Laura's Prominent Play

Hoyas Travel to Newark for Critical Road Game with Seton Hall: FUHGEDDABOUDIT!

Posted on February 10, 2015 by laura

For one post today I am going to put on my Fan cap, all of my Georgetown gear, blue hair and face paint. Every game is important now, with six remaining in the regular season and of those 6, tonight at the Pru (as in Prudential Center) in Newark against The Hall, and subsequent matchups with St. John’s and Butler on the road. The three home games are against DePaul, and rematches with The Hall and The Johnnies.

Having lost three of the last four, and two of those bad losses, what does the team need to do?

FUHGEDDABOUDIT!

YES, YOU ARE IN NJ NOW. Not “fuhgeddaboudit” in the sense that the Villanova, Xavier and Providence losses didn’t happen, but FUHGEDDABOUDIT! in that you must move on, Hoyas, and it is not worth the time, energy, or emotion to think about what could have been but rather to end the season on a strong note starting in the greatest city in New Jersey. The Nets may have bolted but Newark, NJ is really the only happening major city in NJ today (I say sadly as Trenton is my hometown), and you can make an impact there tonight!

FUHGEDDABOUD any prior poor efforts at the Pru Center. Think about only what you can control, tonight’s game. I was shocked to learn from guhoyas.com today that this will be the 98th all-time meeting between the schools, the second most against any opponent. (What team have we played most?) THINKABOUD the fact that the Hoyas lead the series, 55-42. FUHGEDDABOUD the fact that The Pirates won both games against us last season. THINKABOUD that YOU, HOYAS, have won seven of the last 11 games against Seton Hall under JTIII.

As a fan, I’m going to ask each player to FUHGEDDABOUD and THINKABOUD something before tonight’s game. One for Coach JTIII too. 🙂

DSR:

FUHGEDDABOUD that horrible shooting game in Philly. You are a great shooter and you will regain that touch. Don’t force shots but THINKABOUD how nice it feels to hear the swish of that net or the quiet of the opposing crowd.

JOSH:

FUHGEDDABOUD the fact that there will be ticky tack fouls but play smart and don’t make stupid fouls (you know those happen occasionally). THINKABOUD what a force you can be for this team when you have your game on and THINKABOUD putting the ball into the hoop instead of on the floor, where it may be stolen.

JABRIL:

FUHGEDDABOUD that loss to Nova, which may have hurt you more because it was in your hometown. THINKABOUD that you are the heart and soul of this team, and are a great decisionmaker and helluva 3 point shooter. THINKABOUD willing your way to the hoop as only you do, and draw fouls, when others pass around the perimeter and waste time. And THINKABOUD making all of those free throws!

MIKAEL:

FUHGEDDABOUD the criticism about your scoring. You are the best damn (excuse me) defender in the paint we have and we’ll need you tonight. The points will come, but if you swat those shots and dole out the blocks and shut down the Pirates, no one cares if you score 4 or 6 or 8, but who knows? THINKABOUD scoring when you can because you can score, despite the criticism. The team may not count on your points but your points can help us win games, especially points at the line.

LJ:

FUHGEDDABOUD the fact that you are a freshman. As we head into the heart of February, THINKABOUD the fact that you are effectively a sophomore now. You have had more minutes than the majority of Hoya freshman and we need your leadership, good decisionmaking and points. THINKABOUD taking high percentage shots and slashing to the hoop, as you beautifully do, when you can.

AARON (AB):

FUHGEDDABOUD the fact that you don’t play as many minutes as you should because when you get into the game, you always make an impact. THINKABOUD the fact that YOU had the best game in Philly (10 points, three rebounds and two steals) as the team struggled and that you are a senior leader who is capable of leading this team to victory tonight and beyond. And THINKABOUD making all of your free throws. 🙂 You have a great stroke. Finally, THINKABOUD playing great D against the Hall!

ISAAC:

FUHGEDDABOUD any recent shooting woes and know that you too, like LJ, Paul and Tre, are very important to this team. THINKABOUD the fact that you have the opportunity to help your team get back on track with smart play and sharp shooting.

PAUL:

A similar message to you as to Isaac. FUHGEDDABOUD any recent shooting woes. You may have the greatest pure shot on this team and Hoya fans want you to get hot right about now. THINKABOUD the fact that you are part of this exceptional class of freshmen and can lead this team tonight, this season and in seasons to come! THINKABOUD starting with tonight!

TRE:

FUHGEDDABOUD anything that is bothering you. THINKABOUD the fact that you, when you enter the game, inject spark into the team like AB does. THINKABOUD that you are part of a group of freshmen who collectively average 23.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game (thanks, guhoyas.com) THINKABOUD that you are a strong point guard, and while young, have made some key plays and shots this season.

REGGIE:

FUHGEDDABOUD how few minutes you play. I know it’s hard to get into a groove when you are not on the court for many minutes. THINKABOUD what a great shot you have and how the team needs you when you are in the game.

COACH:

FUHGEDDABOUD decorum once in a while. You are a great ambassador for Georgetown basketball and an exceptional mentor to your players. THINKABOUD losing your shit once in a while (like your Dad did), firing up the team and acting crazy. I know that is hard for a Princeton Tiger but we Hoyas like to get crazy sometimes. 🙂

HOYA TEAM:

THINKABOUD beating the Hall tonight and FUHGEDDABOUD yesterday!

AND THINGALODABOUD STERLING GIBBS, YEA, STOP HIM. 🙂

After that win, if you are hungry, you can find the best Portuguese food within a few blocks of the Pru Center in the Ironbound Neighborhood!

