GEORGETOWN LOOKS TO START MIRACLE BET RUN

March 10, 2009


For the second time in a week, Georgetown and St. John's meet at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas will hope for a different result this time around after dropping a 59-56 overtime decision to the Redstorm after letting a double-difit second-half lead slip away. The game was a microgosm of the Hoya season that has gone so wrong the last two months.

St. John's is back in the Big East Tournament on their home floor at Madison Square Garden, although they will be in the road uniforms as the 13th-seed taking on No. 12 Georgetown.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game:

Norm Roberts, St. John's Back to Make Big East Tournament (NY Daily News)
St. John's Faces Georgetown in Big East Tournament (Newsday.com)
A Staggering Season (Washington Times)
Hoyas Hope for Big East Miracle (Washington Post)

In their loss a week ago to the Redstorm, Georgetown was outrebounded 54-31. It has been the theme all season as the Hoyas have been pummelled in the paint by Big East counterparts. What has made this so shocking was how the Big East season started, with Georgetown going into Connecticut and waxing the Huskies, 74-63. They played with passion, intensity and out-rebounded UConn solidly. After an offensive clinic in a win over Syracuse, the Hoyas were a top 10 team and nobody could foresee what was next...

Georgetown limps into the Big East Tournament after losing 10 of their last 14 games and seeing their 2009 NCAA Tournament hopes resort to Georgetown pulling off an improbably run of five wins in five nights against some of the toughest competition in America.

In their last 14 games, only one of the 10 losses came against teams in the top four of the Big East (Louisville) as they did not play either Pitt or UConn in that span. One of their wins was at Villanova, but they followed that win with a loss to St. John's. That is the Hoya season in the Big East.

St. John's will certainly enter the game this afternoon with some confidence, although they are still being shown little love by the oddsmakers who have listed the Hoyas as a solid 5 1/2-point favorite according to the early college basketball odds this morning.

In the win over GU on March 3rd, Paris Horne and Ron Thomas each had 16 points. The SJU defense kept the Hoyas in check all game, which is a common theme. Georgetown has not scored more than 58 points in a game in their last four outings.

With a traditional Big East rivalry and the 'home' team making their tourney experience, this game should have a little extra life to it. The Georgetown offensive struggles will make this one to watch as it is hard to see them putting much distance between themselves and the Redstorm, especially the way SJU will rebound and play with some life, something we are not sure Georgetown has much of left.

The talent on Georgetown should be enough to pull the game out, but it is likely to be a close game, again.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 63
St. John's 59

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ GEORGETOWN

March 7, 2009


Georgetown will look to avoid being the ‘one’, the ‘only one’ this time. Three years ago, in the last regular season game of the year, Georgetown lost at South Florida and the Bulls avoided a Big East o-fer with the win.

This year, on the season finale, DePaul, who is 0-17, will make their last play of the season for a conference win and it will come at Georgetown.

The Hoyas have been one of the biggest disappointments, especially since they knocked off UConn to open conference play and climbed into the top 10 of the national rankings. It has been a steep free fall since they were 3-2 in the Big East and coming off an impressive win over Syracuse. The Hoyas are now 6-11 in the Big East and likely headed to an 11th place finish in the conference.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game:

What Happens to College Coaches Who Can’t Win a Conference Game (Daily Herald)
Sapp Departs as Georgetown’s Heart & Soul (Washington Times)
Wainwright Under Fire, But DePaul AD Preaches Patience (Southtown Star)

Georgetown will look to avoid the season’s biggest embarrassment and keep DePaul winless in the Big East. The Hoyas certainly have the talent to do so, even with Austin Freeman banged up.

Chris Wright should find the match-up with the DePaul backcourt to his liking and Greg Monroe and DaJuan Summers should dominate the Blue Demons frontcourt.

DePaul has been getting a big scoring lift from Will Walker and Dar Tucker continues to put up big offensive numbers, but Walker’s surge seems to have come at the expense of any interior production, an area that if lacking makes wins in the Big East hard to come by, especially on the road.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 73
DePaul 55

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETWON @ ST. JOHN'S

March 3, 3009


It really is pretty far-fetched, but following a 56-54 road win at Villanova on Saturday, the Georgetown Hoyas Hold Out Hope (Washington Times) that their postseason chances have been resurrected.

With tonight's game against St. John's, on the road, and their regular season finale at home on Saturday against DePaul, they have a chance to pull out two more wins as they head for the 2009 Big East Tournament which begins in just one week.

At 6-10 in the conference, Georgetown has plenty of work and it might take a minir miracle of a run in the conference tournament for them to get any NCAA Tournament consideration.

The early college basketball odds list the Hoyas as a 6 1/2-point favorite to get the 7th conference win tonight when they meet the Redstorm. SJU is 5-11 in Big East play and also must travel to South Bend to meet Notre Dame before competing in the conference tournament.

