Ah, a temporary (but likely short-lived) sigh of relief. Coming off the most promising showing thus far this season, the Hoyas seem to be slowly coming together and shaking out those early season kinks. In Sunday’s 91-83 win over Georgia State, Georgetown showed some glimpses of hope. With Mac McClung’s 25-point performance, Josh LeBlanc showing his versatility, and another double-double from Omer Yurtseven, a core set of Hoyas is beginning to emerge. Hopefully this long awaited shortened rotation continues to improve and becomes the consistent foundation this team needs.
As Georgetown travels to Madison Square Garden to participate in the 2K Empire Classic, the competition will stiffen. The Hoyas will meet the Texas Longhorns in their first matchup this Thursday at 7 pm. As of the new AP rankings released Monday, the Longhorns came into the week ranked #22 despite not having received a single vote in the preseason poll. As the first ranked team the Hoyas have faced this season, the Longhorns will reveal how capable the Hoyas are. Their 4-game win streak includes a road victory over the talented Purdue Boilermakers. Head coach Shaka Smart is on the hot seat this season despite winning the NIT last year and is in desperate need of an NCAA tournament berth.
The Longhorns provide a balanced attack with a duo of athletic guards and several impactful big men. Every Hoya will have a tough matchup. Texas’s leading scorer, Matt Coleman III, is averaging 14.5 points a game to go along with his 4.2 assists. Whichever guard (presumably James Akinjo) is tasked with shutting Coleman down will certainly have their hands full. As their floor leader and arguably most experienced player, Coleman sets the tone for the rest of this Longhorn team.
So far this season, Coleman has filled the role of most consistent scorer shooting 55.9% from the field, which has been a huge factor in Texas’s success. Keeping Coleman under wraps could be the ticket to a Hoyas victory.
Coleman is supported by guard Andrew Jones, who made headlines last year after being diagnosed with leukemia. Jones has already made a large impact this season by simply being back on the court. Not only this, but he dropped 20 points in Texas’s home opener, and is now the second leading scorer, averaging 13.3 points per game. As the 6th man, Jones is part of the vital scoring that Texas receives from their bench. Coleman and Jones provide perhaps the toughest duo McClung and Akinjo have faced this season.
The Texas offense is well-balanced, as the duo of Jericho Sims and Gerald Liddell make quality contributions in the frontcourt. Sims, standing at 6’9”, is an incredibly athletic presence who averages 7.2 rebounds per game. Likely to be matched up with Omer Yurtseven given the style of his game, this could be a key matchup to watch. While Sims plays more in the low post, Gerald Liddell, the 6’9” sophomore, counterbalances him by being a threat from 3. He is averaging 9.3 points per game and can score from all over the floor, helping to stretch out the Texas offense. Josh LeBlanc will likely have his hands full.
Unlike the Hoyas, the Longhorns rely on their rock solid defense. Smart prides himself on ensuring that defense is his team’s anchor. Though they’ve struggled to score at times, they have been able to offset this with their suffocating defense, having held all their opponents to under 70 points.
One of the Longhorns weaknesses is their shallow bench. Shaka Smart relies predominantly on a rotation of 8 players, with Matt Coleman, Andrew Jones, and Courtney Ramey accounting for 50-plus percent of their shots. If Georgetown is able to push the pace, they may tire out Texas’s starters and have an advantage late in the game.
For the Hoyas, high-powered offense is the least of their worries. Their defense, however, is cause for concern. These opposite styles will provide a test for both teams. Whichever team is better able to overcome their weakness is likely to emerge victorious.
Kathryn’s Prediction (1-0 on the year): Georgetown 68, Texas 66
Jacob’s Prediction (4-0 on the year): Georgetown 75, Texas 74
Will’s Prediction (3-1 on the year): Georgetown 69, Texas 67
