1974–75 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 basketball 1974-75 Georgetown Hoyas Georgetown Hoyas logo.svg Independent 18–10 John Thompson 3rd Bill Stein 3rd Dwight Datcher 1st Jonathan Smith McDonough Gymnasium ECAC South Region tournament champions NCAA tournament First Round The 1974–75 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University during the 1974–75 NCAA Division I college basketball season. John Thompson, coached them in his third season as head coach. Georgetown was an independent that played its home games at McDonough Gymnasium on the Georgetown campus in Washington, D.C., and finished the season with a record of 18–10. The team won the 1975 ECAC South Region tournament and appeared in the 1975 NCAA tournament – the Hoyass first appearance in that tournament since 1943 – and lost to Central Michigan in the first round. Season recap The team struggled during the first half of the season, and a six-game losing streak caused its record to fall to 7–8 by the end of January 1975. Some people called for Thompson to be fired. A contributing factor in the Hoyas woes was the performance of junior center Merlin Wilson, who also received criticism; in contrast to his first two years with the team, he seemed sluggish when running, did not pull down as many rebounds as he once had, and suffered a scoring slump. He turned out to have a painful, undiagnosed back problem. His play remained uneven all season but improved in later games, including 17 points and 13 rebounds against St. Joseph's and 23 rebounds against Saint Francis, and he finished the year as Georgetowns top rebounder.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/m_wilson.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 17. Merlin Wilson 2014-02-09 2013-02-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20130218070032/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/m_wilson.htm dead Sophomore forward Larry Long, meanwhile, averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game despite suffering ankle, thigh, and knee injuries.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/l_long.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 97. Larry Long 2014-02-09 2015-03-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20150330030043/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/l_long.htm dead Freshman power forward Ed Hopkins started every game, averaged 9.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and shot 49% from the field.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/e_hopkins.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 75. Ed Hopkins 2014-02-09 2015-03-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20150331010431/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/e_hopkins.htm dead Freshmen Derrick Jackson and Mike Riley alternated at guard, and Jackson showed signs of the scoring threat that he would become, averaging 10.6 points per game and scoring a season-high 19 against St. John's on January 4, 1975, in Georgetowns first road victory over the Redmen since December 1947.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/d_jackson.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 9. Derrick Jackson 2014-02-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20181005053409/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/d_jackson.htm 2018-10-05 dead Junior guard Jonathan Smith, meanwhile, scored 20 or more points in four of the first eight games of the season; although he suffered a broken finger in a December 1974 game, he nonetheless was Georgetowns top scorer for a second season.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/j_smith.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 32. Jonathan Smith 2014-02-09 2015-03-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20150329171307/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/j_smith.htm dead Although retaining its status as an independent, Georgetown enhanced its chances for a berth in the NCAA tournament this season by joining the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), a loosely organized sports federation that in 1975 for the first time held regional post-season Division I basketball tournaments – four in all – for independent Eastern colleges and universities similar to the end-of-season conference tournaments held by conventional college basketball conferences, with each tournament winner receiving an at-large bid to the 1975 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Georgetown participated in the ECAC South Region tournament. The first game was a semifinal match-up against George Washington, a team which had defeated Georgetown during the regular season and in seven of the last nine meetings between the schools. Derrick Jackson scored 18 points as the Hoyas prevailed this time, defeating the Colonials 66–59 to advance to the final. In the ECAC South final, Georgetown faced West Virginia on the Mountaineers home court at the WVU Coliseum before a crowd of some 14,000 West