Patrick Ewing's Hoyas lose big in Big East blowout to end 'rough year'

NEW YORK — Patrick Ewing walked off the court alone Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, the site of his greatest moments as both an NBA player and Georgetown's coach, after another blowout loss that might have been his final game leading Hoyas.

Last-place Georgetown (7-25) was eliminated by sixth-seeded Villanova 80-48 in the first round of the Big East Tournament. School officials have given no indication of whether Ewing will be back for a seventh season, but he fell to 75-109 as coach of the program he lead to three Final Fours and a national title as player.

«No thoughts about my future,» Ewing said. «The (last) two season's been rough. Disappointed in the outcomes of these last two years. My future's in the hands of our president and our AD and the board of the directors.»

Athletic director Lee Reed declined to comment on Ewing's status.

«My thoughts are with those kids right now,» Lee said outside of the Georgetown locker room. «It's been a long year.»

The Garden will always be a second home to Ewing, with a familiar faces and warm welcomes.

He played 15 seasons for the Knicks after being drafted first overall in 1985, and became one of their all-time greats. His No. 33 hangs from the rafters at MSG.

In the first half against Villanova, Ewing shared fist bumps during a timeout with Big East officials stationed next to Hoyas' bench, including associate commissioner and former Knicks coach Stu Jackson.

He paced the sideline in his all-black sweat suit, shouting directions to his players and looking incredulous at times when his team failed to smoothly execute its offense or allowed yet another easy Villanova basket.

«It was a rough year. It was not the year we thought we would have had,» Ewing said. «We kept