It’s a big week for Georgetown basketball. The Hoyas, undefeated in conference play (12-2, 3-0), will hit the road to face the Marquette Golden Eagles (13-2, 4-0) on Tuesday before returning home to play UConn on Saturday.
Marquette has won the last six contests against the Hoyas by an average of 23 points, so Georgetown simply being competitive would show progress in year two under Coach Ed Cooley. However, a signature victory over the number seven team in the country would send a message to the rest of the Big East that Georgetown is back.
Georgetown and Marquette have been polar opposite programs over the previous three years. Georgetown was a revolving door of transfers, while Marquette established a winning culture by retaining and developing its players. Georgetown tended to look disconnected and careless on defense, while Marquette epitomized team defense and communication. Most importantly, Georgetown only won four regular season Big East games in the last three years, while Marquette won 42.
But this year has marked a dramatic shift within the Georgetown basketball program. Coach Cooley has attracted young players committed to doing the little things it takes to win games. The Hoyas play defense with energy and purpose, ranking 31st in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency according to KenPom (they were 321st last year). Georgetown has also started to value each possession on offense by looking for high-percentage shots. If a turnover occurs, the players don’t hesitate to huddle and discuss what went wrong.
Caleb Williams is just a freshman, but he had five offensive rebounds (nine total) and played 36 minutes on Friday night against Xavier. Performances like that are why Georgetown is 3-0 to start conference play.
That said, Marquette poses a greater challenge than anything the Hoyas have faced thus far. Kam Jones (20.3 ppg) is one of the most talented playmakers in the country. The Golden Eagles, coached by Shaka Smart, smother their opponents for 40 straight minutes and rarely make mistakes. The Hoyas have put together some complete games in conference play, but even a short lapse could allow Marquette to take control of the game (just ask the Providence Friars, who were demoralized by a 21-0 Marquette run last week).
There are a few matchups that I think favor the Hoyas on Tuesday. Putting Micah Peavy on Kam Jones should force the other Marquette guards to initiate the offense. Peavy is taller than Jones, so he should be able to throw Jones off his usual rhythm. On offense, Thomas Sorber will look to have yet another big performance, as I don’t think Marquette’s Ben Gold will be able to match Sorber’s physicality. The Hoyas are at their best when they establish their freshman big man early on, and this game should be no different.
A major question mark before Tuesday night is the availability of Jayden Epps. Epps tried to give it a go against Xavier, but he still seemed bothered by an ankle injury and sat out the entire second half. It’s been a long time since both Epps and Malik Mack have played together, so it will be interesting to see how Coach Cooley decides to employ Georgetown’s two lead guards if they both play. If Epps is unavailable, the Hoyas’ depth will be tested yet again. Curtis Williams will need to continue to provide shooting off the bench, and the entire team will have to avoid foul trouble.
No matter what happens, it’s fun to see Georgetown playing meaningful games against some of the best teams in the country. The Hoyas have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this game, so hopefully they will play relaxed in a hostile environment. The NCAA tournament has been far from the minds of Hoya fans recently, but yes, if Georgetown adds a top-ten road win to their resume, it will be time to start discussing March Madness as a realistic expectation in Washington, D.C.