There is no doubt the Hoyas have the more talented team. Players like Chris Wright, Austin Freeman and Greg Monroe were McDonald's All-Americans and DaJuan Summers has been on the NBA Draft watchlists since his strong play in the Hoyas' run to the Final Four as a freshman. NYC native Jesse Sapp, the lone scholarship senior on the Hoyas, will be returning home and determined to put a frustrating season behind him to get a win in front of many friends and family.

St. Johns' season was a disaster waiting to happen from the get-go as they lost Anthony Mason, Jr. for the season by just their third game. An extended absence because of injury to Malik Boothe did not help as conference play heated up and now back-up big man Ayodele Coker has been suspended for the rest of the season because of academics.

We keep waiting for the Hoyas to develop some sort of momentume, while it is looking like it may be too little, too late, they should head back to NYC in a week with a three-game win streak. Just like the NY Lottery commercials...'Hey, you never know..."


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
St. John's 58

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ VILLANOVA

February 28, 2009


An old school Big East battle is rekindled at the Wachovia Center at high noon on Saturday as the Villanova Wildcats will host the Georgetown Hoyas. This game was expected to carry much more meaning in the Big East standings, but the struggles of the Hoyas have left them down and out of the Big East race.

Villanova is still in the mix for a top-four seed for the 2009 Big East Tournament as they enter Saturday’s contest 11-4 and with a 23-5 overall mark. The Wildcats have been one of the hottest teams in the nation, winning nine of their last 10 games. They will look to keep the pressure on UConn, Louisville, Pitt and Marquette by claiming an early afternoon win on Saturday.

Georgetown, on the other hand, has been mired in a head-scratching slump, losing nine of their last 11, with wins coming against South Florida and Rutgers. Last weekend’s Saturday/Monday dual losses at home to Marquette and Louisville have dropped the Hoyas to 5-10 in the Big East and 14-12 overall, not very impressive for a team that boasts former McDonald’s All-American recruits such as Greg Monroe, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman in their starting line-up along with DaJuan Summers, who was also a very highly regarded recruit when he signed with the Hoyas.

Georgetown certainly has high-end talent, the problem has been that that talent sees a significant drop-off in level and experience following the starting five. As the losses began to mount, the team’s confidence and chemistry seemed to erode rapidly. Guards Wright and Jesse Sapp had a much-publicized halftime confrontation in a loss to Duke and Sapp has also been benched for his attitude toward the coaching staff in another game.

Georgetown showed some signs of snapping out of the funk, nearly stealing a win at Syracuse and then blowing out USF, but last weekend’s pair of losses seemed to take the final wind out of their sails.

Villanova had a classic letdown performance on Wednesday as the DePaul game followed their frantic win over Syracuse in the Dome last weekend, a game where SU missed four game-tying attempts in the last seconds and the Wildcats escaped with a win over a big rival.

The Wildcats will need a better performance on Saturday to beat Georgetown. Look for Jay Wright’s crew to extend defensive pressure and force Chris Wright to make proper decisions in pushing the ball or pulling it back out to run the Hoya offense. This defensive philosophy will also make it difficult for Georgetown to go inside to freshman Greg Monroe, an under-used weapon in their arsenal. Coach John Thompson III acknowledged the Hoyas problems this week during the Big East coaches conference call with their decision-making within their intricate offensive system.

“We always have given guys a lot of freedom to play,” JTIII told reporters. “You have to make the right decisions, you have to share the ball.”

It has been a long season for Georgetown since the calendar has flipped from 2008 to 2009. Playing a hot Villanova team on the road is unlikely to make things any better after the crushing defeats of last weekend. This could be a very tough game for the Hoyas to big themselves back up for.

NBE Blogger Preview:

Villanova 78
Georgetown 66

Georgetown Could Learn from Nova (Washington Times)

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GEORGETOWN LOOKS TO SALVAGE LOST BIG EAST SEASON

February 23, 2009


Big Monday is upon us once again and a match-up that looked like a big one a couple months ago now becomes possibly a last stand for one participant in the regular season for the NCAA Tournament chances of the Georgetown Hoyas. After starting the season with much-hype and expectations, which hit a crescendo after a conference-opening upset of UConn, Georgetown staggers into tonight's game with a 5-9 Big East mark. Georgetown has lost eight of their last 10 games, only beating lowly Rutgers and South Florida along the way.

Louisville is very much in the Big East title chase, just a half-game behind conference leader Connecticut, tied with Marquette and Pittsburgh. At 12-2 in the Big Eat and 21-5 overall, the Cards have their eyes on a high seed in the Big Dance and another win on the road will help that case.

Here are a few pregame stories and previews:

Cards in Third Long Weekend (Courier-Journal)
Hoyas Miss Finishing Touch (Washington Times)
With Little Time, Hoyas are Facing a Long Climb (Washington Post)


We keep waiting for Georgetown to snap out of their funk and play to their potential for a full game. They came close to knocking off Syracuse in the Dome recently let a chance for a quality win over Marquette slip away this past weekend. The Marquette-Louisville two-game swing, both at home, was a chance for the Hoyas to put themselves back on track, now they must have tonight's game for even a mathematical chance at reaching .500 in the Big East season.