Posted in Heroes, Pre-Game Commentary, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Brotherly Love in Short Supply as Hoyas Fall Hard in ‘Nova Rematch, 69-53

Posted on February 8, 2015 by laura

NB: Before Georgetown-Villanova game commentary, I’d like to pay respect to Hall of Fame Coach Dean Smith, who passed away this morning. Georgetown’s history intersected with Coach Smith’s team in 1982, of course. UNC fan, or not, one cannot deny his greatness and impact on the game of college hoops. Rest in peace, Coach.

_____________________

Let’s face it–no one ever had this road game against #7 Villanova penciled in as a “Win”. However, the Hoya faithful, especially after dismantling the Wildcats at home on January 19th, held out hope, if not for a season sweep, a competitive matchup in the City of Brotherly Love on Saturday. Instead of a competition, the game resembled more a showcase of Villanova talent at the expense of the Hoyas. In fact, the Wildcats treated the Hoyas with the same “respect” that the Hoyas showed the Cats in DC. The Hoyas were not in the game but for the first 5-6 minutes and failed to make a run to cut into Villanova’s very comfortable 15-20 point lead throughout much of the game.

The “George Clooney of college basketball”, as one commentator referred to him, Coach Jay Wright, said it best: “They looked like we did last game and they looked like we did.”

What hurts most for the Hoyas is not the Villanova loss per se, but the fact they have lost 3 of their last 4 games, two at home (to Xavier and Providence) and the schedule does not get much easier. The 15-8, 7-5 in conference Hoyas next face Seton Hall on Tuesday night 2/10 and its potential conference Player of the Year candidate Sterling Gibbs at the Prudential Center. The Hoyas return home on 2/17 for two consecutive and critical home games against St John’s followed by DePaul in 2/21. Two of the final three Hoya games are on the road against St. John’s and #22 Butler, with the final Senior Day home game against The Hall on March 7th.

The Game: It was all Villanova this time, and senior guard Darrun Hilliard II led his team with 15 points. Josh Hart added 13 to help the Cats avenge its worst loss of the season to the Hoyas two weeks ago, 78-58 on Jan. 19th at the Verizon Center. The Wildcats raced out to a 17-point lead and never let the Hoyas back in the game. The Cats hit 50% (12 of 24) 3-pointers and led by as many as 24.

Shooting 36% this season from the arc, the Wildcats shot with ease against the Hoyas’ defense. In the first half alone, Hilliard and junior guard Dylan Ennis hit consecutive 3s for a 12-7 lead that sparked the rout. Ennis hit one for a 10-point lead, junior guard Ryan Arcidiacono made it 27-13 with his and the Wildcats finished 7 of 13 in the half. In the second half Villanova’s sophomore forward Kris Jenkins hit consecutive 3s for a 51-29 lead.

Villanova looked very much like the pre-season #1 conference pick and at least the #7 team in the nation. The Cats’ only other loss was a 66-61 overtime loss at Seton Hall on January 3rd. Now 21-2, 8-2, Wright’s squad looks like a lock for the Big East regular season champion and en route to at least a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, barring any unexpected turbulence.

Hot vs. Cold: The Hoyas were as cold as their opponent was hot. They picked a bad day to have their poorest offensive game of the season. The Hoyas could not find their touch or any rhythm. They shot 30% for the game from the floor (18 of 60) and missed 16 of 17 3-point attempts for a 5.9% mark. They shot a decent 72.7 percent from the line (16-of-22).

Down 14 points, 37-23 at the half, the Hoyas failed to regroup. Season leading scorer D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (DSR), who averages 15.8 ppg, was held to 2 points for the game. Senior center Josh Smith, who averages 12 ppg, finished with 7 points and 2 rebounds. This was in stark contrast to the first game in D.C., where DSR scored 17 for the Hoyas and Smith, 9 points and 8 rebounds, who put the game away as early as the Cats did yesterday. In the first game between the two teams, the Hoyas led 42-20 and shot 60 percent in the first half and 51 percent for the game.

Anything Prominent?: The only offensive “bright spots” for the Hoyas were freshman small forward L.J. Peak, who scored 15 points for the Hoyas (on 6 for 18 shooting and 0 for 4 from the arc), and reserve Aaron Bowen, who scored 10 points in 17 minutes and injected some spark into what appeared to be a lifeless team over many minutes. Bowen was 3 for 6 from the field and 4 for 6 from the free throw line with 3 boards, 2 steals and an assist. Philly native Jabril Trawick added 8 points, 4 boards, 2 assists and a steal and while he played with his usual intensity, the Hoyas as a team struggled. As opposed to the ascending Wildcats, the Hoyas will drop out of the Top 25 for a second time this season, after this loss and the loss to Providence earlier in the week.

Rebounding Edge: With all the misses, the Hoyas held a 39-34 rebounding edge, had 10 assists, a season high 14 steals but failed to convert on them.

Adding Insult to Injury: With a packed house of 20,587 at the Wells Fargo Center, Villanova wore 1985 throwback uniforms to commemorate its national championship season 30 years ago and played highlights from that title game on the big screen. No one has to remind Hoya fans of that Era or Hoya students of hoops history of Villanova’s “Perfect Game”. It is seared in Hoyas fans’ memories forever.

Miscellany:

BIG EAST Teams Reprimand Student Athletes: Not that it had any impact on the game, but Jay Wright pulled forward Daniel Ochefu from the starting lineup for being late for a class. Ochefu sat out just a few minutes before he entered the game.

