Georgetown men’s basketball coach Ed Cooley found himself in the spotlight for an unfortunate incident following his team’s disappointing home loss to the Xavier Musketeers. With the game on the line and his team trailing by three, Cooley’s frustration boiled over after the Hoyas missed a critical free throw, sealing their fate as they could not make a final shot before the buzzer.
In a moment of anger, Cooley threw a plastic water bottle in the direction of the stands, inadvertently hitting a child being held by their mother. This unexpected action drew immediate attention and concern. During the postgame press conference, Cooley openly apologized for his behavior, expressing remorse for his actions that he noted were out of character for him.
“I have to apologize to the Nyahkoon family… that’s definitely out of character for me to be so frustrated, but really that’s not called for,” he said. Cooley emphasized that he would reach out to the family to make amends, acknowledging that his frustration had led to an unfortunate mistake. “I apologize to the fans, I apologize to our players, the university. Totally, totally out of character for me to be that way,” he added.
The game itself was a struggle for Georgetown, who had a promising start, leading by five at halftime but faltering in the second half with only 34.6 percent shooting from the field and failing to capitalize on free throws, converting just 60.7 percent. The frustration culminated in a final attempt by Jeremiah Williams to intentionally miss a free throw to facilitate a rebound, which did not go as planned, further igniting Cooley’s outrage.
With the loss, Georgetown’s record now stands at 1-1 in conference play and 8-4 for the season. They are currently 1-3 against ranked opponents and face a crucial matchup against Coppin State before the holiday break. Despite the setback, there is still an opportunity for the Hoyas to regroup and refocus before their next contest. The incident serves as a reminder of the intense emotions that can accompany competitive sports, underscoring the need for composure amid high-pressure situations.