Virginia fans and a few hundred Hoya supporters. Jonathan Smith scored 10 points in the game and West Virginia guard Bob Huggins scored 14. The Mountaineers led 32-31 at halftime and appeared to have an advantage when Merlin Wilson and Larry Long both fouled out in the second half. With 54 seconds left in the game and West Virginia leading 61-58, Derrick Jackson scored to close to 61–60. The Mountaineers tried to preserve the win by running out the clock, but Georgetowns Mike Riley fouled West Virginias Ernie Hall with 10 seconds left to stop the clock. Hall came to the free-throw line to shoot a one-anad-one, and missed his first shot. Ed Hopkins – who shot a career-low 25% (4-for-16) but pulled down 12 rebounds – grabbed the rebound and passed it to junior guard Bill Thomas, who threw a long, cross court pass to Jackson with five seconds left. Jackson promptly scored on an 18-foot (5.5-meter) shot with two seconds left, silencing the crowd – except for the handful of Georgetown fans celebrating in the stands – and giving Georgetown a 62–61 victory. Jacksons shot became known in Georgetown men's basketball history as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World," because the unlikely victory secured the Hoyas first NCAA tournament berth since the 1942–43 season and began the schools pattern of regular appearances in the tournament in the years to come.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/history/classic.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: Classic Games 2013-12-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924041705/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/history/classic.htm 2015-09-24 dead Powell, Camille, "Hoyas Basketball Is His Life's Calling," The Washington Post, Friday, February 25, 2005, Page D6 The 1974–75 squad was only the second team in Georgetown mens basketball history to play in the NCAA Tournament, and it was the first Georgetown men's basketball team to be invited to either the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) since the 1969-70 team's appearance in the 1970 NIT. Playing in the tournaments Mideast Region, the Hoyas met Central Michigan in the first round. Junior Hoya forward Bill Lynn scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds in the game.http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/b_lynn.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 81. Bill Lynn 2014-02-09 2015-03-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20150330025956/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/features/top100/b_lynn.htm dead With six seconds left to play, the score was tied 75–75 when a held ball forced a jump ball. Georgetowns Ed Hopkins grabbed the tip and passed it to Derrick Jackson, who threw it to Jonathan Smith. Smith dribbled toward the basket and put up a long shot as time expired that missed. Central Michigan guard Leonard Drake undercut Smith as he shot, but an official off the ball called an offensive foul on Smith. Drake made both of his resulting free throws with no time remaining to give the Chippewas a 77–75 win and knock Georgetown out of the tournament. John Thompson objected strenuously, and game films later supported the view that it was Drake who had fouled Smith in the act of shooting. On November 30, 1974, Rich Chvotkin debuted as the radio voice of the Hoyas with a broadcast on WOOK-AM of the season opener against Upsala at McDonough Gymnasium, giving Georgetown its first regular radio coverage. Chvotkin would go on to broadcast every Georgetown men's basketball game since except for most of those of the 1990-1991 season, when he was mobilized for six months of United States Army Reserve service during the Gulf WarThe Georgetown Basketball History Project: Rich Chvotkin after calling only the first four games of that season.Bancroft, Bobby, "Georgetown vs Little Rock: Rich Chvotkin’s 1,400 Game!," casualhoya.com, December 21, 2018, 10:13 p.m. EST Retrieved March 22, 2019 The team was not ranked in the Top 20 in the Associated Press Poll or Coaches' Poll at any time.sports-reference.com 1974-75 Independent Season Summarysports-reference.com 1974-75 Polls Roster Sourcehttp://www.hoyabasketball.com/players/roster-70s.htm#1975 The Georgetown Basketball History Project: Rosters 1970-71 to 1979-1980 2013-12-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20131213081949/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/players/roster-70s.htm#1975 2013-12-13 dead The Georgetown Basketball History Project: Player Directory: Jersey Numbers Freshman guard Craig Esherick would later serve as an assistant coach for the Hoyas from 1982 to 1999 and as head coach from 1999 to 2004. Freshman guard Mike Riley would later serve as a Hoya assistant coach from 1982 to 2004. #NameHeightWeight (lbs.)PositionClassHometownPrevious team(s)10Craig Esherick6'3"N/AGFr.Silver Spring, MD, U.S.Springbrook HS12Mike Riley5'8"N/AGFr.Washington, DC, U.S.United States Navy14Bill Lynn6'9"185FJr.Washington, DC, U.S.Spingarn HS20Emmet Fitzgerald5'9"N/AGSo.Philadelphia, PA, U.S.Malvern Preparatory School22Derrick Jackson6'0"180GFr.Wheaton, IL, U.S.Wheaton Central HS24Bill Thomas6'4"N/AFJr.Dallas, TX, U.S.Lake Highlands HSNorthampton Community College (Pa.)30Jonathan Smith6'1"185GJr.Washington, DC, U.S.St. Anthony's HS32Larry Long6'7"200FSo.Washington, DC, U.S.Mackin HS34Mike MacDermott6'4"N/AGSo.Saratoga Springs, NY, U.S.St. Peter HS40Greg Brooks6'6"N/AGJr.Washington, DC, U.S.St. Anthony's HS42Felix Yeoman6'7"N/AF/CFr.Washington, DC, U.S.St. Anthony's HS44Merlin Wilson6'9"215CJr.Washington, DC, U.S.St. Anthony's HS52Ed Hopkins6'9"225CFr.Baltimore, MD, U.S.Edmondson-Westside HS 1974–75 schedule and results Sourceshttp://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-1970.