Finally, when his son strolled over for his postgame interview, the Hoyas' former coach wrapped their current coach in a huge bear hug and rubbed his shaved head. It seemed like old times--but it's been a long time coming.

Yesterday's surprisingly dominant 70-52 victory over second-seeded Ohio State propelled the Hoyas into the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001.

Georgetown hasn't reached a regional final since 1996, when the elder Thompson was in charge. Allen Iverson was his start at the time, but the Hoyas' calling card has always been dominant big men.

Yesterday, Hibbert's numbers were reminiscent of those of Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning: 20 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and three blocked shots.

"He has had some very good games against quality opponents," the younger Thompson said. "But it's March, and you're playing for a lot more than you were earlier in the year. So was this his biggest game? Yes, without a doubt."

The seventh-seeded Hoyas (23-9) next face third-seeded Florida in Friday's Minneapolis Regional semifinal. And based on yesterday's effort, they may not be underdogs.

"I haven't seen all their games," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said, "but boy, did they play well today."

Columbus is a mere 75 miles away, and the University of Dayton Arena was filled with vocal, red-clad Buckeye fans yesterday. The hostile, partisan atmosphere didn't seem to matter as much as Georgetown's superior size.

Trailing 6-5 early, Hibbert sparked a 15-4 run with a three-point play. The 7-foot-2 sophomore had seven points in the spurt, which gave the Hoyas the lead for good.

"We came in knowing they're an hour away from this campus," Hibbert said. "We knew they'd have a large fan base. But we've played in conditions where the crowd is against us. We came together."