Thursday night represents a crossroads for the Georgetown basketball team; coming off undoubtedly their biggest win of the season on the road versus rival St. John’s, the Hoyas hope to establish their first winning streak in Big East play this season. Standing in their way is a reeling Xavier team that, despite lacking a standout star, has found a way to stay competitive. This was never clearer than this past Saturday, when the Musketeers’ upset bid of powerhouse Marquette fell just short.
The two teams have met once already this year, when Xavier took down a weakened Georgetown team 81-75 on January 9th. For many, this game was viewed as the low point of the Hoyas’ season thus far. Coming off an overtime loss to St. John’s, Ewing’s team needed a bounce back win against the Musketeers. The Hoyas stormed out of the gate and took a 17 point lead with just over three minutes to go in the first half. All it took was a 12-0 Xavier run and an abysmal second half for Georgetown to suffer its second Conference loss. At the time, some may have thought this loss embodied how the Hoyas’ season was likely to end; a young, talented team showing flashes of brilliance, but ultimately destined for failure due to inexperience and the inability to put together 40 minutes of consistent effort. Luckily, more than a few things have changed since that defeat.
Perhaps most notably, freshman phenom Mac McClung has returned from the ankle injury that sidelined him for the first contest. Mac has brought new energy and added a scoring threat to the Georgetown offense. McClung’s offensive prowess was on full display on Sunday against the Johnnies, knocking down big-shot after big-shot, including back-to-back NBA range threes in the final minutes of the game to maintain Georgetown’s slim advantage. If McClung can keep the hot streak alive, Xavier and the rest of the Big East will have a hard-time containing an athletic threat who has already proven he can finish around the rim.
Additionally, it would be difficult to understate the impact of the game being played in D.C.. The Hoyas have recently struggled playing at Xavier, dropping 5 of their last 6 at the Cintas Center. The hometown crowd should be amped up for their Hoyas’ return to Capital One Arena, especially after Sunday’s big win. Look for the Hoyas to feed off the energy of the crowd and avoid falling victim to a trap game coming off the victory on the road.
Even with this in mind, Ewing and his team will certainly need to formulate a game plan and execute it effectively in order to reverse the outcome of the teams’ first meeting. Although lacking in star power, the Xavier roster presents a balanced attack, with five players averaging in double figure points per game. From top to bottom, the Hoyas will need to commit to playing solid team defense, something that has all too often been lacking from this Georgetown squad. Especially threatening is the Musketeer’s interior attack; in the January 9th contest, Xavier did most of its damage in the paint (48 of their 81 points coming in that variety), as well as converting 11(!) offensive rebounds into easy buckets.
In the clip here, Georgetown is unable to prevent dribble penetration or secure a defensive rebound, allowing Xavier to convert on their 4th attempt of the possession. Georgetown bigs Jessie Govan and Josh LeBlanc will need to do a better job keeping Xavier’s forward duo of Zach Hankins (affectionately known as Hanky McSpanky) and Tyrique Jones away from the rim and off the glass if the Hoyas expect to come out with a win.
Xavier’s threatening two-big approach could provide an opening for the Hoyas on the other end of the court. Expect Ewing to try to get his team out in transition and create space for his athletic wings, who could prove difficult matchups for the Xavier defense. In the teams’ first meeting, the Musketeers’ mid-game switch to a 2-3 zone proved detrimental to the Georgetown offense. Expect first-year Xavier coach Travis Steele to be more reluctant to do so this time around given the emergence of McClung as a true threat from beyond the 3-point line. Xavier’s ability (or inability) to guard the 3-point line could be a determining factor in their effectiveness at slowing down the Hoyas.
Two different styles of basketball will meet in the nation’s capital but this game ought to boil down to which team can come up with defensive stops in crunch time. Solely off the eye test, it is difficult to see Xavier being able to match up with Georgetown’s combination of length, quickness, and outside shooting. Govan and the rest of the starting unit will continue to show slight improvement on the defensive end and make it difficult for the Musketeers to keep place. Mac McClung should add another statement game to his Big East Freshman of the Year resume and the Hoyas will defend home court as they should.
Prediction: Georgetown 82, Xavier 74