Posted in Game Commentary, Play of the Day, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What It Will Take to Sweep Villanova, in a Nutshell

Posted on February 7, 2015 by laura

In less than an hour the Hoyas will tip off against Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. Forget that blowout two weeks ago in Washington, D.C. Both teams have taken different paths since then, Villanova blowing out its three conference opponents, Creighton, Marquette and DePaul, by an average of 17 points per game, and the Hoyas losing two of three, two at home to Xavier and Providence, and a win on the road against conference bottom dweller Creighton. Clearly the Hoyas will need to to be hungry to make this a game in ‘Nova territory. On the bright side, the Wells Fargo Center is more like a cavernous neutral site, and there should be at least a few blue and gray fans to cheer for the Hoyas in this Sold Out Saturday afternoon matchup.

What it will take to win today:

1. Hoya Defense no less intense than on January 19th. Villanova will no doubt have a better offensive effort so the Hoyas have to lockdown Arcidiacono, Hillard, Pinkston et al.

2. Hoyas must Believe. Leave and self doubt on the bus, and believe that they are on a par with this Wildcat team and that the first game was no fluke. Could use a little AI Swag and would be nice to see some Hoya royalty in attendance.

3. The upperclass leadership and freshmen must work together at their best, attack early and not get behind, at least not by more than a few points in the first half. It will be extremely tough to play from behind today. Good ball movement a must and attack style of play with high scoring favors the Hoyas.

4. Limit Turnovers to Under 10. If the Hoyas attempt to force the ball inside as they did against Providence and commit more than 9 or 10 turnovers, they will be in trouble. I would much rather see Jabril, Peak and Tre and others attack and get to the line than to turn the ball over attempting passes inside to Josh.

5. Hoyas must shoot greater than 50% from field goal range, 38% from the arc and 75% from the line to secure the W. Villanova’s offense will be much improved today and the Hoyas cannot afford to shoot poorly. Must have A Game. On January 19th the Hoyas shot 51% from the field , 50% from the arc and 72% from the line. This was in stark contrast to Nova’s 34%, 30% (and 71.9%).

6. Corollary: Hoyas need offensive firepower from Everyone. This is not a game where the Hoyas can rely only on Smith or DSR to do the damage. Could use some sharp shooting from Trawick (a solid 3-point scorer and Philly native!), Copeland and White, and inside points from Hopkins and Bowen. I would like to see Campbell get minutes as well.

7. Fouls our Friend? There were a total of Fifty One Fouls in the first contest between these two rivals. I think we will see another physical battle and to reiterate, the Hoyas must strive to be perfect at the line.

Easy formula, right? Great D, limit turnovers, attack early, get everyone involved and don’t fall behind. Twenty minutes till Tipoff! #HoyaSaxaBaby

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Update: Changing the Odds on the 1/31 Three Scenarios for the Hoyas

Posted on February 6, 2015 by laura

2/6/15 update on percentage chances for the 3 LPP Hoya Scenarios:

Here are three scenarios I envision for the Hoyas down the stretch leading to the Big East tournament, starting with the best case scenario:

The ProminentPlay Scenario: While this analysis is more intuitive than stat-driven, the reasoning for each scenario is based on my several hours of watching the team play throughout the season and analyzing each player’s growth, team chemistry and trends. This ProminentPlay Scenario predicts that the Hoyas, in this best case scenario, will go 7-2 in its final 9 games to finish 21-8, 13-5 in the Big East, finish in the Top 25 (between 20 and 25) and have momentum going into the post-season tourney. The Hoyas have an opportunity to win the Big East regular season outright or share with other team/s depending on other teams’ finishes. This scenario predicts that the 2 losses will come on the road, at 2 of the following 3: Villanova, St. John’s or Seton Hall, most likely in Philly and in Newark. This scenario also assumes that the Xavier loss has shaken the team to the extent that they know they cannot lose games at Creighton, against DePaul and they need to resurrect the energy and confidence shown in the DePaul, Butler, Marquette and Villanova games. This scenario also assumes the Hoyas had the talent to beat Wisconsin and Kansas, but they were not ready early in the season to take those powers down. The upperclass leadership and freshmen will gel at the right time and scoring will be abundant rather than like pulling teeth and that the team will shoot over 48% from field goal range, 34% from the arc and 70% at the line, while minimizing turnovers and sharing the ball well, i.e. plenty of assists. They will also need to play “Gene Smith style” Lockdown defense, Josh Smith and Mikael Hopkins need to own the boards and the freshmen will play with the confidence and talent of experienced sophomores. 15% chance

The LessProminent Scenario: The Less ProminentPlay Scenario predicts that the Hoyas may have some trouble regrouping after the ugly loss to Xavier. While the team will beat Creighton tomorrow because if it doesn’t, the season may be doomed, in this LessProminent Scenario, will go 6-3-in its final 9 games to finish 20-9, 12-6 in the Big East, perhaps finish in the Top 25 (close to 25) and have a bit less momentum going into the post-season tourney. This scenario also provides the Hoyas with an opportunity to share in the Big East regular season title although this suggests that #7 Villanova will likely take that prize. This scenario predicts that 2 or 3 losses will come on the road, at Villanova, Butler, or Seton Hall, and if the Hoyas win one of those on the road, it may drop another home game to Providence or The Hall. While the Hoyas may struggle some, it has enough talent to pull through a tough conference schedule with half of its remaining games on the road. The Hoyas have not been a good road team and now is the time to correct course. Under ProminentPlay and LessProminentScenario alike, the Hoyas can play with the best teams in the land but will need to find some consistency to carry into the post season. 65% chance

