Georgetown (14-13) vs. Villanova (15-14)
DATE & TIME: Wednesday, March 12th, 7:00 p.m. (et).
FACTS & STATS: Site: Madison Square Garden (19,763) -- New York, New York.
Television: ESPN. Home Record: Georgetown 11-6, Villanova 9-4. Away Record:
Georgetown 3-7, Villanova 3-8. Neutral Record: Georgetown 0-0, Villanova 3-2.
Conference Record: Georgetown 6-10, Villanova 8-8. Series Record: Georgetown
leads, 32-23.
GAME NOTES: Having won eight straight opening round games in the Big East
Conference Tournament at Madison Square Garden, the fourth-seeded Villanova
Wildcats' streak just might come to an end, as they take on fifth-seeded
Georgetown Hoyas tonight in the opening round of the 24th annual event. As one
of a number of schools hitting the headlines because of off the court
activities rather than what goes on during games, 12 Wildcat players have been
identified as individuals who illegally used a university calling code to make
unauthorized connections, resulting in suspensions of between three and eight
games depending on the severity of the abuse. The Wildcats enter the
postseason on a four-game losing streak and have dropped nine of the last 12
contests overall. The Hoyas lost their season finale against nationally-ranked
Notre Dame over the weekend, the team's second setback in the last three
outings. Since the tournament began in 1980, the Hoyas have been the most
successful group in terms of championships, amassing six titles. Georgetown
won the first tournament and all six of their crowns during the first 10
years, with the most recent championship for the team coming in 1989 versus
Syracuse. Since then, the Hoyas have made it to the final round on four
occasions, but have come out on the losing end all four times. Overall, the
team has a tournament record of 37-17, the best winning percentage of any
school in the league. As for the Wildcats, they have just one title to their
credit following a 94-78 victory over UConn in 1995. Villanova has been to the
championship round five times and has just the one win to go along with their
24-21 record in the tournament. As far as the series between these two foes is
concerned, Georgetown leads the Wildcats by a count of 32-23. Villanova won an
83-72 decision last month between the squads giving it four straight wins in
the series, as the Hoyas have not been on the winning end of a contest with
'Nova since January 1998. The winner of this contest will face off against
nationally-ranked and the top seed from the West, Syracuse, in the
quarterfinal round on Thursday night.
One player does not a team make, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the
nation's capital where Mike Sweetney, one of two unanimous All-Big East
Conference selections and a candidate for All-American honors, leads the
attack for a team that finished just a game over .500 this year. Sweetney, a
55.1 percent shooter from the field, is averaging a double-double with 22.7
points and 10.4 rebounds per contest, not to mention registering 85 of the
unit's 174 blocked shots this year. More often than not, defenses hack away at
Sweetney in the paint, and when the fouls are called he has made 71 percent of
his 272 free-throw attempts. Also scoring in double figures for the squad this
year are guards Gerald Riley and Tony Bethel with 14.6 and 11.2 ppg,
respectively. Riley is the team's top perimeter threat, hitting 44.8 percent
of his attempts, which is better than his overall shooting from the field
(.435) this season. Defensively the team has held opponents to 40.7 percent
shooting from the floor this year and just 30-3 percent beyond the arc. The
Hoyas have also gotten lucky when sending the opposition to the charity
stripe, as they have converted just 68.2 percent of their chances.
The suspensions against Villanova took effect over the weekend, which forced
the team to play with just two reserves, who took no shots, grab zero rebounds
and have just three fouls on their collective stat line. And even with having
to go with the staring five almost the entire way, the Wildcats still lost by
just two points at home to seventh-ranked Pittsburgh. Instead of having sniper
Gary Buchanan and power forward Ricky Wright, two of the suspended, leading
the squad on the floor, the 'Cats are having to rely more on players like
Derrick Snowden and Allan Ray to make a run in the tournament. Ray is the
leading scorer among the remaining players, hitting for 10.2 ppg, while Randy
Foye adds 10.1 ppg. Unfortunately, both those players are having less than
productive year's from the field, Ray shooting just 38.3 percent from the
field and 31.7 percent behind the three-point line, while Foye is converting
36.6 percent of his field goal attempts and a miserable 28.9 percent beyond
the arc. Snowden (8.2 ppg), who is shooting just 64.6 percent at the free-
throw line, has been responsible for more than three and a half assists per
outing, but many of those were the result of Buchanan scores.
On Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, the Wildcats were playing on pure emotion
and that's why they got to within a whisker of upsetting the Panthers. In this
case the novelty of a huge upset has worn off because the excitement is no
longer there, and neither will Villanova be in the next round. Inexperience
and lackluster play will cost the Wildcats dearly in this contest as
Georgetown moves on.
Georgetown
Georgetown are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 games
Georgetown are 6-0-2 ATS in their last 8 home games
Georgetown are 4-1-0 OU in their last 5 games
After a loss are 4-6
After playing Notre Dame are 1-2
When playing on Wednesday are 5-3
Villanova
After a loss are 5-5
After playing Pittsburgh are 0-1
When playing on Wednesday are 7-2
