Georgetown Basketball

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Given the poor turnouts at Capital One Arena to date this season, the decision to move Tuesday's game versus Wagner to McDonough Gymnasium was a smart move.

Much like Georgetown's last two opponents, Wagner College arrives on campus Tuesday undermanned and undersized for the task at hand. The Seahawks have just two players taller than 6-7 on its roster and have struggled against Division I opponents thus far this season: a 21 point loss to St. John's, a 23 point loss to Rutgers, and a 26 point loss to Seton Hall, all on the road.

Two of Wagner's three wins to date in 2024-25 have come against non-Division I opponents, including a 94-52 win over Manor College, a non-NCAA program whose most recent loss was to Bucks County Community College.

Only three players return from Wagner's unexpected run to the second round of the NCAA tournament, winning its first tournament game in school history over Howard in the play-in game. Of these, senior Javier Ezquerra has a big assignment ahead of him in the backcourt. With fifth year transfer Rahmir Moore sidelined, Ezquerra leads the team in scoring, but is only shooting 36 percent from the field and 26 percent from outside the arc. His 4.3 assists per game have been helpful but a little misleading, in that 14 of his 26 assist came in the two sub-Division I games. Removing those two games from the shooting statistics, Ezquerra is shooting 31 percent.

Diandre Howell-South, a junior who made the move to Staten Island when Brooklyn's St. Francis College dropped out of Division I, comes off a redshirt season and has started poorly, shooting 4 for 19 from the field with just nine points in four games. The Seahawks can't go very far without a elevated game from either of these veterans. A pair of reserves, including former Archbishop Carroll guard Zae Blake (5.8 ppg) and Division III transfer Jakair Sanchez (6.7 ppg), should see extensive time off the bench if the Seahawks struggle with the taller Georgetown lineups.

Shooting remains a critical shortcoming for the Seahawks. After six games, Wagner is shooting just 39 percent, but 32 percent against Division teams, with a low of 11 for 46 (.239) against Seton Hall. The front line must step up to avoid a rout. Senior forward Zaire Williams is coming off a season high of 19 versus Springfield, averaging 27 minutes over five games but is a poor outside shooter and not a rebound threat. 6-7 Tyje Kelton is just 3 for 13 in games with Rutgers, St. John's, and Seton Hall, providing rebound help to 6-9 junior center Keyontae Lewis, Wagner's best returning player from 2023-24. Lewis struggled in the two non-Division I games this year and has posted only one game with more than four rebounds all season. Lewis played just 18 minutes in the Springfield game, shot 4 for 11, with 6-7 forward Zavier Fitch (4.2) getting time against the smaller Springfield lineups. Such will not be the case Thursday.

Beyond a win, it's questionable what Georgetown will get out of a game such as this. The Hoyas have overwhelmed similar opponents to date with sheer talent, even if they have fallen into scoring droughts which kept the score closer than expected. The staff already knows what to expect from veterans such as Micah Peavy and Jayden Epps, but have chosen not to substitute as much because the games have been much closer than they should be. If the bench is not getting time in early season games, head coach Ed Cooley is prone to the trap that the starters will tire as Big East season is underway and the bench will not be able to contribute.

Some keys to the game:

1. Inside Game: These next two games ought to be a parade inside to Sorber and Halaifonua for points.

2. Three Point Shooting: Quality, not quantity. The Hoyas will be eviscerated in Big East play with its current there point sets.

3. Early TKO: Wagner is not a comeback team. Avoid the runs and pull ahead early.

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