Saturday will no doubt be an emotional Senior Day inside Capital One Arena. However, there still is basketball to be played.
Following the pre-game activities, the Georgetown Hoyas will tip-off against the #14 Villanova Wildcats. A lot has transpired since the two teams first met back in January, when Villanova handed Georgetown a 80-66 loss in Philadelphia. With a conference record of 12-5, the Wildcats sit in a tie for second in the Big East. After falling to Providence last Saturday, Villanova bounced back with a thrilling road victory over league-leading Seton Hall.
As has been the case for much of the past month, the Hoyas will once again be shorthanded for Saturday’s contest. Patrick Ewing has already ruled out Mac McClung for the game and it’s anyone’s guess if, or when, Omer Yurtseven will make his return this year.
Georgetown’s season has taken a nosedive thanks to the recent five-game losing streak. On the other side, the Wildcats seem to be figuring things out at the right time as they always seem to do. Jay Wright’s squad has won six of its last seven games, and will enter Capital One Arena is the clear favorite.
A large part of Villanova’s success this season has been due to the emergence of Saddiq Bey. Bey is the Wildcats’ leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game, while also shooting a remarkable 44.7% from three-point range. Georgetown is well aware of Bey’s ability to take over a game, as he torched the Hoyas for 33 points, including eight three pointers on January 11th. Jagan Mosely started the game on Bey in that contest, but Jamorko Pickett was slightly more successful in slowing down Bey in the second half thanks to his length. It will be interesting to see how Ewing goes about constructing a gameplan to limit Bey’s impact on the game.
Another impact player for the Wildcats is junior guard Colin Gillespie. The Hoyas largely kept Gillespie under wraps in the first meeting, but that does not mean they should overlook his playmaking ability. Even when he is not scoring, Gillespie elevates the play of those around him. Georgetown cannot let Gillespie get comfortable and control the pace of Saturday’s game if they want to emerge victorious.
One area where the Hoyas may have a leg up on the Wildcats is in the paint. While Villanova has plenty of length, they do not have a bruiser down low by any means. When the two teams first met, Qudus Wahab was Georgetown’s leading scorer with 13 points. Coming off his first career double-double, and with Yurtseven’s status uncertain, Wahab could play a big role for the Hoyas once again.
While Saturday may be the regular season finale for both teams, there is still a lot to play for. With a win over the Hoyas, Villanova gives themselves a shot at a share of the Big East regular season title. In addition to winning, the Wildcats would need Seton Hall to lose at Creighton, certainly not outside the realm of possibility. For Georgetown, the stakes are much less tangible. Still, the Hoyas would certainly like to end the season on a high note, and avoid finishing below .500 on the year.
Perhaps most importantly, Saturday is Senior Day for the Hoyas as the fanbase bids farewell to the team’s four seniors. While this group likely won’t be here to see the fruits of their labor (in the form of an NCAA Tournament berth), is one final win at home too much to ask?
Jacob’s Prediction (19-11 on the year): Villanova 79, Georgetown 69
I really want this win for Jagan and the rest of the seniors. That being said, I don’t think Georgetown can play at Villanova’s level for a full 40 minutes. When the two teams met back in January, the Hoyas could not get the job done even with McClung and Yurtseven. Granted that game was in Philadelphia, but Georgetown’s rotation is now that much shorter and the Hoyas are riding a five-game losing streak. I’m not confident in the Hoyas chances against any Big East team at this point, much less one of the top teams in the conference.
Will’s Prediction (20-10 on the year): Villanova 73, Georgetown 69
My mind tells me we’re going to lose, because on paper we’re simply not going to be able to for tit-for-tat with Villanova for 40 minutes. My heart wants me to be wrong and I hope I am. These seniors deserve it.
