Preview
In the Big East defense remains supreme, which is why the DePaul Blue Demons, last in the conference in scoring defense, take up a familiar place in the standings: just off the bottom of the standings. But with the conference's top ranked scoring offense, DePaul is not going down without a fight.
Despite a woeful 7-76 in Big East play over the last five years and a 2-10 record to date this season, DePaul is as competitive as they have been in many years. Three of its games have gone into overtime, with two others decided by five points or less. The Blue Demons ended a nine game losing streak with a thorough win over Rutgers on Saturday night and seek its first back to back wins in conference play in five years.
The last two games in this series at Verizon Center have been uncomfortable for Hoyas fans and by no means blowouts, with DePaul challenging in each and the Hoyas needing a big second half to prevail. As the DePaul media notes put it, "It Could Happen", but against the #11 Hoyas, it shouldn't.
If the record doesn't quite bear it out, the resurgent Blue Demons are led by a more consistent backcourt tandem of Brandon Young and Charles McKinney. Young, already among the best all-time guards in that school's history, arrives at Verizon Center with double figure games in all but one conference game, including a season high 35 against Connecticut. Averaging 19 points a game over his last three games, Young is the next in a series of high scoring guards to which Markel Starks and Jabril Trawick are tasked with shutting down. If Starks and Trawick can control Young as they did with Cincinnati's Cashmere Wright, the Blue Demons must turn to 6-4 sophomore Charles McKinney, who is shooting at a 47 percent rate this season but with just 2 of his last 7 over the prior two games and only one three point attempt. Coach Oliver Purnell started 5-11 Worrel Clahar to a successful outcome versus Rutgers (19 pts) and Clahar could see more time in this game if McKinney is not effective, but his 5-1 size against the 6-5 Trawick is not a good matchup for the Demons.
Up front, DePaul will look to a better effort from sophomore Jamie Crockett, who will be at a height disadvantage playing small forward at 6-4. Crockett played only 14 minutes in the Rutgers game, scoring five points, but will seek to improve on a declining three point shooting touch (27.7%) that DePaul will need in this game. No such worries for power forward Cleveland Melvin, who ranks among the conference leaders in scoring and rebounding and averages nearly 15 attempts per game. Melvin's rebounding numbers are down, however, averaging just under five per game over the last four, which is a number DePaul will need to pay attention to, given that 6-9 Donnavan Kirk is coming off a season high seven vs. Rutgers but may struggle inside versus the Hoyas' defensive sets.
The DePaul lineup goes nine deep but with little point production outside Clahar and 6-6 Moses Morgan (6.7 ppg), shooting just 32 percent in Big East action this season. If DePaul can play an up-tempo game, they can stay in games, but its defensive numbers are suspect and they have not shown an ability to adapt to the slower pace of a team like Georgetown this season. Only two of its 12 games have seen the Blue Demons held under 70, with a season low 55 in a 93-55 loss at Pitt. The Blue Demons want a game where they are attempting 65 or more shots a game--Georgetown should aim to limit DePaul under 45.
Offensively, Georgetown needs to continue the rotation that has allowed Otto Porter and Markel Starks to set the scoring pace, with a rotation of contributions from Nate Lubick, Mikael Hopkins, and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera.
Other keys to the game:
Control The Boards: On the margin, DePaul is a poor rebounding team and Georgetown should have numerous second chance potential in this game. However, DU controlled the boards against Rutgers by a +8 margin and that was its key to victory.
Lock Down: Limit Young's drives inside and interior passing inside to Melvin.
Fouls: Avoid early fouls which could limit Georgetown's ability to establish distance in the game.
Fans may wish to look ahead to Saturday's road game at Syracuse but Georgetown's focus needs to be on DePaul. While it's a historically favorable matchup, the Hoyas need to continue its own game plan and avoid the pitfalls of its last loss seven games ago to a bottom tier club in South Florida. Defense usually wins out, but the Hoyas should plan on an early spurt and a big second half to set the stage for Saturday's showdown.