The season has been a frustrating one and signs of frustrations boiling over have been seen as reports of a halftime confrontation between starting guards Jesse Sapp and Chris Wright during the loss to Duke had surfaced. Sapp, the lone scholarship senior on the roster, has seen his minutes dwindle more and more since that time, leaving the Hoyas nearly void of any upper-class leadership. Junior DaJuan Summers is their leading scorer, but has battled an injured ankle and inconsistency.

Wright, a sophomore, is in his first full season as the starting point guard after following in the shoes of Jonathan Wallace, who started four-straight years under John Thompson III. Wright is still learning the intricacies of leading an offense as complex as the one used by Georgetown and the continuity of the attack has not been the same. With a team very short on depth and experience, they have been hit hard by the depth of the Big East.

Louisville has been pretty much playing to their season expectation. While guard play is still a bit too inconsistent, their bread is buttered by senior Terrence Williams and junior Earl Clark. With freshman center Samardo Samuels, the Cards boast a nearly NBA-ready frontcourt in the college game. Williams was in a little of an offensive slump recently, mostly attributed to a sore elbow, but he has been 'on' the last two games, highlighted by his 20-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist and 3-steal performance Saturday in a 72-63 win at Cincinnati.

Louisvlle will look to press throughout the game against a Hoya team very limited in ball-handling options and look to test the decision making and feel of the offense of Chris Wright. Of course, being able to set up the press is dependent on scoring, so the UL guards will need to show the ability to convert buckets to get the press started.

Louisville is the deeper team and that depth should help Louisville, a 1 1/2-point favorite, press the Hoyas into another loss.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 69
Georgetown 62

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: MARQUETTE @ GEORGETOWN

February 21, 2009

Chances are running out for Georgetown to make their case for a NCAA Tournament bid, but a win on Saturday against visiting Marquette could re-ignite their confidence and propel them into March. We could know the fate of the Hoyas rather quickly, seeing that they also host Louisville on Monday. Winning one might keep hope alive (road game with Villanova follows), winning both gets them to 7-8 in the Big East with St. John’s and DePaul to close the regular season after ‘Nova. Losing both…well, it has been quite a fall from grace since they opened conference play with a win over Connecticut and a spot in the top 10.

Marquette is fighting for the conference title and rebounded from their first two conference losses by beating St. John’s and Seton Hall at home. Those wins were crucial as MU has a five-game closing stretch that has long been considered to be brutal. Beginning with the road game with Georgetown on Saturday, the Golden Eagles host UConn, travel to Louisville and Pitt, before finishing up hosting Syracuse, all in 14 days. Welcome to the REAL Big East coach Buzz Williams.

“I think every game has critical impact on postseason, on your seed, on all those things, good and bad,” Williams told reporters this week. “I think if you don’t take care of your business today, none of that matters.”

There is a lot of business to take care of. Both teams are fighting for important positioning in the conference and national scene.

Earlier this season, Marquette outscored Georgetown 94-82 in Milwaukee to earn their eighth conference win of the season. The Marquette streak hit nine before they were sidetracked by South Florida in the biggest surprise of the Big East season to date. They followed that mis-step with a loss at Villanova. Now, after taking care of business at home, MU hits the road again.

Georgetown has lost seven of their last nine, but their last two games do offer some hope that things might be getting a little better. Even though they lost last Saturday at Syracuse, they but quite a scare into the nearly 32,000 fans in the Dome as they rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit in the final eight minutes of regulation to force overtime after having a chance to win it in regulation. They also looked like the efficient Hoyas we have become used to by dismantling South Florida on the road, 65-40, this week.

Hopefully they have overcome some of the internal issues that had Georgetown struggling earlier this season and their individual talent starts playing more as a complete team. They will certainly be tested with the guard trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews. I am not sure the Hoyas will have an answer for McNeal, but I think Georgetown will also pose a difficult match-up for Marquette with Greg Monroe inside and definitely if they are able to slow the pace of the game, something they could not do on the road.

Expecting this one will be different that the first. Georgetown established the fact they could score against Marquette in the earlier meeting. Showing more basketball savvy and controlling the pace will key the Hoyas getting a big win on Saturday.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
Marquette 63

Trial By Fire (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Sapp Swap Has Hoyas Thinking Tournament (Washington Times)

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GEORGETOWN LOOKS FOR WIN IN SOUTH FLORIDA

February 18, 2009


The Georgetown slide continues as the Hoyas lost for the seventh time in eight games when they fell in overtime to Syracuse in the Dome last Saturday afternoon. While it looked like another lifeless performance as they trailed by 16 points with around 8 minutes left in the game, the Hoyas showed some life with a frantic rally that actually had a chance to win the game at the buzzer.