The “We’dBetterRecaptureProminence” at the Big East Tournament Scenario: This scenario, at a 20% chance, has the Hoyas struggling to hit their stride down the stretch. They will lose 3 or 4 on the road or 3 on the road and one at home to finish 5-4 in the last 9, 19-10 and 11-7 in conference. Unranked, their post-season status will rely much more on what they accomplish in the Big East tourney, where they will need to reach the semis to prove their mettle. 20% chance

Posted in Game Commentary, Pre-Game Commentary, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Providence Completes Season Sweep, Edging Georgetown 74-71 at the Phone Booth

Posted on February 6, 2015 by laura

That Feeling Again? This was how many Hoya fans looked, or felt, after the final buzzer sounded on Tuesday night. Those at the Phone Booth aka Verizon Center dreaded the trip home after another winnable game lost. Those fans watching at home went to sleep with that “pit in the stomach” feeling of what is happening with our team. Losing hope in the “ProminentPlayScenario” for the remainder of the season, Hoya fans now root for the “LessProminentScenario” (see prior post).

Sweeps Week: Xavier sweeps Georgetown. Now Providence sweeps Georgetown. Staring down the final 7 games of the conference schedule, the Hoyas need to regroup at 15-7, 7-4 in the Big East. Looking on the bright side, the contest with Providence wasn’t as ugly as the first contest between these two longtime rivals. For the #24 ranked Hoyas–this week–that may be the only positive thing to say about their effort Tuesday night in D.C. With an opportunity to secure revenge and a home win at a critical juncture in the season and a rematch against Villanova looming on Saturday, instead the Hoyas suffer a setback at home and slipped to 4th in the Big East standings while Providence rose to 2nd. Only a victory in Philadelphia this weekend will keep the Hoyas in the national rankings next week. What may be even more important than the ranking itself is that the Hoyas regain their confidence and composure and learn to win close games.

Against the Friars This Season: On January 10th in Providence, as reported by LPP previously, “It was as Ugly as Ugly gets in the Big East. Bricks flying in all directions, missed layups, missed free throws, 15 Georgetown turnovers (to Providence’s 8) and 42 total fouls (23 Hoyas, 19 Friars).” This one may not have been as ugly and as the score indicates, the Hoyas found the hoop, but similar to the first game in Providence, there was “not one single statistic that can explain how the Hoyas let this one slip away.” Reasons abound for this loss including the inability to maintain and build upon a lead, difficulty with attacking a zone and inexplicably forcing passes inside (to Josh Smith primarily), when the frequent outcome was a turnover into the ready and willing hands of the Friars, missed free throws and costly errors, such as the errant inbound play under the basket with 11 seconds remaining and a chance to regain the lead on the Hoyas final possession from one freshman to another. (Shouldn’t there be at least one veteran player involved in that play?)

Not to sound a broken record, but it bears repeating here that with victories on the road in very short supply in the Big East, the Hoyas can’t afford to leave winnable games on the table–especially at home–if their goal is a happier ending at the end of the season, whatever that goal–a winning season in the Big East, a post-season berth or something greater.

Give some credit to the Friars, who should have lost this game but regained control from the Hoyas after Georgetown went 6 for 12 from the arc in the first half and led 41-38 at the break. The Hoyas had a double-digit lead midway through the second half. Rather than building upon that lead, the Hoyas ceded control to the Friars, who trailed 59-46 with just under 12 minutes to play, forward LaDontae Henton hit a 3-pointer that sparked the big run for Providence and the Hoyas were held without a field goal after Smith-Rivera’s 3-pointer with 7:41 left in the game.

The Friars were led by four in double figures including their stars Henton, who scored 16 points after held at bay by the Hoyas in the first but regained his touch when needed, injured guard (sore back) Kris Dunn, who scored 12 with 9 assists and 6 steals, and former Hoya recruit, Friar frosh forward Ben Bentil, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, including two free throws that made it 74-71. A final 3-point attempt by DSR rolled around the rim and out with two seconds remaining. Fifth-year senior forward Carson Desrosiers finished with 14 points on near perfect shooting. Providence used a 20-6 run to take a 66-65 lead. The lead changed hands four times in the final 1:51. Desrosiers’ two free throws put the Friars ahead 72-71 with 32 seconds left.

The defending Big East tournament champion Friars are now 17-6 overall and 7-3 in the Big East. At this rate, they could develop to be a favorite in this season’s Big East tournament along with the Villanova Wildcats. The Friars shot 58% in the second half, finishing at 53.5% (23 for 43) for the game. They also went 12 for 13 at the line in the second half. By comparison, the Hoyas shot 43% from field goal range, 40 from the arc and 68% from the line, committed 15 turnovers (to Providence’s 14). All other statistics, not surprisingly, were similar given the final score. Providence shot 72% from the stripe and made them when they counted to add to their strong offensive effort, or conversely, the Hoyas’ weak defensive effort.

Hoyas Woes Continue: The Hoyas’ problems continue, including a failure of strategy, and/or execution, when the game is on the line, or at that critical juncture when the play leads to a win–or a loss. Whether a lack of leadership, confidence, or sense of urgency, there is a missing ingredient that can’t be found soon enough.

Acknowledged by Coach JTIII, “We didn’t take care of the ball. We can’t go through stretches where we aren’t getting shots.” Coach noted Providence’s “good job of playing the passing lanes”, however, giving more credit than I would to the Friars’ defense, which at this point in the season, the Hoyas should have had a better shot at cracking the Friars D.

