Preview
28-29.
Saturday's loss to Seton Hall placed Georgetown a combined 28-29 in its last two seasons of play. Tuesday's opponent, #4 Villanova, is 57-7 in that same span.
The flagship of the 2013 Big East looks more like a barge in 2017, and arrives to this evening's game facing an opponent with few weaknesses.
Villanova has won 47 straight at the former John E. DuPont Pavilion and swept the Hoyas in three games last season. Once again, a pair of local Washington DC products will be on hand to remind John Thompson III that Georgetown missed out on them.
Sidwell Friends' Josh Hart enters Tuesday's game with 119 wins over four seasons, and is arguably the best guard on the Main Line since Kerry Kittles. Hart has scored double figures in every game this season, and that is not in danger Tuesday night. Alongside point guard Jalen Brunson, the Villanova backcourt has a 1.88 to 1 assist to turnover ratio and average seven assists between them over the last five games. Georgetown has not proven it can contain backcourt play this season and that alone weighs in the Wildcats' favor.
In the frontcourt, Gonzaga's Kris Jenkins represents another threat in this game. After three sub-par efforts, Jenkins returned with a 15 point, five rebound effort in Villanova's win over St. John's, and is looking to improve upon a 38 percent scoring mark that is the lowest of the active Villanova roster. In his three games versus the Hoyas last season, Jenkins scored 10, 15 and 17 points. Jenkins will be joined up front by sophomore Mikal Bridges 910.8 ppg) and senior Darryl Reynolds, who has performed well following the graduation of Daniel Ochefu from the Wildcats' championship season. Reynolds is averaging five points and five rebounds, but the Wildcats don't need much more from him inside as long as Hart and Jenkins lead the way. The Peak and Pryor Show continues for Georgetown but remains an act short. Jessie Govan was in full retreat Saturday against the Hall, while the Bradley Hayes of 2017 looks more and more like the Bradley Hayes of 2015 in retrospect. Absent more focused play from its point guard du jour (Mosely, Mulmore, Campbell) and for Marcus Derrickson to play more like Mike Sweetney than Mikael Hopkins, Georgetown continues to fall short late in games.
Still, Georgetown holds a chance and Villanova knows it. The Hoyas do well in touch surroundings and such will be the case in this game. A steady hand at the point and a big game up front will give Georgetown a fighting chance.
Keys to the game:
Go Inside: Georgetown could see an advantage if it can attack inside, something it avoided through much of the Seton Hall game.
Turnover Troubles: Georgetown is last in the league with 14 turnovers per game. Any more than 10 in this game will be too many.
Keep Off the Line: Four Villanova starters average a combined 85 percent from the line.
Compete: Georgetown needs to give a 40 minute effort regardless of the score.
28-29.
Saturday's loss to Seton Hall placed Georgetown a combined 28-29 in its last two seasons of play. Tuesday's opponent, #4 Villanova, is 57-7 in that same span.
The flagship of the 2013 Big East looks more like a barge in 2017, and arrives to this evening's game facing an opponent with few weaknesses.
Villanova has won 47 straight at the former John E. DuPont Pavilion and swept the Hoyas in three games last season. Once again, a pair of local Washington DC products will be on hand to remind John Thompson III that Georgetown missed out on them.
Sidwell Friends' Josh Hart enters Tuesday's game with 119 wins over four seasons, and is arguably the best guard on the Main Line since Kerry Kittles. Hart has scored double figures in every game this season, and that is not in danger Tuesday night. Alongside point guard Jalen Brunson, the Villanova backcourt has a 1.88 to 1 assist to turnover ratio and average seven assists between them over the last five games. Georgetown has not proven it can contain backcourt play this season and that alone weighs in the Wildcats' favor.
In the frontcourt, Gonzaga's Kris Jenkins represents another threat in this game. After three sub-par efforts, Jenkins returned with a 15 point, five rebound effort in Villanova's win over St. John's, and is looking to improve upon a 38 percent scoring mark that is the lowest of the active Villanova roster. In his three games versus the Hoyas last season, Jenkins scored 10, 15 and 17 points. Jenkins will be joined up front by sophomore Mikal Bridges 910.8 ppg) and senior Darryl Reynolds, who has performed well following the graduation of Daniel Ochefu from the Wildcats' championship season. Reynolds is averaging five points and five rebounds, but the Wildcats don't need much more from him inside as long as Hart and Jenkins lead the way. The Peak and Pryor Show continues for Georgetown but remains an act short. Jessie Govan was in full retreat Saturday against the Hall, while the Bradley Hayes of 2017 looks more and more like the Bradley Hayes of 2015 in retrospect. Absent more focused play from its point guard du jour (Mosely, Mulmore, Campbell) and for Marcus Derrickson to play more like Mike Sweetney than Mikael Hopkins, Georgetown continues to fall short late in games.
Still, Georgetown holds a chance and Villanova knows it. The Hoyas do well in touch surroundings and such will be the case in this game. A steady hand at the point and a big game up front will give Georgetown a fighting chance.
Keys to the game:
Go Inside: Georgetown could see an advantage if it can attack inside, something it avoided through much of the Seton Hall game.
Turnover Troubles: Georgetown is last in the league with 14 turnovers per game. Any more than 10 in this game will be too many.
Keep Off the Line: Four Villanova starters average a combined 85 percent from the line.
Compete: Georgetown needs to give a 40 minute effort regardless of the score.
