December 6, 1979: Georgetown defeats Indiana 60-54 in Landover, Maryland. People forget that before the Ewing years, the Hoyas typically had two big games in December. We often played Maryland as well as another high profile team in the month of December. Indeed this Hoya victory helped propel GTown to a #12 final ranking. 1979 is usually remembered as the year Magic Johnson and MSU defeated Larry Bird and Indiana State. However, this game was indeed a coaching masterpiece as JT Jr. battled another future Hall of Famer: Bob Knight and his Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoyas were led by former Dunbar stars Craig Shelton, and John Duren as well as Eric Smith, and future NBA star Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. These two coaches understood that "Defense" wins championships. John Thompson, Jr. would build the GU program around this great nucleus prior to the arrival of Patrick Ewing. Indeed this was a team that in 1979-80 could have easily won an NCAA championship. At this time, Bob Knight was only 3 years removed from his undefeated NCAA championship game, and a year before the arrival of Isaiah Thomas and another Indiana NCAA championship for the Hoosiers in 1981. The Hoyas would lose to Indiana in December 1980 as the Hoosiers entered the game with a #1 Ranking. However, this victory in December at the Capital Centre would help propel the Hoyas into National Prominence. We are Georgetown!
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