In the Big East defense remains supreme, which is why the DePaul Blue Demons, last in the conference in scoring defense, take up a familiar place in the standings: just off the bottom of the standings. But with the conference's top ranked scoring offense, DePaul is not going down without a fight.
Despite a woeful 7-76 in Big East play over the last five years and a 2-10 record to date this season, DePaul is as competitive as they have been in many years. Three of its games have gone into overtime, with two others decided by five points or less. The Blue Demons ended a nine game losing streak with a thorough win over Rutgers on Saturday night and seek its first back to back wins in conference play in five years.
The last two games in this series at Verizon Center have been uncomfortable for Hoyas fans and by no means blowouts, with DePaul challenging in each and the Hoyas needing a big second half to prevail. As the DePaul media notes put it, "It Could Happen", but against the #11 Hoyas, it shouldn't.
If the record doesn't quite bear it out, the resurgent Blue Demons are led by a more consistent backcourt tandem of Brandon Young and Charles McKinney. Young, already among the best all-time guards in that school's history, arrives at Verizon Center with double figure games in all but one conference game, including a season high 35 against Connecticut. Averaging 19 points a game over his last three games, Young is the next in a series of high scoring guards to which Markel Starks and Jabril Trawick are tasked with shutting down. If Starks and Trawick can control Young as they did with Cincinnati's Cashmere Wright, the Blue Demons must turn to 6-4 sophomore Charles McKinney, who is shooting at a 47 percent rate this season but with just 2 of his last 7 over the prior two games and only one three point attempt. Coach Oliver Purnell started 5-11 Worrel Clahar to a successful outcome versus Rutgers (19 pts) and Clahar could see more time in this game if McKinney is not effective, but his 5-1 size against the 6-5 Trawick is not a good matchup for the Demons.
Up front, DePaul will look to a better effort from sophomore Jamie Crockett, who will be at a height disadvantage playing small forward at 6-4. Crockett played only 14 minutes in the Rutgers game, scoring five points, but will seek to improve on a declining three point shooting touch (27.7%) that DePaul will need in this game. No such worries for power forward Cleveland Melvin, who ranks among the conference leaders in scoring and rebounding and averages nearly 15 attempts per game. Melvin's rebounding numbers are down, however, averaging just under five per game over the last four, which is a number DePaul will need to pay attention to, given that 6-9 Donnavan Kirk is coming off a season high seven vs. Rutgers but may struggle inside versus the Hoyas' defensive sets.
The DePaul lineup goes nine deep but with little point production outside Clahar and 6-6 Moses Morgan (6.7 ppg), shooting just 32 percent in Big East action this season. If DePaul can play an up-tempo game, they can stay in games, but its defensive numbers are suspect and they have not shown an ability to adapt to the slower pace of a team like Georgetown this season. Only two of its 12 games have seen the Blue Demons held under 70, with a season low 55 in a 93-55 loss at Pitt. The Blue Demons want a game where they are attempting 65 or more shots a game--Georgetown should aim to limit DePaul under 45.
Offensively, Georgetown needs to continue the rotation that has allowed Otto Porter and Markel Starks to set the scoring pace, with a rotation of contributions from Nate Lubick, Mikael Hopkins, and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera.
Other keys to the game:
Control The Boards: On the margin, DePaul is a poor rebounding team and Georgetown should have numerous second chance potential in this game. However, DU controlled the boards against Rutgers by a +8 margin and that was its key to victory.
Lock Down: Limit Young's drives inside and interior passing inside to Melvin.
Fouls: Avoid early fouls which could limit Georgetown's ability to establish distance in the game.
Fans may wish to look ahead to Saturday's road game at Syracuse but Georgetown's focus needs to be on DePaul. While it's a historically favorable matchup, the Hoyas need to continue its own game plan and avoid the pitfalls of its last loss seven games ago to a bottom tier club in South Florida. Defense usually wins out, but the Hoyas should plan on an early spurt and a big second half to set the stage for Saturday's showdown.
