[2][3] Georgetown's move from on-campus McDonough Gymnasium to the Capital Centre for its home games had been prompted by a surge in fan interest in the team as its prominence grew, especially after Ewing's arrival sparked great excitement; average attendance at Georgetown games was twice that of the previous season.

[2] The Hoyas started the season 11–2 against non-conference opponents, with senior guard and team co-captain Eric "Sleepy" Floyd getting off to an uncharacteristically slow start but then returning to his role as the team's leading scorer, with a combined 41 points in games against American and George Washington, 27 against Nevada-Las Vegas, and 14 of Georgetown's 38 points in a pre-shot-clock-era slow-down game against Columbia.

His talent became apparent immediately to observers following the team closely, but the national media knew him only as one of the year's promising young centers.

Many expected St. John's to win, but Ewing put in a dominating performance and during the first half Georgetown jumped out to a 41–9 lead.

The Hoyas led by 24 points at the half and won 72–42, stunning St. John's fans and ending the media's comparisons of Ewing to any other center in the country.

The enduring image of the game, shown three times to the television audience on instant replay, was a play in which Ewing attempted to take an alley-oop pass in for a dunk; he missed the dunk, but slammed the ball onto the rim so hard that it flew 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) into the air, drawing a huge crowd reaction and prompting television commentators to express admiration for his power and potential.

Although overshadowed by Ewing by the end of the season, he shot 47% from the field and had a career-high 20 points, along with seven rebounds, against Boston College.

[9] Sophomore guard Gene Smith had proven himself to be a top defensive asset for the Hoyas the previous season, but he was injured during most of this year.

In a defensive struggle in the national semifinals against Louisville, Georgetown sophomore guard Fred Brown played one of the best games of his career, Floyd continued his hot scoring, and Eric Smith scored 14 points to give the Hoyas a 50–46 win and their second appearance in the NCAA final and first since 1943.

[3][4][7] The Hoyas played North Carolina in the final before 61,612 fans, the largest paid basketball crowd in NCAA history.

With 18 seconds left in the game, North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan scored on an 18-foot (5.5-meter) shot to give the Tar Heels a one-point lead.

North Carolina took the national championship 63–62, and Georgetown's season ended with cameras capturing John Thompson on the sidelines consoling a devastated Fred Brown with a hug while the Tar Heels celebrated.