Georgetown 68 Providence 66 The question seemed biased and certainly slanted, as Ruben Boumtje Boumtje was asked about the pressure he felt while taking key free throws.
“Can I see your press credential?” requested Boumtje Boumtje, Georgetown’s sophomore center.
Everyone laughed, including John Thompson, the person who asked the initial question.
The sight of Thompson sitting not on a podium reserved for players and coaches, but in the seats set aside for the media, was shocking enough. Thompson actually was wearing a credential, a vision those familiar with the Hoyas program probably never thought they’d see.
It seems not all Georgetown traditions went out the door when Thompson on Jan. 8 stunned the school by stepping down as coach after 27 years. No, Thompson was not directing players from the bench last night, but the Hoyas still somehow found a way to advance in the Big East Tournament, coming back from a game-long deficit to catch, pass and upset Providence 68-66.
The Hoyas (15-14) move on to do what they always do this time of year. For the seventh time in the past eight years, Georgetown will face Miami in the Big East Tournament. The Hoyas are 6-0 against the Hurricanes, but this 7 p.m. quarterfinal game is unlike any of the previous meetings in that Miami (21-5) is the heavily-favored second seed while Georgetown is an upstart 10th seed no longer coached by Thompson, but by his loyal assistant, Craig Esherick.
Another tradition lives on: By nudging their record over .500 by winning for the fifth time in the past seven games, the Hoyas put themselves in position for what likely will be an NIT bid. That means Georgetown’s 24-year streak of appearing in a post-season tournament will not be snapped.
The streak very nearly ended, as the undersized Friars (16-13) wilted down the stretch but still had a final chance to salvage their slim hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid. They had the ball with 12.4 seconds left and everyone in the building knew they would gear the deciding play to forward Jamel Thomas (17 points). They did, but the Hoyas were waiting.
Running out of time on the right side, the 6-6 Thomas was swarmed by 6-10 Jameel Watkins, 6-4 Nat Burton and the 6-11 Boumtje Boumtje. All Thomas could do was send the ball to Erron Maxey (18 points), who tried and missed a short bank shot before the buzzer.
Boumtje Boumtje towered over the smaller Friars and scored eight of Georgetown’s final 12 points. He finished with 18 points and nine rebounds and broke a 66-66 tie with a free throw after Providence was called for a lane violation.