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NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Georgetown got revenge 10 years later.
Mike Sweetney scored 32 points as the Hoyas cruised into the championship of the National Invitation Tournament with an 88-74 victory over Minnesota.
Georgetown (19-14) took control midway through the first half and avenged a 62-61 loss to Minnesota in the 1993 championship game. The Hoyas won for the eighth time in their last nine games away from home.
The Hoyas, who turned down an NIT bid last season, improved to 12-9 all-time in the NIT and will meet St. John's or Texas Tech in the championship.
Sweetney, the team's leading scorer, exerted his dominance against Minnesta's frontcourt of Rick Rickert and Jerry Holman. He used his 6-8, 250-pound frame to get to the free-throw line 18 times, making 16.
"There's nobody we're going to play except the Lakers that we can't exploit with Mike inside," Georgetown coach Craig Esherick said. "This guy probably played his best all-around game for us."
The Hoyas never trailed and used a 13-4 tear in the first half to take the lead for good at 30-21 with 8:17 left before halftime. Sweetney scored eight points in the run.
Freshman Brandon Bowman's two free throws gave Georgetown a 47-33 halftime lead.
Minnesota (19-13) opened up the second half with a 2-2-1 zone defense, making it tougher for Sweetney to get the ball inside. Kevin Burleson's layup pulled the Golden Gophers within 53-52 with 14:23 remaining.
"They trapped us, they got us flustered," Esherick said. "We played a little lackadaisical."
The Hoyas ran off the next 11 points. Victor Samnick's two free throws made it 64-52 at the 11:47 mark, and the Golden Gophers got no closer than seven points thereafter.
Sweetney scored 17 points in the first half, including 11-of-13 at the line. The Gophers were unable to prevent him from getting good position down low.
"I had a lot of help from my teammates by them hitting open shots," Sweetney said. "It opened it up for me to take my man 1-on-1."
Bowman scored 13 of his 14 points in the first half and Samnick netted 13 for Georgetown, which shot 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half. Gerald Riley added 12 points.
Sweetney converted a three-point play with 1:19 remaining for an 86-74 lead and exchanged chest bumps with several teammates afterwards.
"Mike to me is the best player in the country," Riley said. "He comes to play every night."
Rickert led five players in double figures for Minnesota with 17 points and reserve Ben Johnson added 15. But the Gophers were unable to contain Sweetney, who resembled no one in the Big Ten Conference.
"He's very tough to guard," Rickert said. "He's definitely one of the better big men."
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