Game Notes
--Providence was picked 13th of 16 Big East teams in the pre-season poll.
--Georgetown is 17-4 in home games against PC.
--Providence enters the game averaging 74 points per game. In the John Thompson III era, the Hoyas are 0-9 in games where the opponent scores 68 or more points in regulation play, and 1-10 when including overtime games.
--Thursday's game marks only the third appearance for PC at MCI Center in seven years.
Preview
Georgetown begins its 27th Big East season Thursday versus Providence, and for the Hoyas to chart its future in the 16 team Big East, it must revisit the past.
Last March, Providence sealed Georgetown's NIT fate with a three point win at MCI Center. The Friars won the game with decidedly Georgetown-like ferocity, outrebounding its opponent by 20. With Georgetown ranked 15th of 16 Big East teams in rebounds to date, the Hoyas must re-assert its defensive prowess starting Thursday against a young and unpredictable Providence team.
Only one Providence starter from last year's team starts this season, along with a key reserve from last season making an impact. With Ryan Gomes off to the NBA and Dwight Brewington having quit the team, center Randall Hanke and guard Donnie McGrath are PC's main offensive outlets. Hanke tore into the GU defenses last season, with 18 points (7-9 from the field) and 12 rebounds; this season, he has scored on 72% of his attempts. McGrath was held in check by the Hoyas last season but scored 18 on the Hoyas a season earlier and is responsible for nearly half the Friars' three pointers this season.
The other starters have had their ups and downs this year, but one to watch is 6-7 freshman Geoff McDermott. McDermott is shooting at a 47% average and leads the team in rebounds and steals. The Friars' bench goes eight deep, with 6-10 Herbert Hill (7.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 62% shooting) expected to see a lot of action Thursday.
Georgetown enters the Big East half of the season with a diversified scoring attack but are still expecting more out of 2005-06 scoring leaders Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green. Roy Hibbert continues to lead the team in scoring but many of his points to date have come against smaller teams--a matchup with Hanke or Hill will put Hibbert to the test. While PC is not as deep as last season, they are capable of a fight inside and Hibbert's play will be key.
Some other keys to the game:
Rebound margin: Georgetown must control the defensive end and do better than the weaker offensive rebounding in the Sun Bowl tournament.
Free throws. Neither team is strong from the line, but PC had 11 more attempts last year and this would put GU at a major disadvantage Thursday.
Tempo: PC will run, Georgetown will not. Since the Hoyas' offense results in fewer possessions in games, it must force PC into its style and avoid a race to the finish.
Providence spoiled the Hoyas' hopes for a 2005 NCAA berth, and if a hopes for 2006 bid are to be met, Georgetown has to win games like this. Facing three road games to follow, it's one that can't get away from them.
==============
Friars ready to put the gloves on
09:37 AM EST on Thursday, January 5, 2006
BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer
After 11 games of working into fighting shape, the heavyweight battles are finally on tap beginning tonight in Washington, D.C.
Providence College coach Tim Welsh says he thinks he knows what to expect from his team when it matches up with Georgetown (7 p.m.) at the MCI Center. The lessons learned from a challenging non-conference schedule that featured three road games and two contests against teams ranked in the top 10 nationally are now well ingrained.
Even so, are the Friars ready to win games in what is purported to be the toughest league in the nation, the bigger Big East?
"I don't know," Welsh said after Tuesday's 94-81 win over Loyola. "When you win four in a row you're focused and feeling good about yourself."
With the youngest team (4 freshmen, 2 sophomores) in the conference, the Friars are pegged to finish towards the bottom of the 16-team league. But the quick maturation of freshman starters Sharaud Curry and Geoff McDermott is a welcome surprise, and sophomore center Randall Hanke (team-high 16.5 ppg.; league-high 72% field goal percentage) is off to a torrid offensive start. In addition, senior Donnie McGrath has adjusted to his new role at shooting guard.
Welsh has rolled that group out to play a non-conference schedule rated the 29th-most difficult non-conference in the country, or third-toughest among Big East teams. By comparison, Georgetown played the 251st-toughest non-conference slate, 15th among the 16 teams.
"I think the reason we're probably more ready than we could be is our non-conference schedule," said Welsh. "We've been on the road in some tough environments and learned from that. And we played two top five teams, so we understand the speed and level of the game. So I think we are ready."
Georgetown certainly offers a very stiff test. The Hoyas return their top six scorers from a team that finished 8-8 in the conference and 19-13 overall. John Thompson III's first Hoya team advanced into the third round of the N.I.T. but appears poised to make a run at the NCAAs for the first time in five years. Center Roy Hibbert (7-foot-2) and forward Jeff Green are a dangerous duo and Thompson's patient, Princeton-style offense has clicked to the tune of 49 percent shooting from the field over 10 games.
While stopping the Hoyas will be a major issue for a Friar team that's struggled defensively, PC's offense has also moved along at a brisk pace. Welsh said that he "knew in the second week of practice that we could be a high scoring team. We're getting better at it because we're learning about each other out there and have tremendous balance."
Keying the attack is Curry, the freshman point guard from Atlanta. He says he grew up an ACC and Big East fan, with a lean towards Duke and North Carolina. Watching is one thing. Now he's set to play in Big East games and he can't wait.
"I'm excited. That's why I came here," said Curry. "We have a lot more experience than most freshmen right now. We're ready to get going."