At 4-8 in the Big East and 13-10 overall, Georgetown can not afford any more slip ups along the way and with Marquette, Louisville and Villanova right in front of them on the schedule, this is a must-win game.

The Bulls have little to play for with a 3-9 conference record and an 8-16 overall mark. The Bulls could be motivated to win a fourth Big East game, which will be a new season best in their short Big East history. Earlier this month, they upset Marquette, 57-56, in the Sun Dome and will try and do the same to Georgetown tonight.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's match-up from the internet:

Hoyas seed Need to 'Relax and Play' (Washington Post)
Preview: USF vs. Georgetown (St. Petersburg Times)
Few Positives for Hoyas (Washington Times)


With the touhest strength of schedule rating in the nation and wins against UConn and Memphis on their resume, Georgetown remains very much in the mix for the NCAA Tournament despite their current location of 12th in the Big East standings. There is no denying the individual talent of Chris Wright, Greg Monroe, Austin Freeman, DaJuan Summers, etc on the Hoyas' roster, but their depth, size and inexperience has made things very tough in the deep, physical and mature Big East. Inconsistency was expected, but the highs have not come as often as the lows in conference play and some internal dysfunction which has spilled over at times has made this a trying season for the Hoyas.

There is still time to turn it around and it could begin tonight in South Florida. With some momentum of their comeback, even though it was a loss, against SU fresh in their minds, maybe just getting a win is a key step forward. Back-to-back home games on the short Saturday-Monday turnaround against Marquette and Louisville await the Hoyas, so getting some confidence with a win could put the the Hoyas in position to make one last run at the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulls are led by sophomore Dominique Jones and senior Jesus Verdejo. However, lack of depth upfront and overall Big East-level talent is still making life tough on the Bulls in this conference. The upset over Marquette was a great lift to their spirits, but the truth remains, USF is just 1-9 in the Big East against teams not-named DePaul. Maybe it is progress to know there is at least one team clearly below you (Rutgers might be as well), but the gap between the bottom of the conference and the rest of theleague remains a wide one.

Georgetown is a 6 1/2-point favorite on the road. While they are certainly the better team based on individual talent, the question is can co-exist together and accept roles that allow the team to become better. Tonight might be a case of taking out some frustrations, but in the games ahead, they have opportunity, but must come together much better.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 68
South Florida 58

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: HOYAS LOOK TO SNAP OUT OF FUNK, BEAT RIVAL ORANGE

February 14, 2009


The Rivalry Week theme promoted by ESPN continues on Saturday with a high noon showdown in the Carrier Dome between longtime Big East rivals Syracuse and Georgetown. With both teams in a downward spiral through the Big East standings in the last month, this is a very important game for both teams hoping to keep their place at the table for the NCAA Tournament next month.

This is the second meeting of the year between the Orange and Hoyas. The first one, exactly one month ago today, was won by Georgetown, 88-74, at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. However, that was the last high-point of the season for John Thompson III’s club as they have lost six of seven since.

Heading into the game on January 14, Syracuse was 4-0 in the Big East and 16-1 overall. The Hoyas jumped all over SU and got out to a big lead and the Orange never challenged on that night. The Orange followed up that loss with a resounding win over Notre Dame back home, but they are currently in a tailspin, not helped by injuries, that has seen them lost five of their last six game.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today’s game:

Hoyas Keep Confidence (Washington Times)
Two Teams Have Come Back to Earth (Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Georgetown (Post-Standard)
History With Hoyas Filled With Drama (Post-Standard)


Following their win over SU last month, the Georgetown season quickly, and surprisingly, unraveled, beginning in their very next game, a loss at Duke. At halftime of that game, reportedly, senior guard Jesse Sapp and his backcourt mate, sophomore point guard Chris Wright, got into a heated altercation. Sapp, who has been in a near season-long shooting slump, has seen increased pine time since the incident, but this could be an area of team chemistry pulling the Hoyas apart from within.

Syracuse is a banged up team. They lost Antonio Jardine prior to the season and then Mookie Jones went down for the year with a hip injury last month. Now, Arinze Onuaku is playing on virtually one leg and Andy Rautins has been beat up, again causing Jonny Flynn to be an iron man on the floor. Syracuse is also looking pretty ragged in terms of teamwork, but playing in the Dome usually gives them an extra shot of confidence and energy, something they will need today from the large crowd.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 71
Georgetown 63

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CINCINNATI @ GEORGETOWN

February 7, 2009


Georgetown finally tasted victory again on Tuesday night with a 57-47 home victory over Rutgers. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Hoyas who saw their record plummet to 3-6 in the Big East before picking up the much-needed win.