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: 1970s Seasons 2013-12-12 2020-07-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20200704090730/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-1970.htm dead http://www.hoyabasketball.com/opponents.htm The Georgetown Basketball History Project: Records vs. All Opponents 2013-12-12 2013-11-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20131103211101/http://www.hoyabasketball.com/opponents.htm dead sports-reference.com 1974-75 Georgetown Hoyas Schedule and Results2012-2013 Georgetown Men's Basketball Media Guide, p. 62.http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=1975_ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments jonfmorse.com 1975 ECAC Men's Basketball Tournaments December 12, 2013 December 14, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131214170731/http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=1975_ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments dead All times are Eastern no yes no no no |- !colspan=9 style="background:#002147; color:#8D817B;"| Regular season Sat., Nov. 30, 1974 no w Upsala McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 80–58 1-0 Tue., Dec. 3, 1974 no w Loyola Maryland McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 80–58 2-0 Sat., Dec. 7, 1974 no w St. Bonaventure McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 77–57 3-0 Tue., Dec. 10, 1974 no l yes Maryland 4 Capital Centre Landover, MD no 71–104 3-1 Mon., Dec. 23, 1974 no w Eastern Kentucky McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 79–69 4-1 Fri., Dec. 27, 1974 no w yes Syracuse Rochester Community War Memorial Rochester, NY Kodak Classic Semifinal/Rivalry no 71–70 5-1 Sat., Dec. 28, 1974 no l yes Dartmouth Rochester Community War Memorial Rochester, NY Kodak Classic Final no 56–57 5-2 Sat., Jan. 4, 1975 no w yes St. John's Alumni Hall Queens, NY no 67–63 6-2 Tue., Jan. 7, 1975 no w yes Boston University Case Gymnasium Boston, MA no 90–75 7-2 Sat., Jan. 11, 1975 no l yes Randolph–Macon Crenshaw Gymnasium Ashland, VA no 64–74 7-3 Wed., Jan. 15, 1975 no l yes Fairfield University Gymnasium Fairfield, CT no 65–76 7-4 Sat., Jan. 18, 1975 no l Seton Hall McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 67–84 7-5 Wed., Jan. 22, 1975 no l yes American Fort Myer Gymnasium Fort Myer, VA no 80–81 OT 7-6 Sat., Jan. 25, 1975 no l yes Holy Cross Worcester Memorial Auditorium Worcester, MA no 86–108 7-7 Wed., Jan. 29, 1975 no l St. Peter's McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 68–70 7-8 Sat., Feb. 1, 1975 no w yes Penn State Recreation Hall State College, PA no 77–66 8-8 Wed., Feb. 5, 1975 no w Dickinson McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 102–60 9-8 Sat., Feb. 8, 1975 no w Fairleigh Dickinson McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 89–54 10-8 Wed., Feb. 12, 1975 no w St. Joseph's McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 89–70 11-8 Sat., Feb. 15, 1975 no w Boston College McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 90–82 2OT 12-8 Wed., Feb. 19, 1975 no w Saint Francis McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 90–71 13-8 Sat., Feb. 22, 1975 no w Manhattan McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 101–73 14-8 Wed., Feb. 26, 1975 no l yes George Washington Fort Myer Gymnasium Fort Myer, VA no 78–82 14-9 Sat., Mar. 1, 1975 no w Fordham McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 66–60 15-9 Tue., Mar. 4, 1975 no w Wheeling Jesuit McDonough Gymnasium Washington, DC no 105–69 16-9 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#002147; color:#8D817B;"| ECAC South Region tournament Fri., Mar. 7, 1975 no w yes George Washington WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV Semifinal no 66–59 17-9 Sat., Mar. 8, 1975 no w yes West Virginia WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV Final no 62–61 18-9 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#002147; color:#8D817B;"| NCAA tournament Sat., Mar. 15, 1975 no l yes Central Michigan Memorial Coliseum Tuscaloosa, AL Mideast Region First Round no 75–77 18-10 AP Poll References Category:Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball seasons Georgetown Georgetown Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team