For the Hoyas, DSR finished with 21 points, which seem rather empty without adding one to the W column. Smith, freshmen Copeland and Tre Cambell, the latter who played very solid minutes, all finished with 10 points. Copeland, however, committed 4 turnovers and looked more like a true freshman than the second coming of someone special. Smith was by no means the dominant force the Hoyas need him to be at this point in the season and that is of concern. Shooting 50% at the free throw line when all of those shots count, fouling out again and committing 3 turnovers falls short of what the Hoyas need from Josh now. Starters Hopkins and Peak were relative non-factors in the offense. While “always a gamer” Trawick added spark and nine points and one of the few Hoyas to create opportunities, driving to the hoop when the team can’t seem to move the ball, Jabril too missed 3 critical free throws when he got to the line.

Aaron Bowen, Where Art Thou? Experienced senior forward Aaron Bowen saw a paltry 10 minutes off the bench in a game that he could have impacted, in my opinion. Bowen badly missed a 3 but made both of his free throws, something that should be taken into account when minutes are doled out by the coaching staff at this point in the season. Bowen can get to the hoop and get fouled and if he makes his free throws, he’s doing better than most, other than “fine at the line” DSR, shooting in the 80% range.

Give Hayes a Chance? If the Hoyas have any chance of going deep this season, in conference and/or beyond, they are going to need another Big Man option. For all of his talent, Smith is not where we want him to be and Hopkins, while a tremendous defensive player, is inconsistent as a scorer. I’d like to see Hayes given a chance to prove what he has, or doesn’t–how does it hurt to work him in minutes when your starting center fouls out every other game?

Game of Sweeps: Interestingly, the two teams that have swept Georgetown face each other when Providence visits Xavier on Saturday.

Philly, Here We Come!: The Hoyas have many reasons to want or need to win in Philly.

1. To erase the bad taste from the loss to the Friars

2. To sweep the Top 10 Wildcats

3. To put on a show for Jabril’s friends and family or even

4. To honor the hometown of our own Hoya alum and Hollywood A list-er, Bradley Cooper.

5. To get some Philly cheesesteaks at Geno’s or Pat’s after a win? 🙂

No better reason to win in Philly, however, is to get another win. Pronto.

Posted in Game Commentary, Heroes, Play of the Day, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Hoyas Down Creighton in Omaha in Convincing Fashion, Returning to Form, 67-40

Posted on February 1, 2015 by laura

(Thank you, Counting Crows and Adam Duritz, great song “Omaha”)

The ProminentPlay Scenario is in play! (See previous post). The Georgetown Hoyas took care of business today on the road and silenced the Bluejays for a second time this season to complete the sweep. Showing little signs of the team that came out flat and couldn’t recover on Tuesday against Xavier, except for a few unsteady early minutes, today the Hoyas, led by junior guard and leader D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (DSR), can check off this “must win” in the final 9-game stretch of the regular season. The first game between the teams resulted in a 79-61 Georgetown victory at Verizon Center on January 3rd.

While the Hoyas may in fact lose their ranking because of the unsightly loss at home against Xavier, today’s dominance of Creighton in Omaha, at least suggests that the prior contest was an aberration and the Hoyas are ready for battle in what will be a challenging schedule through early March. DSR scored 24 points, with half of those coming during the 31-3 run that ended with senior guard Jabril Trawick’s 3-pointer giving Georgetown a 43-18 lead with 13 minutes left. Some forget that Jabril can hit the trey. He has the best percentage on the team, ahead of DSR, 18 for 39 on the season .462! (DSR, 42 of 109, .385) Trawick added 15 points for the Hoyas. Senior power forward Mikael Hopkins played a solid game, finishing with eight points, eight rebounds and a team-high three assists, while freshman Isaac Copeland added seven points and a career-high eight rebounds. LJ Peak was back in the starting lineup after playing a reserve role against Xavier because of an ankle injury and added 5 points. Hopefully on the mend.

What was most impressive, depending on your perspective, was the Hoyas’ total shutdown of the Creighton offense. (An alternative perspective is that Creighton’s offense was completely inept.) Although the Hoyas started the game on attack and led early 9-0, they let Creighton back into the game briefly after missing nine consecutive shots in the first half and going scoreless for nearly six minutes. Creighton went on a 13-point run and then ran out of gas and were smothered by the Hoyas’ defense. Over a 17-minute span from the end of the first half into the second the Creighton failed to hit a field goal on Saturday, and that was fatal to any potential comeback as the Hoyas were well on their way to a 27-point victory. The Ghost of former Player of the Year Doug McDermott is all that is left for the anemic offense of the Bluejays, who have one win in conference and the only overall losing record (conference and non-conference) in the Big East this season. The CenturyLink Center sellout crowd of 17,499, fans showing up for the worst team in the Big East this season, a crowd far larger than most Hoya home games this season, had little to cheer about. (Perhaps there isn’t much going on in middle America?) Creighton shot 17.9 percent (5 of 28) the first 20 minutes, its worst mark for a half this season, and a season-low 20.8 percent for the game.

The Bluejays were led by senior guard Avery Dingman, who finished with eight points to lead his team, now 10-13 overall and 1-9 in the BE.

As opposed to the dismal effort against Xavier, in which the Hoyas scored a season-low 53 points, shot 39 percent and turned over the ball a season-high 17 times, today the Hoyas
shot 50 percent against Creighton and their turnover total was 10. With less than 5 minutes remaining in the first half, the game was little in doubt as the Hoyas’ superiority in every facet of the game was evident.

ProminentPlayer of the Game: DSR’s key leadership performance today, on the road, in a game in which the Hoyas clearly had to get their house in order.

ProminentPlay of the Game: While his only field goal of the game (“What’s up with that”?) easily Josh Smith’s monstrous backboard-shaking dunk, (assisted by Copeland), over two Creighton players at the 6:28 minute mark of the second half.