One of those five losses came on the road at the hands of Cincinnati, 65-57, just 10 days ago. Now, the Hoyas will look to even things up by beating the Bearcats at the Verizon Center. UC is coming off an impressive 93-83 win over Notre Dame on Wednesday night, evening their Big East record at 5-5, one game better than the Hoyas.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:

Back on Track: Georgetown’s Sapp Eager to Lead (Washington Post)

In their earlier meeting, Cincinnati got a game-high 20 points from junior Deonta Vaughn, out-rebounded the Hoyas 36-31 and held them to 40% shooting in a 65-57 victory. Georgetown’s leading scorer DaJuan Summers played just 13 minutes in the game and did not return to the floor after spraining an ankle late in the 1st half with the Hoyas leading. He is healthy now and scored 22 points in their game at Marquette just a few days later.

Georgetown’s biggest problems, aside from the loss to Marquette, have been on the offensive side of the ball in their recent slump. They have scored 60 or less four times in the last six games and in their three consecutive losses to WVU, Seton Hall and Cincy, they were a dismal 10 of 55 from three-point range. The UC and SHU were close games and they shot themselves out of it from beyond the arc, going 8-39 in the two losses.

Losing their point guard and leading scorer from last year’s team has stripped much of the consistency of the Hoya offense. John Thompson III runs an intricate system based on the Princeton offense and this year’s team has had trouble finding the efficient harmony that the offense promotes against Big East competition. They also miss last year’s size and toughness that Roy Hibbert, Patrick Ewing Jr and Vernon Macklin could provide as they are routinely out-rebounded and out-toughed in the paint.

Cincinnati is a pretty sizeable challenge with a frontline of Mike Williams (6’7, 235), Yancy Gates (6’9, 255), Steven Toyloy (6’8, 255) and Anthony McClain (6’11, 245) rotating up front. Vaughn provides much of the scoring, and is coming off a season-high 34-point performance in the win over Notre Dame. The offense goes through Vaughn, who doubles as the team’s point guard, and he will be the area of concentration for the Hoya defense.

This is unlikely to be a very pretty game. Both teams need the win for their NCAA Tournament hopes and expect the defensive effort and intensity to pick up considerably down the stretch in conference action. If Georgetown can find anyone to knock down some shots, and they have players like Jesse Sapp, Summers, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman who are capable of doing so, they should be able to win this game.

Cincinnati will defend and hit the boards, which will give them a chance to win, but in the end, look for the home team to escape with a win, keeping their season alive.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
Cincinnati 60

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RUTGERS @ GEORGETOWN

February 3, 2009


It is now or never got John Thompson III and his Georgetown Hoyas. If they can not snap out of their funk tonight in the Verizon Center when they host Rutgers, it might never happen this year.

Georgetown has lost five games in a row and now sit at 3-6 in the Big East at the halfway mark of conference play. They return home after an 0-3 road swing that included losses at Seton Hall, Cincinnati and Marquette.

Rutgers snapped their own nine-game losing streak with a 75-56 drubbing of DePaul at the RAC this weekend. It was the first conference win for the Knights who are 1-8 in conference play.


Here are some pre-game stories and previews from around the internet this morning:

At Big East Midpoint, Hoyas Face Steep Climb (Washington Post)
Knights Draw Sliding Hoyas (Asbury Park Press)

Georgetown did get injured DaJuan Summers back for their game against Marquette over the weekend. The Hoyas' leading scorer had missed the entire second half with an injured ankle the previous game, a loss to Cincinnati, and was listed as doubtful for the game with the Golden Eagles. Summers helped the struggling Hoya offense with a team-high 22 points and Chris Wright added his best performance in a while with 19 points and 8 assists.

However, on a day they got some offense (was averaging just 58 points in their previous three losses), Georgetown could not stop Marquette from scoring in the 94-82 loss. The game was tied at 42 at halftime, but the quickness of Marquette was too much for Georgetown as they committed 27 fouls and were outscored 30-8 from the foul line. So, despite shooting 56% from the field and hitting 10 of 20 from three-point range, it was another loss for the Hoyas.

Rutgers won the Big East Super(bad) Bowl on the eve of the Big Game by keeping DePaul (0-9) winless in the conference. Led by Mike Rosario and Jaron Griffin's season-high 16 points a piece, RU cemented the place of the Blue Demons in the conference basement.

Georgetown is listed as a 16 1/2-point favorite in the latest NCAA basketball betting odds. The line seems to be dead-on, but could be skewed with the early season effeciency numbers of the Hoyas which have not been the same of late.

Rutgers seems dysfunctional at times on the floor with poor decisions and gameplanning, but they do seem to play hard and they can utilize some size that might give the Hoyas some trouble at times. Georgetown definitely has more talent, especially in the starting line-up, but their lack of depth and inside muscle could keep Rutgers hanging around, at least a little bit.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 76
Rutgers 63

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ MARQUETTE

January 31, 2009


Georgetown will limp into the Bradley Center on Saturday afternoon for a meeting with Marquette. The Hoyas have lost four in a row overall and have fallen to 3-5 in the Big East. Their latest setback was a 65-57 loss at Cincinnati on Wednesday night in a game where their leading scorer DaJuan Summers suffered an injured ankle in the first half and did not return.

