Game 7: Howard University (1-8)
Dec. 7, 8:30 pm (EST)
Washington, DC
Capital One Arena (20,500)
Tickets? Yes
Media:
TV: Fox Sports 1
Video: Fox Sports Go
GU Radio: WJFK-106.7
HU Radio: None Georgetown
Game Notes: Howard (none)
About the Bison:
Location: Washington, DC
Enrollment: 10,000
Conference: MEAC
2016-17 Record: 10-24
Record vs. Georgetown: 0-8
Meet The Coach:
Kevin Nickleberry
(Virginia Wesleyan '86)
7th season, 70-162
Career: 119-207
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Expected Starters |
Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
R.J. Cole |
6-1 |
19.6 |
Kai Tease |
6-2 |
5.4 |
Jalen Jones |
6-5 |
4.3 |
Charles Williams |
6-6 |
17.0 |
Marcus Hall |
6-7 |
2.1 |
|
Team Stats: |
Points/Game: |
68.0 |
Points Allowed: |
82.1 |
FG Shooting: |
37.8 |
FG Defense |
48.8 |
3FG Shooting: |
29.8 |
FT Shooting: |
73.8 |
Rebounds/Game |
32.9 |
Assists/Game |
12.0 |
Turnovers/Game |
13.3 |
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Last 5 Games (1-4) |
11/20: Arkansas St. 92, HU 78
11/22: South Florida 75, HU 52
11/27: Liberty 75, HU 55
11/30: HU 81, Central Penn 64
12/04: Penn 81, HU 68
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Preview
There hasn't been much of a rivalry in the eight prior meetings between Georgetown and Howard, two schools that share little in common but geographic proximity. The Bison enter the game 1-8, with its lone win over a non-NCAA school in Central Penn College, but is capable of giving the Hoyas a better game than many of its prior opponents have shown to date.
Two underclassmen hold Howard's slim hopes for an upset. Freshman R.J. Cole has scored in double figures in each game this season and five of 20 or more points. Averaging 36 percent from the floor, Cole needs a hot hand for the Bison to stay close, which it did Monday versus Pennsylvania before falling to the Quakers in the second half. His 2 for 1 assist to turnover ratio also provides options for the Bison to get 6-6 Charles Williams active. Williams has scored in double figures in six of the Bison's eight games and is coming off back to back 20 point games.
Outside of Cole and Williams, the Bison show many of the traits that doom MEAC opponents against teams like Georgetown this year. Howard ranks 348th of 351 schools nationally in shooting percentages, averaging just 37 percent from the field and 29 percent from three point range. The Bison have been below 40 percent shooting in six of its nine games, and allow opponents an average of nine threes per game. In the penn game, the Quakers were 11 of 33 from three and put the game out of reach.
Georgetown figures to follow the formula seen in most of its games thus far--lots of Jessie Govan, early use of the three, and watching for which player will step up for a big game. Jamarko Pickett, Kaleb Johnson, and Jahvon Blair have taken turns in that role on the stat sheet, but none have showed consistency from one game to the next. A similar inconsistency faces its guards, where the Hoyas continue to see a high turnover rate out of the backcourt. A 15 turnover per game rate may not put this game in peril but it will be painful at this time a month from now.
Thursday's game should not be a walkover, however. The games between the two schools are usually closer than the score indicates, and usually allows for a Howard scorer to distinguish himself in the game. If someone is to carry the Bison in 2017, as Ron Williamson did nearly two decades ago with a 41 point effort against the Hoyas, it will be Cole. Defensive pressure on Cole is key to avoid giving Howard any fleeting hope that the Hoyas, untested to date, are capable of a first ever loss to a MEAC opponent.