ProminentStatistic of the Game: (New Category): Creighton’s 20.8-percent shooting was the 12th-lowest mark in Division I this season, and it was the worst in a Big East game since West Virginia shot 20 percent against Cincinnati on Jan. 30, 2008.

Concerns:

1. While they didn’t get to the line much because they were hitting their field goals (50%) and three-pointers (43%), the Hoyas cannot afford to continue shooting 55% at the free throw line (Hopkins 0 for 2 and Bowen 1 for 3). In games against better teams that may be the difference between a W and L.

2. Josh Smith scored two points, played just 14 minutes and fouled out. Against a stronger team on a day when outside shots aren’t falling, that is a sure recipe for disaster.

Next Up: The Hoyas, now 15-6 overall and 7-3 in the Big East, host longtime conference rival Providence on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 9pm in the Phone Booth. Hoya Fans, energize the base to get out late Wednesday night to the arena. Each game is critical down the stretch for anyone who cares about March!

#HoyaSaxaBaby #H4L

#showingmycolorsBlue&Gray

Posted in Game Commentary, Play of the Day, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

With Nine Games Remaining, Three Scenarios for the Georgetown Hoyas

Posted on January 31, 2015 by laura

Where has the season gone? It seems like it was just November when teams were kicking off their holiday tournaments, and here we are with only nine games remaining in the conference season before the Big East tournament. First up is a road game in Omaha at Creighton tomorrow (1/31/15), followed by four home and four away games through March 7th, ending at home against the Seton Hall Pirates. A few interesting facts about the remaining Big East contests:

1. Georgetown has not yet played two of the teams, St. John’s and Seton Hall, this season, and has home and away games with each. So there are a lot of questions with nearly half of the remaining schedule as the Hoyas have not matched up yet with The Johnnies or The Hall.

2. On February 4th, 9pm at home, the Hoyas have a chance to avenge their 60-57 OT loss to Providence on the road.

3. The Providence rematch is immediately followed up with a road trip to Philly on 2/7 to meet the revenge-hungry (and currently ranked #7) Villanova Wildcats in an afternoon matchup after the thrashing the Cats suffered at the hands of the Hoyas in the Phone Booth. It is never easy to win in Philly.

4. The first game vs The Hall is on the road on 2/10 followed by its first game vs. the Johnnies at home on 2/17 followed by a rematch with DePaul at Verizon on 2/17. The games against St. John’s are 11 days apart (in NY on 2/28) separated only by the DePaul game. Interesting scheduling.

5. Last but not least, the Hoyas will play its third game of the season against currently ranked #25 Butler in Indianapolis on March 3rd. The teams have split the first two contests, including the non-conference tournament matchup in the Battle4Atlantis on November 28th (64-58 Butler win) followed by the exciting 61-59 Hoya victory in D.C. on January 17th. The only currently nationally ranked teams in this lineup are ‘Nova and Butler, although St. John’s and Seton Hall have spent some time in the rankings this season.

Here are three scenarios I envision for the Hoyas down the stretch leading to the Big East tournament, starting with the best case scenario:

The LessProminent Scenario: The Less ProminentPlay Scenario predicts that the Hoyas may have some trouble regrouping after the ugly loss to Xavier. While the team will beat Creighton tomorrow because if it doesn’t, the season may be doomed, in this LessProminent Scenario, will go 6-3-in its final 9 games to finish 20-9, 12-6 in the Big East, perhaps finish in the Top 25 (close to 25) and have a bit less momentum going into the post-season tourney. This scenario also provides the Hoyas with an opportunity to share in the Big East regular season title although this suggests that #7 Villanova will likely take that prize. This scenario predicts that 2 or 3 losses will come on the road, at Villanova, Butler, or Seton Hall, and if the Hoyas win one of those on the road, it may drop another home game to Providence or The Hall. While the Hoyas may struggle some, it has enough talent to pull through a tough conference schedule with half of its remaining games on the road. The Hoyas have not been a good road team and now is the time to correct course. Under ProminentPlay and LessProminentScenario alike, the Hoyas can play with the best teams in the land but will need to find some consistency to carry into the post season. 45% chance

Georgetown holds its future in its hands. With seniors on the way out, Smith, Hopkins, Trawick and Bowen, this group has something to prove. At the same time, the freshmen seem very eager to make an early mark. I think the key to which Scenario plays out is the extent to which these two groups combine to reach that common goal, whatever it may be:

1. A Big East title, regular season or otherwise;

2. An NCAA berth; and if 2,

3. How far could this team go. One game at a time, we shall see which Scenario materializes and the best way to approach it, as always, is one game at a time.

Be Prominent, Hoyas!

Posted in Game Commentary, Pre-Game Commentary, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Xavier Sweeps Season Series vs Hoyas with 66-53 Victory; Coming Soon: ProminentPlay Analysis of Remaining Conference Season

Posted on January 30, 2015 by laura

X marks the spot. Was a film and marketing campaign. This season it could refer to the team–Xavier–that has the Hoyas’ number. If there is another meeting in the Big East tournament, will Coach JT3 and his team be able to crack the X Code?

Xavier knows how to kick a team down after it rises. Both times the Hoyas entered the Top 25, the last week in December 2014 and this week, the Hoyas faced Xavier. Does this loss represent a letdown after a string of good victories (DePaul on the road, Marquette and Villanova at home) or does it represent a problem that has plagued the Hoyas in the past, inconsistency? Xavier also added insult to injury by knocking the Hoyas out of first place in the Big East. Hoya fans everywhere hope it is an aberration and that Georgetown will get its groove back this weekend at Creighton.