Marquette, led by senior guards Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews, are 7-0 and tied with Louisville for the conference lead. The ‘three amigos’ get adequate support scoring and rebounding from junior forward Lazar Hayward and in their last game, a 71-64 victory at Marquette, they were the only four players to score for the Golden Eagles.

Here are some pregame stories and previews:

Sharper Shot Helping McNeal Slice Through Defenses (Journal Sentinel)
Marquette Faces Off Against Georgetown (Cracked Sidewalks)
Georgetown Needs to Answer the Bell (Washington Times)

The Hoyas wrap up a stretch of three consecutive road games and things do not look to be getting any easier. After losing to Seton Hall and Cincinnati on the road, they now must face undefeated, in Big East play, Marquette and possibly without leading scorer DaJuan Summers.

“We’re struggling right now,” Hoya coach John Thompson III told the media during this week’s Big East coach’s conference call. “And our backs are against the wall. We just have to figure out how to claw our way out of the situation that we’re in.”

That might be easier said than done today. Marquette looks to be a team that can apply defensive pressure with aggressive backcourt play, something Georgetown has not been able to handle this season. Neither team is very deep nor are they extremely productive inside, so the Hoyas are not able to take advantage of Marquette’s weaknesses.

Georgetown will likely play a lot of zone defense and force the Golden Eagles to score on the perimeter. In the halfcourt game, that could pose some problems, however, look for the Marquette defense to force the tempo in their favor and create their scoring opportunities.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 70
Georgetown 62

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: HOYAS LOOK TO END SLIDE IN CINCY

January 28, 2009


The slumping Georgetown Hoyas look to rebound from a very difficult week when they travel to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in a Big East conference match-up. The Hoyas dropped two games last week, at home to WVU, 75-58, and on the road to Seton Hall, 65-60, who had been winless in the conference prior to that game.

The Bearcats have won three of four, but Rutgers, St. John’s and DePaul are not Georgetown, even a slumping Georgetown team. The lone loss in that span was on the road to Providence.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Its Been Quite Cold Outside for Slumping Georgetown (Washington Post)
Bearcats Tough Road Begins (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Skid Puts Hoyas in Some Jeopardy (Washington Times)

There are some concerning signs with the Georgetown team of late. Their struggling offense is getting much of the attention, and rightfully so. Senior Jesse Sapp is mired in a horrendous shooting slump and against a weak interior team like SHU, the Hoyas launch 22 three’s while Greg Monroe only manages seven field goal attempts. Their offense, which is dependent on fluidity and efficiency has not been finding the shots that put the Hoyas in position to succeed. Their inexperience is showing through and was exploited last week in two losses.

Cincinnati is another team still trying to find themselves. Deonta Vaughn is a known commodity and former McDonald’s All-American Mike Williams is finding his footing in the Big East and becoming a consistent offensive force and the secondary scoring option greatly helps the chances of winning for the Bearcats.

The Hoyas are a 5 ½-point favorite and definitely have more talent in their starting five, but UC is bringing along a few players that give them some depth and they have the size needed to battle in the Big East. Freshman Yancy Gates, JUCO transfer Stephen Toyloy and sophomore Anthony McClain join Williams in a frontcourt that could give the Hoyas some trouble. With Austin Freeman and Sapp struggling offensively for Georgetown, the Bearcats need to bring their defense, if they do, watch out for the Georgetown slide to continue.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Cincinnati 64
Georgetown 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: HOYAS LOOK TO REBOUNDS AT SHU

January 25, 2009

At 2 PM in Newark (NJ), two Big East teams will tangle and both are looking to gain some footing in the conference. Seton Hall will host Georgetown and the Pirates look to avoid their 7th straight conference loss to start Big East play. On the other-hand, the Hoyas look to keep their head above water and avoid falling below .500 in Big East play.

After Pulling Off UConn Upset, Hoyas Fading Quickly (FoxSports.com)
’Blip’ Exposes Hoyas Lack of Leadership. Experience (Washington Times)

We have seen a pattern with Georgetown. Hit the boards hard and play physical defense with an athletic line-up, you will have success against them. Add in depth, and you could rough them up, even on their home court. See examples of Pittsburgh, West Virginia.

Luckily for the Hoyas, none of that is the strength of the thin and defense-challenged Seton Hall Pirates. The Pirates will score, but even with their lack of depth, they look to play fast-paced and frantic from tip to horn.

When an opposing team re-focuses and gets away from the pick-up game style to play some defense and set-up a halfcourt game, they get just about what they want. Look for Georgetown to do that often against SHU today. They Hoyas are 8 ½-point road favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 78
Seton Hall 68

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ GEORGETOWN

January 22, 2009

A key Big East match-up takes place tonight in the Nation’s capital when West Virginia travels to take on the Georgetown Hoyas. Game time is 7 PM at the Verizon center.

