Georgetown is trying to turn Saturday night into something more than a nonconference game.
After opening the season with a 22-point win over Loyola (Md.), Hoyas coach Ed Cooley is already focused on the next challenge: Maryland, which comes to Capital One Arena for the second game in the four-year series between the programs. The matchup gives Maryland its first official road game of the season, but Georgetown is hoping the local pull of both fan bases can tilt the building in its favor.
To help make that happen, Georgetown announced $1 beer nights for Hoyas students for 75 minutes before tipoff, a late push to juice the atmosphere. Cooley said the setting should have the feel of a postseason game.
“will feel like a tournament game.”
He said the matchup is really for the region around both schools.
“I hope the entire DMV - we [are] playing this game really for our community. Back when Kevin [Willard] was the coach at Maryland, we signed a four year agreement to play home-and-home. And hopefully our community shows the love that we showed them renewing this rivalry here in our area,” Cooley said on Monday night.
Cooley also pointed to Maryland’s strength on the offensive glass, calling the Terrapins a tough matchup.
“I think Maryland’s an elite offensive rebounding team. I think Buzz does a really good job with that,” Cooley said.
Maryland arrives with its own motivation. The Terrapins beat Bucknell to open the year, but last season’s trip to Georgetown still lingers after Maryland was beaten by 10 at home following a 22-point win over Coppin State to start the Buzz Williams era. Guard Andre Mills said the rematch carries extra weight for the new-look group, calling Saturday “personal.”
Cooley expects a physical battle and said his team has to be ready for the environment.
“We know we’re going to face a very physical team, a team we were fortunate to win on the road last year. We’re going to be playing in a hostile environment.
Hopefully it’s our hostile environment against our opponent,” Cooley said. “Our thing that I need all of you in this room to do is please have people come out to support the game.
We need that home court advantage.”
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