Not to Beat a Dead Horse

But I thought this AP article by Joseph White did a good job summarizing what we all reported about Georgetown's position following the Oregon game.

First, J-Wal accurately identifies the major problem with the team:

"We need to stop thinking so much," said Wallace, a junior guard and the only player to have a decent game in Wednesday night's 57-50 loss to the Ducks. "And just relax and play basketball."

And the author accurately explains what a disappointment Hibbert and Green have been (reflecting Ryan and my respective positions nicely):

The losing would be easier to stomach if it were only attributable to the younger players, but the junior frontcourt duo that was supposed to lead Georgetown to its best season in a decade is off to a slow start. Green and Hibbert didn't score a single point between them in the first half of the Oregon game. They finished with nine points on combined 4-for-11 shooting.

Hibbert simply appeared to have an off night. Ducks center Maarty Leunen pushed the limits of contact nearly every time down the court, grabbing Hibbert's jersey and staying physical in the paint. Hibbert's contested 2-footers would bounce on the rim and not fall in.

But Green simply went missing in action for long stretches, a common occurrence this season. He has failed to reach double figures in three of his last four games. He took only two shots in the loss to Old Dominion, four shots in a victory over Fairfield and four shots in the loss to Oregon. He has the talent to take over a game, but he is too often concerned with making the extra pass instead of looking for his shot.

On Thursday, Green pleaded guilty to taking the lessons of being a team player to the extreme.

"That's just me," he said. "By me being myself, it can hurt me just as much as help me."

Green said he has been limited by double teams and foul trouble - he's fouled out twice already this year. He is averaging 10.8 points, close to his average (11.9) from last season, but that team had Brandon Bowman, Ashanti Cook and Darrel Owens on the perimeter to share the scoring load.

Green acknowledged that he needs to assert himself more. His coach wholeheartedly agreed. As Thompson III said earlier this year: "When he's off, more than likely we will be off."

"We've got to get him more touches," the coach said Thursday. "And he has to be more aggressive."

But the most important message from the article may have come from JT2:

Jonathan Wallace was answering question after question about Georgetown's early season struggles when a familiar, booming voice interrupted.

"What month is it?" said John Thompson, the longtime Hoyas coach and father of current coach John Thompson III.

"November," Wallace answered.

"Thank you," said Thompson, who then walked away, having made his point.

There's still a lot of season left. Bring on Duke!