spot this year, unless of course you're Duke and play out the season in the ACC.

Doesn't it seem like every time Florida has a chance to be #1, they lose?

[LUconn]

Here's something stupid:

Team A: barely ranked in the top 25 loses to UVA and squeaks out a victory against FSU; stays in at #25
Team B: Only has 1 loss to a non top 25 team, beats the #1 team in the country, and can't crack the top 25.

Silly.


This is why UC played such a pathetic November - December schedule. The Big East is just brutal. Even you ACC fanbois have to admit it. Unless you want a team to be completely burnt out with 10+ losses, you need to eat your december cupcakes.

[Sly Fox]

I'll admit the Big East is strong and your Huskies are playing the best ball in the country ... right now.

[givemethemic]

Don't be hating on the Heels... We got Wes I will shot your eye out Miller.... boy was he in the zone last night... P.S I told you about Miami look out....

[Agent2Be]

Medic - Syracuse is not that tough. They are an immature team with no desire. I have never seen a more undisciplined Jim Boeheim team in my life.

LUConn - Can't wait for tht Pitt game to see where we fall in the real pecking order of the top 10

givemethemic - We arent hating on the ACC, but the Big East this year could arguably be the best conference top to bottom in NCAA history. You have your props because you cant disrespect the Heels until they are beaten in the conference, and from what I have seen, that is going to be a tough order.

[BJWilliams]

The SEC fined Tennessee after their win over FL. Check out why...

Vols fans who rushed onto court after win prompt fine
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference fined Tennessee $5,000 on Tuesday after fans rushed the court following the Volunteers' 80-76 upset win Saturday over then-No. 2 Florida.


A league rule states that "at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted to enter the competition area."


"I understand the exuberance of the moment but the security and protection of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans is our primary concern," SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said.


The policy, which only affects football and basketball games, went into effect Dec. 1, 2004. It came about two weeks after a brawl involving players and fans at the Indianapolis Pacers-Detroit Pistons game and a brawl among players in the Clemson-South Carolina football game.


Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said he wasn't upset with the fans' reaction following the win over the previously unbeaten Gators. The announced crowd of 24,011 was the sixth-largest crowd ever at a men's game in Knoxville.


"I'm not upset with what happened at all," Pearl said earlier this week. "But we have to understand, we have to act like we've been there before. It's not often you beat the No. 2 team in the country ... The bottom line is, we can't have that happen again this year."


Penalties range from $5,000 for a first offense to fines of up to $25,000 for a second offense and up to $50,000 for further violations.

[bigsmooth]

the big east is certainly the best this year. no doubt about that. but from top to bottom the best ever in NCAA history..i really doubt that agent.

[givemethemic]

Don't get it twisted.... I think that the Big East will get in at least 8 teams....

[Agent2Be]

When the season ends, lets see where the Big East falls.

As far as fining the University - I love it! Win with dignity. There should be sanctions. It is insanely dangerous to put your athletes at risk from rowdy fans storming the court!