Even a year later, it's one of those games that people talk about. No, not in a Final Four or six-overtimes way, but in the form of questions: how did Georgetown dominate on the road at #2 Connecticut? How did UConn lose to a team which ended up 16-15?

The December 2008 game between the teams is history, but some valuable lessons from that game will be tested in Saturday's Big East showdown between two tams looking to hold serve and maintain their status in the top quartile of the conference. With West Virginia, Villanova, and Syracuse firmly ahead in the polls, one of these teams enters mid-January at or within the top 10, and one could be dropping down the polls.

Only one starter returns from last season's 31-5 Husky team, but the core starters all were contributors in last season's run and one starter figures to make a marked improvement from last season's game with the Hoyas. Leading scorer Jerome Dyson was a mere 1-10 in last season's loss, but leads the 2009-10 Huskies with a 19 point per game average, 20 points in Big East play. Dyson was hurt late in the 2008-09 season but has largely been unchallenged since returning to the lineup, averaging double figures in every game this season. Of particular concern to Georgetown: assists. When Dyson is not scoring, he's a more than able passer, topping 10 assists in each of the last two games.

6-1 Kemba Walker has been steady at the other guard for UConn, though his shooting numbers have not kept pace in the first three Big east games to date. Walker is not a three point threat (two threes in the past five games) and can be prone to turnovers. However, he is also capable of a big game via assists.

Connecticut's front line is taller than most opponents Georgetown has faced to date. Because of this height, coach Jim Calhoun has been able to run 6-9 Stanley Robinson on the wing, where his 53 percent shooting from both two and three point range has been particularly effective. Robinson's 17 points and seven rebounds a game makes him a tough assignment for a smaller GU contingent at small forward.

Though envisioned as a center, 6-11 Ater Majok has only played six games since becoming eligible and has been starting, albeit briefly, at power forward. Majok,a Sudanese native by way of Australia, gave fleeting thought to joining the NBA last season while still ineligible, but to date his numbers have been closer to Cornelio Guibunda than Emeka Okafor. Make no mistake, however, as Majok is capable of big things, but the question for Husky fans is when he will have the experience to dominate within the Big East. As a result, Calhoun has run with 6-9 freshman Alex Oriakhi at center, with 7-0 sophomore Charles Okwandu available if needed.

Connecticut figures to challenge Georgetown on the perimeter and force action inside where its height and rebounding abilities (UConn averages 11 offensive rebounds a game) will be valuable. The Huskies are not likely to get into a three point shooting contest, but have the ability with Dyson and Robinson to go outside when needed. As befits a Jim Calhoun team, its shooting defense is annually among the nation's best, as is Georgetown.

Some keys to the game:

1. Bench. Neither team figures to go deep. UConn's starting four (with Gavin Edwards substituting in place of Majok) averages 32 minutes a game. Foul trouble for either team could be significant.
2. Pressure Defense. Neither team has been pressed throughout games. With both teams susceptible to turnovers, a tighter defense may be a point of emphasis.
3. Julian Vaughn. With Henry Sims having failed to establish a presence in earlier games, the power forward position will rely on Vaughn's ability to drive inside and get offensive rebounds against either Robinson or Edwards. Vaughn's offensive rebound numbers (1.9 per game) need a stronger effort Saturday.
4. Kemba Walker. Georgetown has done a good job isolating leading scorers out of opponent back courts, and Dyson will be a defensive target. If Walker has a big game, this will give the UConn offense a considerable boost.

For UConn to win, Dyson and Robinson provide an inside-outside combination that gets a lead and does not allow GU good opportunities to get back in, and get an unexpected boost from Gavin Edwards or Alex Oriakhi that neutralizes Greg Monroe. The Georgetown keys to victory will involve holding its own on rebounding, getting Greg Monroe more active offensively, and setting a tempo in the second half that limits UConn's ability to build a run. Much like its near-buzzer beater over the Huskies two years ago, the Hoyas have to be in the right place for a win and not let the game get beyond its means.