--Providence was picked 13th of 16 Big East teams in the pre-season poll.
--Georgetown is 17-4 in home games against PC.
--Providence enters the game averaging 74 points per game. In the John Thompson III era, the Hoyas are 0-9 in games where the opponent scores 68 or more points in regulation play, and 1-10 when including overtime games.
--Thursday's game marks only the third appearance for PC at MCI Center in seven years.
Preview
Georgetown begins its 27th Big East season Thursday versus Providence, and for the Hoyas to chart its future in the 16 team Big East, it must revisit the past.
Last March, Providence sealed Georgetown's NIT fate with a three point win at MCI Center. The Friars won the game with decidedly Georgetown-like ferocity, outrebounding its opponent by 20. With Georgetown ranked 15th of 16 Big East teams in rebounds to date, the Hoyas must re-assert its defensive prowess starting Thursday against a young and unpredictable Providence team.
Only one Providence starter from last year's team starts this season, along with a key reserve from last season making an impact. With Ryan Gomes off to the NBA and Dwight Brewington having quit the team, center Randall Hanke and guard Donnie McGrath are PC's main offensive outlets. Hanke tore into the GU defenses last season, with 18 points (7-9 from the field) and 12 rebounds; this season, he has scored on 72% of his attempts. McGrath was held in check by the Hoyas last season but scored 18 on the Hoyas a season earlier and is responsible for nearly half the Friars' three pointers this season.
The other starters have had their ups and downs this year, but one to watch is 6-7 freshman Geoff McDermott. McDermott is shooting at a 47% average and leads the team in rebounds and steals. The Friars' bench goes eight deep, with 6-10 Herbert Hill (7.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 62% shooting) expected to see a lot of action Thursday.
Georgetown enters the Big East half of the season with a diversified scoring attack but are still expecting more out of 2005-06 scoring leaders Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green. Roy Hibbert continues to lead the team in scoring but many of his points to date have come against smaller teams--a matchup with Hanke or Hill will put Hibbert to the test. While PC is not as deep as last season, they are capable of a fight inside and Hibbert's play will be key.
Some other keys to the game:
Rebound margin: Georgetown must control the defensive end and do better than the weaker offensive rebounding in the Sun Bowl tournament.
Free throws. Neither team is strong from the line, but PC had 11 more attempts last year and this would put GU at a major disadvantage Thursday.
Tempo: PC will run, Georgetown will not. Since the Hoyas' offense results in fewer possessions in games, it must force PC into its style and avoid a race to the finish.
Providence spoiled the Hoyas' hopes for a 2005 NCAA berth, and if a hopes for 2006 bid are to be met, Georgetown has to win games like this. Facing three road games to follow, it's one that can't get away from them.
==============
Friars ready to put the gloves on
09:37 AM EST on Thursday, January 5, 2006
BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer
After 11 games of working into fighting shape, the heavyweight battles are finally on tap beginning tonight in Washington, D.C.
Providence College coach Tim Welsh says he thinks he knows what to expect from his team when it matches up with Georgetown (7 p.m.) at the MCI Center. The lessons learned from a challenging non-conference schedule that featured three road games and two contests against teams ranked in the top 10 nationally are now well ingrained.
Even so, are the Friars ready to win games in what is purported to be the toughest league in the nation, the bigger Big East?
"I don't know," Welsh said after Tuesday's 94-81 win over Loyola. "When you win four in a row you're focused and feeling good about yourself."
With the youngest team (4 freshmen, 2 sophomores) in the conference, the Friars are pegged to finish towards the bottom of the 16-team league. But the quick maturation of freshman starters Sharaud Curry and Geoff McDermott is a welcome surprise, and sophomore center Randall Hanke (team-high 16.5 ppg.; league-high 72% field goal percentage) is off to a torrid offensive start. In addition, senior Donnie McGrath has adjusted to his new role at shooting guard.
Welsh has rolled that group out to play a non-conference schedule rated the 29th-most difficult non-conference in the country, or third-toughest among Big East teams. By comparison, Georgetown played the 251st-toughest non-conference slate, 15th among the 16 teams.
"I think the reason we're probably more ready than we could be is our non-conference schedule," said Welsh. "We've been on the road in some tough environments and learned from that. And we played two top five teams, so we understand the speed and level of the game. So I think we are ready."
Georgetown certainly offers a very stiff test. The Hoyas return their top six scorers from a team that finished 8-8 in the conference and 19-13 overall. John Thompson III's first Hoya team advanced into the third round of the N.I.T. but appears poised to make a run at the NCAAs for the first time in five years. Center Roy Hibbert (7-foot-2) and forward Jeff Green are a dangerous duo and Thompson's patient, Princeton-style offense has clicked to the tune of 49 percent shooting from the field over 10 games.
While stopping the Hoyas will be a major issue for a Friar team that's struggled defensively, PC's offense has also moved along at a brisk pace. Welsh said that he "knew in the second week of practice that we could be a high scoring team. We're getting better at it because we're learning about each other out there and have tremendous balance."
Keying the attack is Curry, the freshman point guard from Atlanta. He says he grew up an ACC and Big East fan, with a lean towards Duke and North Carolina. Watching is one thing. Now he's set to play in Big East games and he can't wait.
"I'm excited. That's why I came here," said Curry. "We have a lot more experience than most freshmen right now. We're ready to get going."
