Game 12: Marquette University (9-6)
January 7, 6:30 pm (EST)
Washington, DC
Capital One Arena (20,500)
Tickets: Available
Media:
TV: Fox Sports 1
GU Radio: WDCH-99.1
MU Radio: WKTI-94.5
About the Warriors:
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Enrollment: 8,500
Conference: Big East
2020-21 Record: 13-14
Record vs. Georgetown: 17-14
Media Notes: Click Here
Meet The Coach:
Shaka Smart
(Kenyon '00)
1st season, 9-6
Career: 281-148
|
|
|
| Expected Starters |
| Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
| Tyler Kolek |
6-3 |
6.5 |
| Darrell Morsell |
6-4 |
13.3 |
| O-M Prosper |
6-8 |
5.5 |
| Justin Lewis |
6-7 |
15.7 |
| Kur Kueth |
6-10 |
5.5 |
| |
| Team Stats: |
| Points/Game: |
73.4 |
| Points Allowed: |
70.3 |
| FG Shooting: |
43.5 |
| FG Defense |
41.2 |
| 3FG Shooting: |
32.3 |
| FT Shooting: |
72.0 |
| Rebounds/Game |
37.0 |
| Assists/Game |
16.6 |
| Turnovers/Game |
13.0 |
|
| Last 5 Games (1-4) |
12/11: UCLA 67, MU 56
12/18: Xavier 80, MU 71
12/21: UConn 78, MU 70
01/01: Creighton 75, MU 69
01/04: MU 88, PC 56
|
|
Game Notes
- Georgetown is 7-5 in games versus Marquette at Capital One Arena.
- Marquette coach Shaka Smart is 1-2 all time versus the Hoyas (1-1 at VCU, 0-1 at Texas). Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing is 2-6 in his coaching career against the Warriors.
- Marquette placed ninth in the 11 team Big East pre-season media poll.
- Georgetown is 15-12 all time in games played on January 7, 5-3 in the Big East era.
Preview
Twenty days after its 80-73 loss to TCU, Georgetown becomes the last team to enter Big East conference play on Friday, hosting Marquette. What awaits them?
It's been a bumpy road in Shaka Smart's first season in Milwaukee, jumping to an 8-2 record in December before four straight losses tested the defensive orientation of the new-look Warriors, with 10 freshmen and just one returning player that even saw action when Marquette last met Georgetown in regular season play on Jan. 2, 2021.
Expectations were muted at best against #16 Providence, but the the Warriors stunned the Big East with a 88-56 win over the league-leading Friars, Marquette's largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in school history. Was this a complete aberration for a team with low expectations for 2021-22, or a sign of things to come?
It's appropriate to contrast this conversation in two parts: MU's three game losing streak to start Big East play, and its performance against Providence.
The Warriors weren't out of any of the three losses, including an overtime battle with Creighton, but in each of the three losses Marquette lost the game at the foul line. In its loss to Xavier, the Musketeers had 35 shots from the foul line compared to just 12 for the Warriors, and a gap of 12 in its loss to Creighton, both winnable games. In its romp over Providence, the teams were basically even at the line, but the Marquette defense - not quite the Havoc of Smart's VCU days -- shut down the Friars inside and contained them from the perimeter. This is a likely approach MU will take against the Hoyas.
There are lots of new names and faces on this roster and the starters account for as few points per game as any in the conference, relying on its reserves at key moments of games. Marquette gets solid ball handling but poor shooting from George Mason transfer Tyler Kolek, shooting 31 percent in conference play and 29 percent from three. A total of 30 assists in four games, however, makes him a valuable floor general if MU can get ball rotation and catch Georgetown's perimeter defenses out of sorts. Maryland transfer Darrell Morsell has been steady but not overwhelming in conference play to date--his season high was 26 versus New Hampshire but a Big East peak of just 14 versus Xavier, with just five threes in his last four games. Marquette's only veteran of sorts, fifth year junior Greg Elliott, has stepped up in a big way. Though not listed as a starter in Friday's game, Elliott's 23 points against Providence was a season high, he is averaging 45 percent from three, and he has five double-figure rebounding games this season despite averaging just 15 minutes per game. Freshman Kam Jones, averaging 8.1 ppg in conference play, should also see action after a 14 point effort versus Providence.
Marquette has struggled in the front court and needs help from its bench. Redshirt freshman and Clemson transfer Olivier-Maxence Prosper had 11 points in the Providence game but his size has not been significant down low and he is foul prone. Redshirt freshman Justin Lewis has started every game this season and leads the team in scoring despite a spotty 27 percent from three point range and just 4-16 in conference play. But when he's on, as he was in a 23 point, 11 rebound effort versus the Friars, Marquette is a much tougher opponent in the half court.
The Warriors get mixed returns from starting center and Oklahoma transfer Kur Kuath (5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg), who had seven blocks versus Providence but can disappear down low on the offensive end. Marquette fans should be seeing more of 6-9 freshman Oso Ighodaro, who is 20 for 23 from the field in Big East play, all from close range. The Warriors are last in the Big East in offensive rebounds, a point of emphasis in this game, and have trailed in total rebounds in each of its four Big East games to date. It allowed Providence 17 offensive rebounds in Tuesday's game, and was fortunate that the PC front court was a combined 6 for 21 from the field and only chipped in 10 second chance points.
For all the good feeling from Tuesday's game, Marquette must prevail on defense to prevail in this game, particularly from three point range. The Warriors have held Big East opponents to just 7.5 threes a game on 30 percent shooting and GU's offense may reach that by halftime without a sustained defensive effort on Kaiden Rice, the Vinnie Johnson of the Georgetown frontcourt (Younger fans, look it up.). But if GU is frosty from outside, it needs to be more aggressive on its midcourt game and better attuned on defense, where non-conference teams were increasingly effective on Georgetown's lack of performance at center. For its part, neither Kuath nor Ighodaro figure to take over the game for the Warriors, but their ability to drive fouls early on Malcolm Wilson or Ryan Mutombo could change the GU game plan.
Other keys to the game:
1. Rust: How soon do the Hoyas shake off an 20 day break, many of those without substantive practice time?
2. Foul Trouble: Marquette enters the game with over 20 fouls per game in Big East play. That's not a winning formula in this game.
3. Defending Justin Lewis: Georgetown may employ some switches on Lewis to limit his movement in sets. A lack of perimeter defense by the Hoyas to pack the lane inside could be counterproductive.
4. Too Close For Comfort: Marquette is 3-0 in games decided by five points or less, Georgetown is 0-1.
Both teams like to go up and down in this one--first to 78 wins.