Game 29: Xavier University (14-14)
Mar. 2, 7:30 pm EST
Washington, DC
Capital One Arena
Tickets: Available
Media:
TV: Fox Sports 1
GU Radio: WTEM-980
XU Radio: WKRC-550
About the Musketeers:
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Enrollment: 4,700
Conference: Big East
2022-23 Record: 27-10
Record vs. Georgetown: 20-6
Meet The Coach:
Sean Miller
(Pitt '92)
7th season, 154-64
Career: 456-173
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Expected Starters |
Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
Dayvion McKnight |
6-0 |
12.1 |
Quincy Olivari |
6-3 |
19.4 |
Desmond Claude |
6-6 |
15.3 |
Gytis Nemelksa |
6-8 |
5.6 |
Abou Ousmane |
6-10 |
7.1 |
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Team Stats: |
Points/Game: |
75.8 |
Points Allowed: |
73.2 |
FG Shooting: |
43.5 |
FG Defense |
42.4 |
3FG Shooting: |
34.5 |
FT Shooting: |
73.4 |
Rebounds/Game |
38.8 |
Assists/Game |
16.8 |
Turnovers/Game |
11.6 |
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Last 5 Games (1-4) |
02/10: Creighton 78, XU 71
02/14: Seton Hall 88, XU 70
02/21: Providence 79, XU 75
02/25: Marquette 88, XU 64
02/28: XU 91, DePaul 85
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With as few as 12 days remaining in a uninspired 2023-24 race, Ed Cooley's first season might be best remembered as his mulligan year.
While no one was making reservations for the NCAA regionals in 2024, few could have predicted how a coach who preached defensive intensity would see a Georgetown team offer so little of it. Wednesday's loss to Villanova was its 10th double figure loss in its 15 games, losing Big East games by average of 14 points per game. Its closest loss of the season, however, was a 92-91 decision at Xavier where the defense failed yet again.
Two weeks ago, the Musketeers were in the middle of that seven team car wreck that is the middle of the Big East, each fighting for an NCAA berth between the top two (UConn, Marquette) an the bottom two (Georgetown, DePaul). Since a 56-53 win over Villanova on Feb. 7, Xavier has dropped four of five, as a home win over DePaul has been its only brake to a .500 record entering the final eight days of the regular season.
Georgetown hasn't won a home game in almost two months and has just one win downtown versus the X-men since 2015. Is this the opportunity for the Hoyas to spring an upset, or is it just another 20 point blowout in the worst season in Ed Cooley's coaching career?
That opportunity begins with containing 6-3 grad transfer Quincy Olivari, who passed 2,000 points in his career Wednesday with 32 points in 29 minutes in Xavier's 36 point win over DePaul. Olivari has scored in double figures in 24 straight games and 27 of 28 this season, and the Musketeers need him to score 24 or more for them to get the breathing room for others to contribute as well. In four of the last six games, However, Olivari has been held under 20 and this has put pressure on the other starters to pick up the slack, particularly from outside, where he lead the conference in three pointers and accounts for 45 percent of Xavier's threes and 35 percent of its attempts. In the January game, Olivari had 27 points against the Hoyas, including five threes.
Another Musketeer with momentum from the backcourt is senior Dayvion McKnight, points versus the Hoyas was one off his season high. McKnight has double figures in 11 of his last 12 games and is averaging 15.5 ppg over that period. At 5.1 assists per game, he's likely to be driving a Xavier offense that needs to be proficient on the perimeter to keep up the scoring pace it needs in this game, and with 22 assists over his last three games he should get numerous opportunities to do so against a scattered Georgetown defense. He'll get help off the bench by highly regarded freshman Trey Green, who has scored 29 points in his last two games off the Xavier bench,. Green had only one basket in limited action versus the Hoyas on January 19 but should see more playing time as Xavier employs a thee guard rotation in the midst of a weaker frontcourt game than they have enjoyed in recent years.
Xavier's small forward position is ably filed by sophomore Desmond Claude, who has stepped up big in his second season to average 15.7 points per game, 11th in the conference overall. Claude scored six of the Musketeers' final 10 points in the win over the Hoyas and has since posted four 20+ point games despite poor three point shooting (11 for 56 in Big East play). A big game by Claude is essential given a softer XU front line, where a platoon of Gytis Nemeiksa, Abou Ousmane, and Lazar Djokovic have been unable to defend inside, as Xavier is 10th in the Big East in defensive rebounding allowed.
The 92-91 loss to Xavier seems a major outlier given the crushing losses Georgetown has faced since. How did it happen?
Like many games, the devil was in the details. As noted in the post-game report from the gamer, "Xavier ended the game 6 for 6 from the field in the final 3:32, with five consecutive baskets in the paint. Georgetown ended the game 1 for 5 in that same span, missing the final three attempts, and Epps going 1 for 4 in the final 9:42 of play." For despite a game where Epps had his first career double-double (30 points, 11 assists) and the Hoyas had 11 threes and 20 consecutive free throws made, the defense failed them. Without better defense, Georgetown does not win tonight.
Keys to the game:
1. Rock Fight: The Hoyas need a slower pace and frequent trips to the foul line to slow down Xavier's up tempo game plan.
2. Desmond Claude: An underrated underclassmen in a year when fourth and fifth year players predominate in the Big East, Claude can be a difference maker but has been erratic in road games. Georgetown's ability to contain him, particularly in dribble-drives, bears watching.
3. Win Eight Minutes: The Hoyas remain vulnerable at the end of the first half and opening of the second half, shooting 3 for 15 versus Villanova during this stretch. The Hoyas don't have much of a bench but if there are opportunities to leverage Ryan Mutombo and Austin Montgomery at key portions to avoid late half burnout, it would be time well spent.