Simply stated, on Tuesday night the Hoyas played their worst and ugliest game of the season before a half-full arena. (Sixth Man, where art thou?) After having lost ugly in Cincinnati on New Year’s Eve, you might think the tape of that game was analyzed up, down and inside out. None of that mattered as the Musketeers held the newly annointed No. 21 Georgetown without a field goal for more than 11 minutes in the first half Tuesday night in a 66-53 victory. Xavier’s Myles Davis scored 19 points in only his third start of the season. Davis hit consecutive 3-pointers in an 18-4 run in which Xavier totally shut down the Hoyas. Apart from Aaron Bowen’s layup with 11:17 remaining in the first half, the Hoyas didn’t score another field goal until Isaac Copeland’s mid-range buzzer-beater, leaving the Hoyas with 16 first-half points. The score was 29-16 at halftime.

How Ugly Was It? The Hoyas shot 39% from the field, 27% from the arc and 52% (13 for 24) from he foul line. Xavier shot 78% from the charity stripe and 41% from 3. The Hoyas committed 17 turnovers and had only 9 assists, to the Musketeers 11 and 14, respectively. While the Hoyas improved in the second half, it was too little too late. Georgetown got as close as seven late in the second half, but again couldn’t find the hoop for long stretches. Xavier (14-7, 5-4 Big East) thus snapped its five-game road losing streak.

There is no ProminentPlayer or ProminentPlay to hold up for this game unless we are talking about Xavier’s Davis or big man Matt Stainbrook, who finished with 12 points. Hopkins was scoreless in 26 minutes, 0 for 2 from the free throw line. Smith too went 4 for 9 from the line, and Copeland just never got his game going, finishing with 5 points. While DSR scored 13, this is far too little production from the player who the Hoyas must rely on for point production and consistency. Senior Jabril Trawick had an uncharacteristic 6 turnovers. No one Hoya player with the passion, confidence or leadership required of a perennial 25 power emerged, which is why it seems that the Hoyas slip in and out of the rankings rather than remain for long periods. A nod to LJ Peak who scored 12 points off the bench in 10 minutes of play.

Give some credit to Xavier’s defense, yes, but answers must be found to break traps and move the ball and crack the X Code.

Next up for Georgetown (14-6, 6-3 Big East): the Creighton Blue Jays, the only Big East team with an overall losing record (10-12, 1-8) on Saturday in Omaha, “somewhere in middle America” (Counting Crows) Creighton is no longer winless in the Big East, having beaten St. John’s at home , 77-74, in it last game.

Posted in Game Commentary, Sports Facts, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Georgetown Hoyas Sweep Season Series against Marquette, in Milwaukee, 95-85 in OT

Posted on January 25, 2015 by laura

The benefits of a deep and talented bench were never more in display than yesterday.

Nothing that happened in yesterday’s game at Marquette was quite as expected. Starters LJ Peak and Jabril Trawick combined for a total of 15 minutes. The Georgetown Hoyas scored a total of 95 points in 45 minutes. The Hoyas shot 88% from the free throw line, on 28 for 32 shooting. The team had little trouble scoring, from the free throw line, the arc (43%) and field goal range (50%). Any commentator who continues to refer to the Georgetown offense as the “Princeton Offense” should be fired because they don’t know Jack. The Georgetown Hoyas are so packed with talent this season, upperclass and freshmen, that students, alumni and the entire Hoya fan base could get very used to the unexpected.

At the same time, the “unexpected” is beginning to become the expected high standard of play that the Hoyas have exhibited in recent games. From Josh Smith’s monster performance where all Steve “Wojo” Wojciechowski and his Golden Eagle squad could do to stop him was to knock him to the ground. And Josh got right back up and sank his free throws. To DSR continuing to run the offense and score, which every guard knows is a difficult task–yesterday, DSR scored 19 points on 5 of 10 field goals, 5 of 8 from the arc and 4 of 5 free throws, 2 critical in the final 39 seconds of OT to put the Hoyas up 91-85. Senior Mikael Hopkins, who missed all 6 free throws in the loss at Providence, is now shooting like DSR from the line, dropping 11 of 12 for a total of 13 points, 5 rebounds and a block.

Enter the Freshmen. While the team lost LJ Peak to what we all hope is a minor injury for the game, Isaac Copeland emerged again with a 17-point performance on the heels of his game winning 3-pointer against Butler and 17 points in the rout over Villanova. Paul White fouled out yesterday after contributing 3 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, but Tre Campbell filled in, asserting his role on the team, playing his best minutes of the season both in handling the ball as point guard and as scorer, scoring the knock out blow 3-pointer to extend the Hoyas lead to 4 in OT, from which Marquette never recovered. Campbell finished with 14 points on solid shooting under pressure (4-7 FG, 2-4 arc, 4-4 FT) with 4 rebounds in 28 minutes.

ProminentPlayers of the Game (Smith, Hopkins and Copeland): Sharing the ProminentPlay Game Ball this season. This is becoming more difficult as the season progresses and new leaders emerge. At Marquette, the Prominent Players of the Game are seniors Josh Smith and Mikael Hopkins, and freshman Isaac Copeland. While again this was a total team effort with six players scoring in double figures, without Josh, the target down low, the Big Man laying in “easy” points in the paint (not so easy when three players are hanging on him but he makes it look easy), the Hoyas would not have gotten the good looks outside. Josh finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds on 6 for 8 shooting and 6 for 7 from the line, 2 assists 2 steals. Mikael shares in this award for his stellar performance overall and at the line (11 for 12), which should be lauded and was every bit necessary to secure the W. Isaac Copeland again stepped up when three Hoyas when down, comrades Trawick, Peak and Aaron Bowen, all of whom Hoya fans hope will be back in action for Xavier Tuesday night in a revenge matchup. Copeland is contributing as a veteran mid-season on the road in the Big East and should be recognized for another great performance.

