clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

John Thompson III, Mark Turgeon Discussed Scheduling Men's Basketball Game, According To Report

Apparently, there was a private conversation between Georgetown head coach John Thompson III and his Maryland counterpart Mark Turgeon last summer about a possible match-up between the two schools, according to ESPN college basketball writer Andy Katz. Now that Maryland Athletic director Kevin Anderson has made this negotiation public, Katz says there is a chance that this could end up torpedoing any chance of a game happening anytime soon.

If this had been left up to Turgeon and JT3, there was at least a chance it could happen. Turgeon and JT3 don't have any animosity. But now that it has gone public, the odds are slim. If the two schools schedule a game against each other, it will look like Georgetown caved in to a threat. The chances of a Thompson-led program doing such a thing are probably zero.

So there is that. In addition, Anderson talked to Washington Post columnist Mike Wise about this most recent decision.

I have no beef with Coach Thompson, I have the utmost respect for him. I know some people in this profession who would not have their jobs were it not for all the things he did years ago to open doors. I just want get this settled one way or the other before we move on. I'm open to changing my position if we start to have a dialogue on this

Again, while this was done with good intentions on the part of Anderson and he only wanted the best in what was a logical regional rivalry, going public with this decision now puts all the pressure on Georgetown. If they make a move now, they run the risk of looking like they are caving into Maryland's demands. So don't get excited about any big Maryland-Georgetown match-ups (for now).

For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Terps, visit Testudo Times, SB Nation's Maryland blog. For all your Georgetown news, be sure to follow along at Casual Hoya.