Georgetown opened NCAA play a week ago against an opponent in Northern Iowa with no answer inside. Two days later, Ohio State had one answer for the middle, but not enough. The stakes are raised in regional play, and so is the opponent--the University of Florida has three legitimate weapons inside, each of which pose a particularly tough challenge to a Georgetown team that has dominated inside play to date. Much like Connecticut, Georgetown will be forced to win the game from the outside as well as the inside..

Much like Georgetown, Florida features a balanced starting lineup, with five scoring in double figure averages. Much was made in the Florida press about a perceived slight by GU in recruiting 6-11 Joakim Noah, but to be fair, John Thompson III was at Princeton at the time. Noah's growth as a player has been steady and consistent--he leads the team in scoring, blocked shots, is second in rebounding, and shoots 64% from the field. Noah has picked up 15 rebounds and 13 assists in his last two NCAA games, and is peaking after a big effort in two SEC tournament games.

Florida stands out in this bracket for its additional strength inside. 6-9 Al Horford has been effective in battling inside, 6-8 Corey Brewer from the small forward position--any doubling on these two means good news for Noah driving inside. Brewer is more effective from the outside but Florida's ability to get Horford inside on the rebounds will be one of the key matchups in the game.

Florida's backcourt relies on the three point shot. Corey Brewer and Lee Humphrey average each less than one two pointer a game but have scored 81 and 99 threes this year, respectively--no Georgetown player has more than 50. Humphrey shoots threes at a 47% pace, which  puts a premium on defenses not sagging back on the interior line. Unlike Ohio State, which did not get consistent play from three of tis five starters, Florida is strong at all five positions.

The Connecticut example is illustrative. When they're "on", the lineup of Williams, Brown, Gay, Boone, and Anderson can neutralize opponent strengths inside or out. Where Georgetown has been able to battle UConn is in games where they avoided the big run and played to its strengths--size and a slower speed. Both are watch points in this game. Georgetown can win in the 60's, but could struggle if this game gets in the 70's and above.

And as to the UConn example, Georgetown has not done well from outside. The Hoyas were 8-27 in this year 's matchup with the Huskies, fell behind by nine at the half, and lost by seven. To contend in this game, Georgetown's often inconsistent three point effort must be at its best. Florida is 22-1 when outscoring its opponent from three, but only 7-5 when trailing in that category.

Defensive stops outside and a renewed effort from outside keeps Georgetown from any struggles to get the ball inside, where UF will likely focus its defensive efforts towards. In Florida's closest game in march, the Gators hit only five threes in a narrow win over South Carolina, 49-47. No such fortune in its first two NCAA games, though, collecting 18 threes over South Alabama and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and enjoying double digit wins in each.  Georgetown has averaged five threes a game over its last four games and will need eight or more in this game.

Here's a look at some potential matchups:

Jonathan Wallace vs. Taurean Green. Green's quickness will put pressure on Wallace off the ball if Georgetown stays out of the zone. Wallace's best efforts have come in slower tempo games and he must be ready to adjust if Florida pushes the ball.
Ashanti Cook vs. Lee Humphrey. Cook has shut down opponents all season and needs a similar effort against Humphrey. Look for Cook to test the three pointers early to see what Georgetown can establish against Humphrey early.
Brandon Bowman vs. Corey Brewer. 25, 14, 12, 6, 0. That's the scoring totals over the last five games for Brandon Bowman, whose college career ends Friday if he does not turn things around in a big way. Bowman matches up well on the 6-8 Brewer and should be able to get open looks off the Georgetown sets, but the coaching staff cannot afford to keep him in if the offensive slumber persists .
Jeff Green vs. Al Horford. An even matchup between two promising sophomores, Green takes an edge on the offense while Horford remains an underrated defender and the kind of player that can really go to work inside.
Roy Hibbert vs. Joakim Noah. A potentially bad matchup for Hibbert, not just because of Noah, but Hibbert has become the center of UF's attention and will be challenged on every possession. Hibbert may be more valuable kicking the ball outside than risking blocks by Noah--Hibbert was stuffed three times against OSU and Noah has posted 75 blocks this season.
GU bench vs. OSU bench. Big advantage to Florida. The Gators go nine deep, led by reserve guard Walter Hodge (20 mins/game, 4.3 ppg) and 6--8 Chris Richard (17 mins./game, 4.3 ppg), with a shooting percentage that may remind Hoya fans of former Pitt forward Chevon Troutman--Richard averages nearly 70% from the field. Anything beyond Darrel Owens and Jessie Sapp is a signal Georgetown is either way ahead or way behind.

Keys to the game follow that of the Ohio State game:
1. Interior Play. Noah and Horford must not be allowed unchecked access to the basket, but for its part, Georgetown must avoid early fouls.The Hoyas were able to execute both against the OSU, and must do so again Friday.
2. "Good Brandon". Bowman needs a 20 point game. Georgetown won't contend with less.
3. Staying Close. One of Georgetown's most dangerous attributes is its ability to stay a step ahead of its opponents all year--staying close puts Georgetown in a position to win, but if the Hoyas are behind late, it is not a come from behind team. That's wasn't a problem vs. Ohio State, but Florida is not OSU. After some mid-season stumbles, Florida has learned the value of building a big lead and closing the door on opponents. Georgetown must work to be in a position of strength late, not relying on a big comeback.