The Mountaineers evened their conference mark at 2-2 with a 62-59 win over South Florida in Morgantown last Saturday. WVU has an overall record of 13-4 and tonight begins a run of nine games with seven against ranked conference opponents in what could define their season.

Georgetown is 3-2 in the Big East and 12-4 overall on the season. All four losses have come against ranked foes (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Duke), but the Hoyas have also shown the ability to beat ranked teams with a win at Connecticut as well as a home victory over Syracuse and a non-league win over Memphis.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet today:

Huggins, Thompson cut from Same Cloth (Times West Virginian)
Monroe a Big Plus for Georgetown (Washington Times)
Backcourt Depth Helps Keep Hoyas Afloat (Washington Post)
No Looking Ahead for WVU (Charleston Gazette)
Tall Task Awaits Mountaineers (Register Herald)
WVU’s Flowers Beginning to Bloom (Daily Mail)
Hoya Freshman Making Big Mark in the Middle (Charleston Gazette)
Georgetown Looms Again for WVU’s Butler (Daily Mail)

West Virginia has struggled scoring point of late, averaging just 56.7 points in their last three Big East contests, losing two. There will be a lot of pressure on Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff to finding scoring opportunities and be efficient with those opportunities against a stingy Hoya attack. Neither Butler nor Ruoff have a favorable match-up to indicate they will be able to exploit Georgetown for points.

The Hoyas got a big bench boost from Jason Clark and others recently, which was an area of much concern as Big East play began. Just keeping their starting five, which is among the best on the conference, fresh will go a long way in helping the Hoyas improve.

That starting five of Georgetown is full of all-league potential, but they are still working their way into the roles of the Princeton-style attack. While they definitely have more potential to run than the previous editions, their youthful decision-making can sometimes lead to inconsistency.

West Virginia will defend and hit the boards, albeit with an undersized group, which is needed on the road. However, their offensive struggles are something that they will really have a tough time overcoming against a Georgetown team that will force the opponent to be very efficient. With oddsmakers listing the Hoyas as 5 ½-point favoroites, it seems that early success of WVU is still having some believe they might be a little better than they really are.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 68
West Virginia 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SYRACUSE @ GEORGETOWN

January 14, 2009


A classic rivalry in the Big East is renewed tonight at the Verizon Center for a national audience as Syracuse puts their top-ten ranking on the line against rival Georgetown.

Syracuse is 4-0 in Big East play and 16-1 on the season. Their lone loss came at the hands of Cleveland State when Cedric Jackson banked in a 60-footer at the buzzer to break a tie score.

Georgetown is 2-2 in Big East play, 11-3 overall, and are trying to find their footing in the Big East. The Hoyas finally got some bench support in their win over Providence this weekend, something they will need dearly to be consistent in the Big East.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game from the web this morning:

Hoyas Seek a Solution for Syracuse (Washington Times)
Kris Joseph Does Not Expect a Hoya Welcome Mat (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Ready to crank it Up (Post-Standard
Cold Shooting Hoyas Prepare for Red Hot Orange (Washington Post)
Scouting Report: SU vs. Georgetown (Post-Standard)
Syracuse Players Aware of History in Nation’s Capitol (Post-Standard)

The talent on these two teams, at least in their starting line-ups, are pretty evenly matched. Syracuse has some more experience and strength, while Georgetown has some more potential and athleticism. Syracuse has a bench that has been more productive, and having Eric Devendorf available to come off their bench is a big boost for the Orange and is nothing the Hoyas can counter with.

The Hoyas return just three players (Austin Freeman, Jesse Sapp and DaJuan Summers) who saw significant time in the Big East regular season last year. New starting point guard Chris Wright missed most of the season with a foot injury and Greg Monroe, a freshman, round out the starting line-up for John Thompson III. The Hoyas are definitely top-loaded in talent and their group has as much potential as any starting line-up in the conference. However, growing pains have been evident as the Princeton-style offense is definitely not flowing as naturally as it has in the past in Big East play.

Georgetown flashed their high potential in their conference-opening win at UConn, but were quickly dragged back to earth with a thud when Pittsburgh smacked them around on this very floor.

Syracuse has some size and strength that is similar to Pitt with Arinze Onuaku and Paul Harris in their line-up. Jonny Flynn is the engine of the Orange attack and Andy Rautins adds the missing perimeter ingredient that they did not have last year. The progression of Rick Jackson has also made the backline of the SU zone much more formidable and allows a bigger line-up to be on the court for most of the game. When SU struggled at USF in the second half, it was largely due to the absence of Paul Harris, forcing Rauitins or Eric Devendorf to have to play on the backline of the zone, which USF exploited on the boards or attacking the baseline offensively.

This game also represents a pretty big step-up in Big East competition for the Orange. While Georgetown has survived a schedule of at UConn, vs Pitt, at Notre Dame and vs PC (12-4 in conference play), SU has mowed down Seton Hall, USF, DePaul and Rutgers (combined 1-14 in league play).

