Preview
The biggest homestand of the year awaits a Georgetown team still searching for its identity in the second half of the Big East race: Win two, and they're back at .500, a number worth fighting for in NCAA consideration. Lose two, and the Hoyas could be consigning themselves to an early exit from the 2013-14 season.
The January 11 between the two schools at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse was one of the more exciting games of the year, especially as Georgetown fought off adversity due to the loss of Jabril Trawick from the lineup. Trawick us back for Saturday's game and figures to play a major role in the Hoyas' ability to control the Bulldogs down the stretch.
Since that game, Butler has lost four of six. The Bulldogs feature two all-Big East candidates in guard Kellen Dunham and forward Khyle Marshall. Dunham is Butler's best shooter but has struggled in conference play, averaging 36 percent from the floor. Dunham leads the team in threes (30 in Big East play), but the Bulldogs have not been a comfortable team outside, which is where Marshall, shooting 50 percent from the field in Big East action, has been more effective driving the ball inside. Dunham and marshall combined for 39 points in the first game against Georgetown, but Dunham was 1-11 from three point range, giving Georgetown an ever so slight margin to pull out the victory. Effective three point defense on Dunham remains a priority.
The margin of success in Big East play is a narrow and teams need a consistent effort from its starter. For first year coach Brandon Miller, the results from forwards Erik Fromm and forward Kameron Woods have been mixed. The two were a combined 1-9 against Georgetown on Jan. 11 but a more formidable 20 points and 16 rebounds between them in a win over Seton Hall. Because Butler does not score in bunches (8th in the league in scoring), a strong effort from the bench is a must. 6-9 Andrew Chrabascz had a strong game against Marquette and could find his way into the starting lineup, while guard Elijah Brown is seeing some regular action in a three guard set. Like georgetown, Butler does not go deep in the bench and can wear out towards the end of games.
Despite a continued reliance on Markel Starks and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera to carry the Hoyas across the line, Georgetown is seeing some increased contributions from Mikael Hopkins and Jabril Trawick, particularly in Monday's win at DePaul. Without Trawick, Georgetown struggled mightily to stay with Butler last month, and only made it to overtime as Butler's shooting failed late. With Trawick, Georgetown's defense should be more consistent against Dunham and marshall and allow the Hoyas to go inside with more frequency.
Some keys to the game:
Butler On The Road: The Bulldogs are 1-4 on the road in Big East play. A key stat? As a team, BU shoots 47% at home, just 40% on the road.
Second Half Turnovers: Georgetown has continued to improve on ball control after halftime, and must continue to do so.
Avoid Foul Trouble: Lubick, Hopkins, and Ayegba all fouled out in Indianapolis, and must be careful not to get into foul trouble early in this one.
The biggest homestand of the year awaits a Georgetown team still searching for its identity in the second half of the Big East race: Win two, and they're back at .500, a number worth fighting for in NCAA consideration. Lose two, and the Hoyas could be consigning themselves to an early exit from the 2013-14 season.
The January 11 between the two schools at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse was one of the more exciting games of the year, especially as Georgetown fought off adversity due to the loss of Jabril Trawick from the lineup. Trawick us back for Saturday's game and figures to play a major role in the Hoyas' ability to control the Bulldogs down the stretch.
Since that game, Butler has lost four of six. The Bulldogs feature two all-Big East candidates in guard Kellen Dunham and forward Khyle Marshall. Dunham is Butler's best shooter but has struggled in conference play, averaging 36 percent from the floor. Dunham leads the team in threes (30 in Big East play), but the Bulldogs have not been a comfortable team outside, which is where Marshall, shooting 50 percent from the field in Big East action, has been more effective driving the ball inside. Dunham and marshall combined for 39 points in the first game against Georgetown, but Dunham was 1-11 from three point range, giving Georgetown an ever so slight margin to pull out the victory. Effective three point defense on Dunham remains a priority.
The margin of success in Big East play is a narrow and teams need a consistent effort from its starter. For first year coach Brandon Miller, the results from forwards Erik Fromm and forward Kameron Woods have been mixed. The two were a combined 1-9 against Georgetown on Jan. 11 but a more formidable 20 points and 16 rebounds between them in a win over Seton Hall. Because Butler does not score in bunches (8th in the league in scoring), a strong effort from the bench is a must. 6-9 Andrew Chrabascz had a strong game against Marquette and could find his way into the starting lineup, while guard Elijah Brown is seeing some regular action in a three guard set. Like georgetown, Butler does not go deep in the bench and can wear out towards the end of games.
Despite a continued reliance on Markel Starks and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera to carry the Hoyas across the line, Georgetown is seeing some increased contributions from Mikael Hopkins and Jabril Trawick, particularly in Monday's win at DePaul. Without Trawick, Georgetown struggled mightily to stay with Butler last month, and only made it to overtime as Butler's shooting failed late. With Trawick, Georgetown's defense should be more consistent against Dunham and marshall and allow the Hoyas to go inside with more frequency.
Some keys to the game:
Butler On The Road: The Bulldogs are 1-4 on the road in Big East play. A key stat? As a team, BU shoots 47% at home, just 40% on the road.
Second Half Turnovers: Georgetown has continued to improve on ball control after halftime, and must continue to do so.
Avoid Foul Trouble: Lubick, Hopkins, and Ayegba all fouled out in Indianapolis, and must be careful not to get into foul trouble early in this one.
