Players to Watch
Jamorko Pickett: The Hoyas’ senior forward was not the scoring presence Georgetown fans had hoped he would be in the season opener, shooting just three of 15 from the floor against UMBC. If Georgetown is to compete with higher-caliber competition, Pickett will need to step up his game. Keep an eye out for whether Pickett attempts to attack the seams in Navy’s 2-3 zone, or if he simply settles for semi-open looks from three-point range.
Chudier Bile: He was a DNP in the season opener due to an ankle injury, and Ewing said he was back with the team now. However, Ewing was coy on whether he would play, saying it was a “state secret”. Out of the nine newcomers to this year’s Georgetown squad, Bile is one of the most intriguing due to his ability to shoot the three and his competence at defense. We’ll see whether we get our first glimpse of him today, and if so, how he performs and whether we can glean any information into the kind of role Ewing envisions Bile having on the team.
Cam Davis: Davis is a senior guard for the Midshipmen, and Georgetown fans should be on the lookout for Davis as Navy’s primary scoring option. As a junior, Davis led the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game while dishing out an average 2.6 assists per game. He’s also a fan of shooting from beyond the arc, leading the Midshipmen in attempts last season (185 3PA last season), sinking 34.1% of those shots. He doesn’t seem to drive to the rim a ton, as he either sets up on the perimeter or kicks it out to a teammate. If the Hoyas can contain him on the perimeter, that’ll help their chances of victory greatly.
Richard Njoku: After averaging just 10 minutes per game last season, Njoku has stepped into a starting role in each of the Midshipmen’s first three games this year. At 6’7”, 235 pounds, Njoku is the man in the middle of the Navy zone. He will face a stiff test against Georgetown’s 7-foot trio of Qudus Wahab, Timothy Ighoefe and Malcolm Wilson. A high-energy player, Njoku will depend on his quickness and frenetic play in hopes of slowing down the much larger Hoyas. Don’t expect Njoku to be a dominant force down low, but if he can disrupt Georgetown’s plans of dominating the paint even slightly, Navy will feel much better about their chances of pulling off the upset.
Things to Note
- Navy’s defensive scheme prominently features the 2-3 zone (yes, just like the wannabe Canadians who are our rivals). This will be a tough test for the Hoyas early, especially for a young team that’s still figuring out its offense. One of the things the 2-3 zone does so well is stymie a halfcourt offense, so a large chunk of how the Hoyas play will come down to if the newcomers can figure out how to improvise.
- Georgetown fans saw Malcolm Wilson in game action for the Hoyas for the first time in, well, ever (and Kenner doesn’t count). He showed some nice flashes of athleticism, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for Wilson because he’s still largely an unknown commodity to fans.
- Can Georgetown control the glass once again? Against UMBC, the Hoyas outrebounded the Retrievers 58-38. Navy’s lack of size in the frontcourt- the Midshipmen’s tallest player on roster is 6’8”- will once again give Qudus Wahab and Timothy Ighoefe the opportunity to assert themselves down low. If the Hoyas don’t win the rebounding margin handily, something is seriously off.
- Turnovers were a problem for the Hoyas in their season opener. Things won’t get any easier on Tuesday, as the Midshipmen have forced 13 or more turnovers in each of their first three games this season. With such an inexperienced roster, senior leaders Pickett (five turnovers against UMBC) and Jahvon Blair (four turnovers) need to do a better job valuing the basketball and avoiding wasted possessions.
- Who will emerge as the primary scoring option on this team tonight? Right now, the smart money is on Blair or Pickett, as both have a solid green light and the volume of attempts to back it up. The 2-3 zone is going to require the Hoyas to exploit mismatches, and there’s plenty of size-related mismatches. Pickett’s length and ability to shoot from beyond the arc could see him being leaned on as the primary scoring option. He’ll need to turn in a better shooting performance tonight if that’s the case, as he went just 3-15 last game.
Jacob’s Prediction (1-0 on the season): Georgetown 61, Navy 66
Hammer the under in this game. The Hoyas already struggle to score in their half-court offense, and the Mishipmen’s 2-3 zone is going to muck things up even further. If Georgetown can’t get out in transition and beat the zone down the floor, we could be in for a long night.
Beyond that, I simply have a bad feeling about this game. Historically, the Hoyas have struggled to contain high-scoring guards. As mentioned above, Navy’s Cam Davis certainly fits that profile. I know, this is a different team than in years past. They’ve supposedly improved defensively, but a single game against UMBC is no measuring stick in that regard. Call me a pessimist, but I’ve been scarred too many times before. I really hope I’m wrong on this one.
Will’s Prediction (1-0 on the season): Georgetown 66, Navy 64
This is a classic trap game (or maybe we’re just not great? To be determined). I’m concerned that Navy’s zone will give the young offense fits, but I’m confident that the Hoyas’ size advantage will allow them to bully their way into the paint and score from there. It’s going to be a nailbiter, but I’m betting size and talent wins out.