While this SU team definitely looks like a group that will make some noise in March and remain amongst the top of the Big East, it will be interesting to see how ready they are for this game. The college basketball betting odds show Georgetown as a 6 1/2-point favorite, which seems high, they should be able to hold on for a win in this one as it might take SU a little while to find their footing in this type of Big East match-up.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 67
Syracuse 63

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PROVIDENCE @ GEORGETOWN

January 10, 2009

Georgetown returns home on Saturday afternoon as they welcome the Providence Friars to the Verizon Center for a 1 PM tip-off. The Friars have started out of the Big East gate very strong at 3-0, highlighted by their win at Cincinnati this week. The schedule gets tougher today in DC, but overall, PC has a ‘favorable’ conference schedule to make things interesting.

The Hoyas look to get back on track after consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and at Notre Dame. Georgetown made everyone take notice when they opened Big East play with a win at Connecticut, but that memory has quickly faded after consecutive losses pushing them to 1-2 in the unforgiving conference.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet this morning:

Capsule Summary: PC at Georgetown (Providence Journal)
Sharaud Curry Has Been a Big Contributor in Big East for PC (Providence Journal)

The Friars have been adjusting to the new three-point distance and used a 12-24 shooting effort from the arc against the Bearcats for an important road win. The Friars have established themselves as the clear sleeper from the bottom half of the conference that will be in contention to steal an NCAA bid with a strong showing this winter and a favorable schedule.

The Friars are also a veteran-heavy club under new coach Keno Davis. Seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Jeff Xavier, Geoff McDermott, Randall Hanke and Jonathan Kale team with redshirt junior Sharaud Curry to form a very good nucleus.

Georgetown is not deep nor experienced and that has shown in losses to Pitt and Notre Dame in their last two games. The decision making from the lead guard position and the attention to detail in their defense and on the boards have been lacking, which is typical for a young team. The lack of depth, especially in the frontcourt, has greatly hampered the Hoyas as well.

There is talent at Georgetown, high-end talent, with Chris Wright, DaJuan Summers, Austin Freeman, Jesse Sapp and super Frosh Greg Monroe. The public really believes in that talent as the latest college basketball odds have the Hoyas as 11 ½ point favorites, which seems a bit high against a confident and experienced PC club.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 69
Providence 61

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ NOTRE DAME

January 5, 2009


Notre Dame puts their 43-game hom ewin streak on the line tonight when they welcome in the Georgetown Hoyas to the Joyce Athletic Center for a key Big East early season showdown. Both teams are looking for a little pick-me-up following disappointing weekend efforts and avoid a two-game conference losing streak.

Here are the pre-game stories and previews found on the internet for tonight's game:


Pressure Building for Irish (Journal Gazette)
Irish Hope to Rebound Against Hoyas South Bend Tribune)
After a Tough Loss, Hoyas Must Regroup Quickly (Washington Post)
Hoyas, Irish Both Trying to Rebound (Washington Examiner)
Hoyas Look to Rebound (Washington Times)
Notre Dame Needs Kyle McAlarney to Regain his Shot (Chicago Tribune)
Failure to Rebound Causes Irish Loss (Journal Gazette)
Splinters, But Little Else coming off Hoyas Bench (Free Lance-Star)

The pressure to win your home games int he Big East is tremendous. That pressure will be doubled tonight for Notre Dame as the Irish look to extend their school-record 43-game home winning streak and avoid losing back-to-back games after a surprising defeat to St. John's at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

The area of concern for the Irish are defense and rebounding. Notre Dame seems to be trying to push the tempo in games to a free-flowing affair. Even in their win at Depaul to open conference play, the Blue Demons were scoring at will with Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal, who literally are the only two consistent scoring threats the Blue Demons place on the floor. Tonight, their defense will be tested by a Hoya club that usually has up to five excellent scoring threats on the floor at a time!

Georgetown will look to rebound after they were bullied on their home court by Pittsburgh, 70-54 on Saturday. Pitt beat Georgetown on the glass mercifully, actually grabbing more of their own missed shots (20) than the Hoyas could (16) as they outrebounded Georgetown 48-23, wow!

Just five days after being the toast of the conference with their impressive road win over Connecticut to start Big East play, every perceived short-coming og the Hoyas was exposed by Pitt, from their lack of depth, phsyical size in the paint and overall inexperience.

The challenge John Thompson III will issue to his club is to be tougher. That is probably a challenge more easily to be answered by a team that can play defense and be effecient offensively like the Hoyas.

As for Notre Dame, the pressure is mounting and the loss to the Redstorm, along with the defensive questions make this a tough match-up. The Hoyas will look to slow the game down, neither team has a lot of depth, so the edge to the better defensive team looks to be apparent. Luke Harangody is likely to have a big game inside, but the Hoyas will work to close down opportunities for the other Irish players, especially Kyle McAlarney.

The latest college basketball odds have ND as a slight 2 1/2 point favorite. Could this be the night the home win streak is put to rest?

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 71
Notre Dame 66

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