The American University men's basketball team trailed by six at the end of the first half, but was unable to make a comeback as the team lost to No. 16/17 Georgetown, 81-55, on Saturday at the Verizon Center.
Charles Hinkle led the Eagles with 16 points as John Schoof added 12. Riley Grafft had a team-high four boards. Daniel Munoz recorded four assists and two steals, as Schoof also notched two steals.
American (8-4) was able to answer the Hoyas shot for shot to open the game, with a Schoof three putting the Eagles up by one with 12:11 to play, 10-9. Two straight three-pointers from Markel Starks gave the Hoyas the five-point lead before a Schoof lay-up brought American back within three at 10:40, 15-12.
The Eagles were down by six following a pair of Jabril Trawick free throws, but a Simon McCormack lay-up and Blake Jolivette pull-up jumper brought American within two with 2:30 remaining, 24-22. A Greg Whittington three would take the Hoyas' lead to eight, but Schoof added a pair of free throws and McCormack hit a lay-up at the buzzer as Georgetown (9-1) took a 32-26 lead into the half.
Schoof led the Eagles with 10 points in the first as Hinkle and Jolivette each had six. American shot 35.7 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the line. Starks led the Hoyas with 11 points as Georgetown shot 45.0 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range in the first half.
Schoof opened the scoring in the second half with a pull-up jumper but Georgetown scored six straight points as the Hoyas took a 10-point lead at 17:26, 38-28. Georgetown went on a 21-8 run over the next six minutes of play for the 56-39 lead with 11:16 to play. A three-pointer by Starks and three-point play from Trawick gave the Hoyas a 23-point lead, but Jolivette was able to answer with a three with just under eight and a half minutes to play, 62-42.
McCormack's lay-up and a three-pointer by Mike Bersch cut Georgetown's lead to 70-49 with 4:08 left. But the Eagles were unable to make a comeback as Hinkle hit a late three late in the game for the 81-55 final score.
"I was proud of the way we competed in the first half, I don't think we played very well but we certainly competed," said Head Coach Jeff Jones following the game. "We've got to be smart, we've got to be a lot tougher than we've played at times. There have been a few times this season where I've thought we've done exactly what we needed to do, but in order for us to be the kind of team that we'd like to be we've got to do those things all the time."
American shot 40.7 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the line for the game, while the Hoyas shot 58.8 percent from the field and 75.0 percent from the foul line. Starks led Georgetown with 18 points and Otto Porter had a team-high 10 rebounds.
The Eagles will continue their road trip next Thursday, December 22 when they travel to Villanova. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
