Riding a three-game losing streak, the Georgetown Hoyas head to Madison Square Garden to face the St. John’s Red Storm at 1 p.m. on Sunday. If there ever was a golden opportunity for a get-right game, this is it. St. John’s is just 2-7 in Big East play, and the Hoyas already disposed of the Johnnies by 21 points on Jan. 8.
St. John’s is led by junior wing L.J. Figueroa, who averages 15.1 points per game. One reason for Georgetown’s big win earlier this year was the Hoyas’ ability to contain Figueroa. In that game, Figueroa did score 23 points, but only did so on eight of 23 shooting from the field. The Hoyas consistently forced Figueroa into taking tough shots, which will surely continue to be part of the game plan at MSG on Sunday.
Though this is the second time the two teams will meet this season, St. John’s starting lineup will likely look a little different this time around. Junior guard Rasheem Dunn has started each of the past six games in place of Julian Champagnie, who started the Johnnie’s first 16 games. Since his promotion, Dunn has responded by increasing his offensive efficiency, as he is averaging 14.5 points per game on 44.6% shooting over the last six contests. This culminated in a meeting with Villanova this Tuesday, in which Dunn tied a career high with 24 points. With Rasheem Dunn’s role continuing to grow, the Hoyas will need to be aware of this added wrinkle.
One surprise standout in Georgetown’s home win over St. John’s was Jamorko Pickett. Pickett posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. However, over the last few games, Pickett has been notably ineffective, including a zero-point performance against Butler in the Hoyas’ last game. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity to get Pickett back on track.
Although Omer Yurtseven did post a double-double when the teams met on Jan. 8, he was limited to just five shot attempts. With Yurtseven having a significant size advantage over the 6’9”, 210 pound Josh Roberts, Ewing will certainly look to get Yurtseven some more touches on the offensive end. The Hoyas offense primarily relied on perimeter ball movement in the first meeting, but on the road, it may be smart to emphasize getting post touches and exploiting the Red Storm’s lack of size.
Sitting at 2-6 in the Big East, it is now or never for Georgetown. Lose this game to a lowly St. John’s team, and it is probably time to forget about any postseason hopes. That being said, getting a road win over the Johnnie’s could be just what the Hoyas need to springboard their season. There’s a lot of basketball left to be played. The long climb back starts Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
Jacob’s Prediction (15-6 on the year): Georgetown 80, St. John’s 72
I don’t have a lot of confidence in the Hoyas at this point, but I think I have even less confidence in the Johnnies. They’ve been downright bad in Big East play, with both of their two conference wins coming against DePaul. Georgetown played well at MSG during the Empire Classic, and I think that trend continues on Sunday.
Will’s Prediction (13-8 on the year): Georgetown 82, St. John’s 71
St. John’s is a horrendous shooting team, and I think we’ll see the Hoyas’ length stuff the Johnnies again when they try to score inside. It won’t be a pretty game, but Georgetown should pull out the win.
