New Dynamic Duo Emerges

Bowman, Green Struggle, but Cook, Crawford Fill Hoyas' Bill : Georgetown 61, Rutgers 56

Georgetown's Ashanti Cook (career-high 23 points) gets a shot off in front of Rutgers's Marquis Webb. Hoyas' Tyler Crawford added 11 points. (Rich Schultz -- AP)

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Feb. 5 -- Once again, the Georgetown men's basketball just found a way to win.

On a night when the Hoyas' top two scorers (junior Brandon Bowman and freshman Jeff Green) were held to just seven points apiece, when they were playing in what is usually one of the Big East's most hostile arenas, Georgetown beat Rutgers, 61-56. Junior Ashanti Cook tied his career high with 23 points, and freshman reserve Tyler Crawford added 11 points and five rebounds.

"We always have felt that we have different people, when called upon, who will step up," Georgetown Coach John Thompson III said. "This team, in the way we do things, is not necessarily centered around or dependent on one person. Brandon and Jeff have both had a lot of opportunities, and have been put in a position where they've scored a lot of points and done things for us. . . . When those guys score in single-digits and for us to win on the road in the league, that's a good thing."

Georgetown is now 15-6 overall and 7-3 in the Big East, and has its most conference wins since the 2001-02 season, when it finished 9-7. Rutgers, on the other hand, continued its slide; the Scarlet Knights lost their fifth straight and fell to 7-12 overall and 1-8 in the Big East.

Cook had one of his best all-around efforts of the season. He made 7 of 12 shots from the floor and 7 of 8 from the line. He did a nice job directing the Georgetown offense, finishing with six assists and only one turnover.

"In the past, Ashanti has gone through a whole, 'Am I a point guard, am I a two-guard?' This year, we told him to just play, man. Let's not worry about that," Thompson said. "This was a game where we had to put the ball in his hands and let him make a decision. For the most part, he did a pretty good job of controlling the flow of the game."

Said Cook: "Every game is going to be different. I'll do whatever it takes to help my team win."

Rutgers fought back to within four with 2 minutes 18 seconds left in the game, but could draw no closer. The crowd of 8,007 filled Louis Brown Athletic Center with cheers during the comeback, but the fans seemed to know how the game would end. Many started filing out with 46 seconds left, the Scarlet Knights down by only six, and Georgetown sophomore Ray Reed at the foul line. Reed missed both free throws, but he grabbed the rebound, one of his four offensive rebounds.

The Hoyas made those kind of heads-up, hustling plays throughout the game. Bowman missed a three-pointer from the left side, and the Scarlet Knights watched as the rebound flew out to arc. Cook darted in and knocked the ball to Crawford, who pulled up for a jump shot at the foul line that gave Georgetown its biggest lead, 40-28, with 13:46 remaining. The crowd booed the Scarlet Knights as they ran off the floor for a timeout.

Just moments after a Georgetown turnover, Green stood his ground and drew a charge on Rutgers' Ricky Shields that negated a basket that would have brought the Scarlet Knights to within six points with 4:25 to play.

The Hoyas also did a terrific job of containing Rutgers' top two scorers, sophomore Quincy Douby and Shields. The two guards combined for just 15 points (they average 29) on 4 of 19 shooting. Rutgers shot only 1-for-12 from beyond the arc.

Rutgers went on an 8-0 run midway through the first half to take an 18-10 lead, a spurt that coincided with its switch to a zone defense. But the Hoyas ended the half on an 11-2 run to go into the locker room up, 29-24, at the break. Cook and Crawford combined for seven points and two steals in that span. Both Thompson and Cook credited Crawford with giving the Hoyas a spark off the bench.

Crawford hasn't received the same kind of attention as his three roommatesfreshmen starters Green, Jonathan Wallace and Roy Hibbert -- but he hasn't had the opportunities to play like the others have.

"He's always like that in practice -- very energetic, always working hard, making his teammates better," Cook said. "That's what he does, and today he provided that for us."

Said Crawford: "I don't see myself as having a [specific] role. It's a team game. You work as a team, you win as a team."