Duquesne transfer Primo Spears scored 28 points in his Georgetown debut, rallying the Hoyas to a 99-89 overtime victory against visiting Coppin State on Tuesday night in Washington, D.C.
Georgetown trailed by seven points just over midway through the second half, but Spears scored 15 points in the final six minutes of regulation to put the Hoyas in command. But at the buzzer, Mike Hood made a 3-pointer for the Eagles to send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, Spears tacked on three more baskets and Akok Akok and Bryson Mozone added 3-pointers as Georgetown pulled away to snap the 21-game losing streak that it ended last season on.
LSU transfer Brandon Murray tallied 18 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals while UConn transfer Akok had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
Mozone added 20 points and seven rebounds while Qudus Wahab finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.
Georgetown (1-0) had a completely different look, as all of its points came from players who started last year with other teams.
Playing for the second time in as many nights, Coppin State (0-2) of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference gave Georgetown of the Big East all it could handle for 40 minutes.
Justin Steers led Coppin with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Penn State transfer Sam Sessoms had 16 points, 10 assists and four steals while his backcourt mate Nendah Tarke added 17 points, six rebounds and four steals.
The Hoyas rolled to an early 10-4 lead. And then late in the first half, they reeled off six unanswered points to grab their biggest lead of regulation, 36-29. But each time Georgetown surged, Coppin had an immediate answer.
Midway through the second half, Coppin grabbed its biggest lead, 61-54, as Sessoms and Tarke hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Justin Winston added a bucket.
But down the stretch, Spears took the game over. In the final four minutes of regulation, Spears was the only Hoyas player who scored.
Georgetown outrebounded Coppin 51-36.
--Field Level Media
Coppin St. | Georgetown | |
Justin Steers 21 | Scoring | Primo Spears 28 |
Sam Sessoms 10 | Assists | Brandon Murray 8 |
Justin Steers 12 | Rebounds | Akok Akok 12 |
Justin Steers 11 | Free Throws Made | Primo Spears 7 |
Sam Sessoms 4 | Steals | Brandon Murray 4 |
Justin Steers 3 | Blocks | Akok Akok 5 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Coppin St. | 89 | 38.9 | 13-38 | 20-24 | 14 | 33 | 5 | 11 | 17 |
Georgetown | 99 | 47.9 | 7-18 | 24-32 | 14 | 48 | 9 | 6 | 18 |