ProminentPlay of The Game: Tre Campbell’s cool 3 pointer in OT to extend the Hoyas lead to 89-85 in OT. Campbell is another freshman who stepped in yesterday to fill a void and lead his team to victory on the road. Valuable minutes in hostile territory for freshmen Campbell and Copeland, and as some suggest and I agree, this Hoya team will go as far as its freshmen take them. All signs to date suggest that these freshmen are dreaming big.

Lesson to Matt Carlino: Marquette senior guard Matt Carlino made a HUGE mistake that may have ultimately cost his team any chance in OT. Carlino, who finished with 26 points (5 from the arc) along with teammate, freshman sensation Duane Wilson, celebrated too early when he knocked down a jumper with 0.9 on the clock in regulation. Prematurely celebrating a victory because he thought he had knocked down a three, the referees reviewed the footage to confirm that Carlino’s foot was on the line, thus ending regulation in a tie rather than a win. If the Hoyas didn’t need any additional motivation to beat the Golden Eagles, Carlino handed it to him with his gloating.

Final Observations:

1. Injuries: Aaron Bowen played a fine 23 minutes with 11 points on 5 for 8 shooting, 2 assists and a steal until he was felled by an ankle injury in the second half. Bowen again proved his worth to this team and may he get well soon as well as Peak and Trawick. The Hoyas may be deep, but they won’t continue this streak without their full complement of players. The bench is there for a reason, and we can’t see it depleted.

2. “Big Men” Soar: Neither Smith nor Hopkins were plagued by fouls yesterday, a major improvement from prior games when both big men were prone to get into early foul trouble, which ultimately hurt the team. Only Paul White fouled out yesterday after only 20 minutes of play.

3. #SuperFrosh Mature, a Game at a Time: While Peak left the game with injury and White fouled out, Copeland continued to shine and Campbell was the latest of the freshman to step in at a critical time. Everyone needs to be prepared to play on this Hoya team, and to date, it seems that they are.

4. Next Up: A Top 25 ranking and revenge against the the Xavier Musketeers at the Phone Booth. While some may disagree where the Hoyas deserve to be in the national rankings after the last few victories, a Top 20 ranking is where they deserve to be. However, others argue it doesn’t really matter where they are now but where they are at the end of the season. Still, a Top 20 ranking (#18-19, 20) will show the Hoyas and Coach JTIII respect and it is well deserved, especially with their current 13 RPI ranking and 4 SOS in the nation.

The Georgetown Hoyas (14-5, 6-2 with sole possession of first place in conference) look to avenge an ugly loss on New Year’s Eve at Xavier and continue their winning streak at home on Tuesday evening. After this latest run, we expect the Phone Booth to be packed with Hoya fans enjoying this late January run.

Marquette is now 10-9 overall and 2-5 in the Big East. Perhaps after this loss, Wojo may take some solace today if his former coach and mentor Coach K is able to prevail over Big East’s St. John’s to secure his 1000th coaching win (Army, Duke).

1/25/15

Posted in Game Commentary, Heroes, Play of the Day, Sports Facts | Leave a comment

Hoyas Face (Another) Critical Road Test vs. Marquette Golden Eagles 1/24/15 2:30pm Fox Sports One

Posted on January 24, 2015 by laura

“You make a grown man cry … ” (Rolling Stones, Start Me Up)

In less than two hours from this post, the Hoyas will square up against a team that they barely beat at Verizon Center in their latest string of victories. On January 6th, the Hoyas, playing well under their potential, prevailed in a forgettable (except for the W) 65-59 victory over the Wojo-coached (as in Duke lineage) Marquette Golden Eagles.

Since that game, the potential of the Upperclass Leadership (Trawick, DSR, Smith, Hopkins and Bowens) combined with the Coming of Age Super Frosh (Copeland, Peak, White et al) have led the Hoyas to, after a 60-57 OT (winnable) loss at Providence, three consecutive wins: the first a 78-72 win on on the road over the “No Longer the Doormat” of the Big East DePaul Blue Demons (who have since beaten #24 Seton Hall in Newark, NJ); the exciting final second 61-59 victory over Butler at home due to some late minute heroics of Copeland’s sharpshooting and DSR’s block; and of course, that Instant Classic, Big East “50 total fouls” Brawl and dominant win over Villanova at the Phone Booth on Monday. The game that left Jay Wright shocked and searching for answers from the opening minutes until well after the final buzzer sounded.

So, The Question is: Which Hoya Team will Show Up at Marquette Today? The Team that struggled mightily on the road against Xavier on New Year’s Eve and performed poorly at Providence, or the more complete Hoya team that fans have seen against DePaul and Villanova?

I predict that if the Hoyas stay cool, focused and within themselves, continuing to move and share the ball well, hit the boards, play ferocious defense and forget they are in enemy territory, they will win a critical road game today in the Big East. But isn’t every road game critical from this point forward? Close but a 71-66 5-point victory.

With a 3-way tie at the top of conference standings this morning each at 5-2 (Providence, Georgetown and DePaul) and a solid national ranking on the line after the Villanova blowout, the Hoyas should be motivated to demonstrate that Monday night was no fluke.

NB: Aaron Bowen played only 5 minutes tonight in DC, not enough time to do much of anything. Will he see more time today?

We shall know The Answer/s soon.