Georgetown basketball fans were treated to an easy 97-67 win over Coppin State University on Monday night, December 22, but the Hoyas did it without their head coach, Ed Cooley, on the sidelines.
Cooley, 56, was serving a one-game suspension for throwing a water bottle out of frustration at the end of the previous game. The bottle hit a child seated behind the Hoyas’ bench.
Cooley seemed to realize his mistake almost immediately, opening his postgame press conference with an apology to the family, whom he said he has known “for years.”
“First and foremost, I have to apologize to the Nyahkoon family,” Cooley said following his team’s 80-77 loss to Xavier University on Saturday, December 20. “[I got] really frustrated and realize I threw my water bottle. … [It was] definitely out of character for me to be so frustrated. But really, you know, that’s not called for, I’ll call them and make amends to that.”
He continued, “Definitely out of character to be so frustrated, but really that’s not called for. I’ll call them and make amends to that. Just totally out of character, frustration. So I apologize to the fans, I apologize to our players, the university. Totally, totally out of character for me to be that way.”
The university announced the next day that Cooley would be suspended for one game.
“I met with Coach Cooley today to discuss the incident which occurred after last night’s game against Xavier,” athletic director Lee Reed said in a statement. “I expressed that his conduct did not align with the standards we expect of our coaches, nor does it reflect the values of Georgetown Athletics or Georgetown University. As a result, Coach Cooley will be suspended for the next game vs. Coppin State. Associate Head Coach Jeff Battle will coach the team.”
Cooley is in his third season as Georgetown head coach, taking over for Hoyas legend Patrick Ewing in an attempt to rebuild a once-proud program. After a hot start to the 2025-26 season, Georgetown is now 8-4 headed into the heart of conference play.
It’s not the first time he has come under fire for his interaction with a fan. Last season, also after a game against Xavier, Cooley skipped the postgame hand shake line to confront a Musketeers fan who was allegedly accosting a Georgetown player.
TV cameras caught the exchange, as Cooley’s players and his coaching staff stepped in to diffuse the situation.
“In tonight’s game, an opposing team fan was verbally attacking one of my players,” Cooley wrote in a statement at the time. “While nothing physical happened, I will always protect my players if they are threatened. I have nothing but respect for Xavier and its fanbase, and I want to congratulate the Musketeers on the win. I’m proud of how hard our players fought, and now we look to the next game this Saturday as we host Seton Hall back at home.”
Georgetown’s next game is at home against St. John’s University on New Year’s Eve in a game where both teams are in desperate need of a big win.
