GEORGETOWN LOOKS TO STOP SLIDE

January 8, 2009


By Zach Smart


John Thompson III addressed the problem with the confidence and calm demeanor that typifies the mild-mannered Georgetown coach.

“We haven’t been the best rebounding team in the world,” said Thompson III.

“That will change.”

JTIII then did a 180, turning around and locating point guard Chris Wright.

“Right?” He asked, eliciting pours of laughter from the jam-packed press room.

For the Hoyas, however, JTIII’s words have yet to prove prophetic.

After passing an early litmus test by rolling past a lackadaisical UConn team at Hartford right before New Year’s, the Hoyas were embarrassed by Pittsburgh.

That 16-point loss saw them get outhustled, significantly, and out-rebounded to the tune of a 48-23 Pittsburgh bulge.



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Simply put, the Hoyas had no answer for super sophomore DeJuan Blair, who pulled down a whopping 17 boards to supplement his team-high 20 points. The titanic 6-foot-7 homegrown product helped Pittsburgh roll to a convincing 70-54 win at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

The Panthers, which have molded their own version of earth, wind and fire in Blair, Sam Young and veteran New York point guard Levance Fields, have since received an upgrade to the crazy confines of the top.

Since North Carolina was defeated by Boston College, Pittsburgh is the no.1-ranked team in America.

While the problem with the new area code Panthers was their ability to pound the glass relentlessly, the most recent loss at Notre Dame exposed Georgetown on the perimeter and in the post with the tantalizing tandem of Kyle McLarney and Luke Harangody.

McLarney scorched the nets with five threes, one that he launched from the parking lot, and Harangody patrolled the paint with a season-high 31 points and 11 boards.

If Thompson third can hope for anything, it’s for the Hoyas to halt this two-game losing skid.

The opportunity is right there in front of them Saturday, as a Providence team on the heels of a four-game winning streak.

While the Hoyas contained Hasheem Thabeet, keeping the 7-foot-3 blocksmith at bay all game, they got roasted by DeJuan Blair.

So, how will they fare against boardsmith Geoff McDermott, he off the Ron Artest, football-basketball mentality and penchant for crashing the boards at will?

On the surface, the 6-foot-6 McDermott should be a stroll in the park after having to deal with the modern-day Beast of the Big East in Blair.

While McDermott is averaging 8.4 boards per, teammate Randall Hanke can be had (to paraphrase Ronde Barber).

Hanke, a spindly 6-foot-11 senior center, is averaging 4.8 bounds but snared just one during the Friars’ recent 87-79 topping of Cincinatti. The Bearcats have their own Mr. Soft in 7-foot, 245-pound sophomore Anthony McClain (2.8 RPG). Hanke has show some flashes of game. He played as if someone finally sparked a fire under his behind against St. John’s scoring 17 points in 18 minutes. Hanke scored during crucial transitions that game, help capitalize runs and played hungrier than a junk yard dog. He actually looked like he wanted the rock that game.


-All of a sudden, Providence is one of the four unbeatens in the Big East. This is actually quite meaningless since they’ve only played three games and are yet to taste the prime meat of their Big East slate. Georgetown will be a huge barometer game for the Friars, who have been fiending an NCAA tournament berth for the past three years. After starting off slow with an upset loss to Northeastern in the home opener, Providence looks to be back in the conversation this year.

-How nuts is the Big East this year? Check it out: Georgetown beat previously no.2-ranked UConn but lost to Notre Dame who lost to St. John’s who got cooked by Providence. Does that make the Friars a sleeper team, or does it essentially indicate what a topsy-turvy conference the Big East is?