Game 5 - #20 Georgetown vs. Coastal Carolina from Charleston, SC

Game - #20 Georgetown vs. Coastal Carolina from Charleston, SC

Line - Georgetown -14

Result - Georgetown wins 80-61, and covers the 14-point spread

Tony Greene is finally working a televised game with a spread, this time in the Opening Round of the Charleston Classic tournament from Charleston, SC. Working with James Breeding (an ITGOTT favorite) and TV Teddy Valentine (who Nate Ross points out lives in the Charleston area), Tony Greene began his reviewable 2010-2011 work with a game that saw Georgetown as a big favorite, favored by 14 points.

During the first half, the game appeared to be allowed to unfold organically, and Georgetown slowly built a lead using its skill and size - Georgetown is going to be bigger than nearly all of its opponents this year and looks to make noise in the Big East under the excellent leadership of John Thompson III - and the Hoyas took a 6-point lead into the locker room. Nearly halfway to the 14-point spread, the spread of this game (if not the game itself) would be decided in the second half.

Make The Big Judgment Call In Favor Of The Team You Are Helping

Coastal Carolina, led by former Auburn coach Cliff Ellis, had shown some inspired play with tenacious defense at the end of the first half and some enthusiasm to begin the second half. Not one to let a tenacious underdog stick around while ostensibly aiding the favorite toward a cover, Tony Greene and his crew took over just 2 1/2 minutes into the second half when a Georgetown player drove to the hoop and was fouled. Even though official James Breeding made the blocking call against the Coastal Carolina player well before Hoya Jason Clark scored, when Tony Greene administered the free throw, he indicated that Clark would only shoot one... that the basket counted. A conference occurred, and guess which official's opinion ruled. Yep, that of Tony Greene, and the Hoyas were awarded a bucket "and one" free throw.

Of course, this call is followed up within a couple minutes of on-court action by Tony Greene with the phantom moving screen against Coastal Carolina. The 6-point halftime lead Georgetown enjoyed, just 4 minutes into the second half, had been extended to 12 at 41-29 and was nearing the 14-point spread.

Sure enough, the Hoyas had the momentum and quickly spread its lead to 18, at 51-33, with 13 1/2 minutes to go, and despite a brief Coastal Carolina run, the Hoyas managed to keep the lead at about 18 point for the remainder of the game, ultimately winning 80-61 and safely covering the 14-point spread.

Summary

When Georgetown was clearly winning the game in the second half, but not by enough to cover the 14-point spread, the officiating crew, led by Tony Greene, made two big judgment calls in a row that favored the Hoyas, and the lead was extended beyond the spread. With just these two calls, a 10-point game became a 20-point game, and the Hoyas covered the spread, winning 80-61. Interesting how these things happen, isn't it?

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