Preview
Five weeks from now, the NCAA tournament field will have been finalized and if Georgetown is to earn a seat at the table of 68, it may be, in part a result of Monday's game with Providence. The two teams are the leading entrants for a fourth and perhaps final Big East bid in 2014, and if Georgetown seeks the honor, it must begin to make headway among the rest of the conference. At 5-6, the Hoyas are 4-0 against DePaul and Butler and 1-6 against everyone else.
Time is tight for Providence as well. The Georgetown win on Jan. 9 sent the Friars to a five game win streak and hopes of its first NCAA appearance in 10 years. Of late, PC has dropped three of four, with a narrow six man rotation that is beginning to signs of wear and tear. With a poor effort a month earlier, Georgetown surrendered its first loss to PC in nine years, yet has seen renewed signs of life with the return of Jabril Trawick and exemplary guard play with Markel Starks and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera. For both teams, the margin of error is ever so slight at this point of the season.
It's an exaggeration to say the Providence will go as far as Bryce Cotton will take them, but he remains the most valuable member of the Friar five this season. Cotton leads the Friars in virtually every major scoring category but an off night can prove fatal to the Friars. In Saturday's game with Xavier, Cotton was 4-11 and the Friars lost by six. Josh Fortune provides a second option but only gets about seven attempts per game in Big East play versus nearly 17 for Cotton. Georgetown may see Fortune as more active if Cotton is contained. Averaging 39.5 minutes a game in conference action, Cotton has no room for downtime.
PC maintains a strong front line, led by Ladontae Henton (13.8 ppg, 7.3 rebounds) and Kadeem Batts (12.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg). Fouls have taken its toll on the Friars but its bench is not being regularly used, with 7-0 Carson DeRosiers the only player seeing more than spot duty. As such, the starting five plus DeRosiers accounts for the bulk of the time in conference play--against Xavier, the total minutes logged by players other than these six was just two.
Georgetown's goals in this game follow the formula it has attempted--and occasionally succeeded-- in its three game win streak--sterling guard play, consistent perimeter defense, and keeping its three big men from all fouling out. Of concern--three point shooting, which has slid to 9th in the conference with just 8-41 (.195) in the last three games and 1-12 (.083) against Butler.
Keys to the game mirror many of the goals for the first meeting:
PC is 15-0 this season when leading at the 10:00 mark of the second half, 1-8 while trailing.
Five weeks from now, the NCAA tournament field will have been finalized and if Georgetown is to earn a seat at the table of 68, it may be, in part a result of Monday's game with Providence. The two teams are the leading entrants for a fourth and perhaps final Big East bid in 2014, and if Georgetown seeks the honor, it must begin to make headway among the rest of the conference. At 5-6, the Hoyas are 4-0 against DePaul and Butler and 1-6 against everyone else.
Time is tight for Providence as well. The Georgetown win on Jan. 9 sent the Friars to a five game win streak and hopes of its first NCAA appearance in 10 years. Of late, PC has dropped three of four, with a narrow six man rotation that is beginning to signs of wear and tear. With a poor effort a month earlier, Georgetown surrendered its first loss to PC in nine years, yet has seen renewed signs of life with the return of Jabril Trawick and exemplary guard play with Markel Starks and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera. For both teams, the margin of error is ever so slight at this point of the season.
It's an exaggeration to say the Providence will go as far as Bryce Cotton will take them, but he remains the most valuable member of the Friar five this season. Cotton leads the Friars in virtually every major scoring category but an off night can prove fatal to the Friars. In Saturday's game with Xavier, Cotton was 4-11 and the Friars lost by six. Josh Fortune provides a second option but only gets about seven attempts per game in Big East play versus nearly 17 for Cotton. Georgetown may see Fortune as more active if Cotton is contained. Averaging 39.5 minutes a game in conference action, Cotton has no room for downtime.
PC maintains a strong front line, led by Ladontae Henton (13.8 ppg, 7.3 rebounds) and Kadeem Batts (12.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg). Fouls have taken its toll on the Friars but its bench is not being regularly used, with 7-0 Carson DeRosiers the only player seeing more than spot duty. As such, the starting five plus DeRosiers accounts for the bulk of the time in conference play--against Xavier, the total minutes logged by players other than these six was just two.
Georgetown's goals in this game follow the formula it has attempted--and occasionally succeeded-- in its three game win streak--sterling guard play, consistent perimeter defense, and keeping its three big men from all fouling out. Of concern--three point shooting, which has slid to 9th in the conference with just 8-41 (.195) in the last three games and 1-12 (.083) against Butler.
Keys to the game mirror many of the goals for the first meeting:
- Limiting Cotton: Cotton will get his touches, but limiting his shots will be most effective.
- Three Point Defense: Georgetown's defense had little result against PC in the opener, giving up six threes. If the outside can be contained, Georgetown will be able to establish its tenor for the game.
- Keep PC Off The Line: Providence leads the Big East in free throws and often collects more free throws than field goals. Georgetown's use of fouls must be a measured one.
- Mikael Hopkins: An inside presence is vital to the Hoyas. Hopkins needs a 10 point effort without serious foul trouble.
PC is 15-0 this season when leading at the 10:00 mark of the second half, 1-8 while trailing.
