Jack: “Not him (Butler Blue III) again? And this time, in Indianapolis? I need a treat.”
Who doesn’t think this is the most important game of the season? At least the most important to date? (thank you, Ron)
This is the time of the college basketball season when every game could be one’s last. For the Georgetown Hoyas (now 18-9, 10-6 Big East), this is of course technically not true because Senior Day is on the horizon — Saturday, March 7th against Seton Hall. And the Hoyas will play a second round game (having secured a bye) in the BIG EAST tournament. Nonetheless, one cannot downplay the importance of a battle with Butler on the road tonight when the Hoyas are coming off of a poor showing at St. John’s and struggled to beat DePaul at home. And Hoya fans cannot forget the recent blowout in Philly at the hands (claws?) of the Wildcats.
The game will or have the potential to determine and/or affect:
1. Standing in conference.
2. Seeding in conference tournament starting next week.
3. National ranking, RPI, BPI, BSM (Bullshit Meter) and seeding in NCAA tournament.
Surprising factoid: The Hoyas will be meeting the Butler Bulldogs for the third time this season and only the fifth time in hoops history.
This Season
Game #1 In The Battle4Atlantis: On November 28th, Georgetown and Butler (now 21-8, 10-5 Big East) squared off at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. Butler won the first battle of the BIG EAST Dawgs, 64-58. How the Hoyas Lost: In the tourney’s third place game, Georgetown handed the game to Butler. A. Turnovers: Butler capitalized on the Hoyas 15 turnovers to its own 10, and scored points off of Hoya mistakes. B. Free Throws Not Falling: The Hoyas shot 50% from the line–10 for 19. C. Major Mental Lapses: At a key juncture in the second half when the Hoyas were staging a comeback, they allowed Butler to take the ball out of bounds on consecutive Hoya scores and run a virtual uncontested layup drills. Bright Spots: Freshman Potential. Isaac Copeland and Paul White were hot, with 16 and 13 points respectively, and carried the Hoyas in scoring.
Game #2, Conference Play: The teams then faced off again in their first BIG EAST battle at Verizon Center in January. How the Hoyas Won: Before nearly 15,000 fans in a Saturday afternoon “Gray Out” at Verizon Center, the Hoyas started cold and fell behind early. Eventually it was the freshman with icewater in his veins, Copeland, who hit the final go ahead shot, a 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds left in the game to put this one in the win column, 61-59. The Hoyas prevailed in spite of Butler junior forward Roosevelt Jones’s career high 28 points. The Hoyas played team team ball, with limited turnovers, and made 75% of their free throws. Georgetown gutted out this victory with some late game heroics from several players, including Trawick (smart plays); Copeland (10 critical points on high percentage shooting); and DSR (14 points), who made the defensive play of the game, when he blocked Jones’s last second drive that could have tied the game. The Hoyas were 75% for the game, 15 of 20, from the charity stripe. Kellen Dunham was the only other Butler player to reach double figures with 13. The Sixth Man at The Phone Booth played a critical role as well.
#3 Tonight: On Tuesday night the teams meet for a third time at Butler’s famous Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Tipoff 7pm.
The Butler Bulldogs (21-8, 11-5), #21 in the country, are 13-2 at home this season. While the Hoyas lead the all-time series between the teams, 4-1, Butler now sits above Georgetown in the conference standings (11-5 vs 10-6) after the past weekend, when the Hoyas lost 81-70 to St. John’s at the Garden and Butler won 67-53 at struggling DePaul on Saturday. Butler is 8-3 over its last 11 games yet lost 2 of its last 5, including the 2-point loss at Georgetown on 1/17 and 3-point loss (68-65) at Villanova on 2/14. Dunham must be a focal point of the Hoyas tonight as he has scored 21.5 ppg over his last four home games while shooting 52% from the field. Junior forward Roosevelt Jones, who was unstoppable in the Hoyas victory at Verizon Center, also must be stopped tonight. Senior Kameron Woods leads the team in rebounds at 9.2 ppg. Butler has been without sophomore Andrew Chrabascz (11 ppg), who has missed the last four games with a broken hand. Reports say he will return to play the Hoyas.
The Hoyas have won 8 of their last 12 games, are ranked No. 24 in the latest RPI with an SOS of 4, yet their play is in decline and this game is critical to getting back on track. Veterans: DSR is hot, averaging 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the last two games. Josh Smith was recently named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List yet was a non-factor against St. John’s, fouling out with 5 points and a total of 8 minutes of play. Jabril Trawick, the team’s Ironman because of his consistency, is fourth on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg), second in assists (2.3 apg) and tied for third in rebounding (3.9 rpg). Hopkins, the Hoyas’ leading shot blocker now coming off the bench for the Hoyas, had a strong game at St. Johns, with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Freshmen: The Hoyas have one of the best freshmen classes in the country; however, they are still prone to freshmen errors. Copeland has earned a starting role and averages 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. LJ Peak is third on the team in scoring with 8.6 points but shoots just 39%. Paul White (5.4 ppt and 3.1 rpg) could also play an important role for the Hoyas once he regains his shooting touch, which fans witnessed early to mid season.
Hoyas, Who You Gonna Call?
The Hoyas had won three in a row before coming up short against the Red Storm. DSR matched a season high with 29 points, while Mikael Hopkins added 10 and 14 rebounds, but Georgetown shot 37.9 % and went 10 for 19 from the foul line. Sound familiar? Same numbers and percentage from the line as in the first game vs Butler in Atlantis. It wasn’t pretty. The 81 points were the most Georgetown has allowed in a regulation game this season.
Tonight I would call on the following team:
Hopkins, Bowen, DSR, Trawick and Peak, with Copeland, Smith and White off the bench. Why?
1. The Hoyas need to stop Butler, especially Dunham and Jones, with great defense and this is the Hoyas’ best defensive and most athletic team. Smith cannot keep up with athletic bigs, and Hops is coming off of a strong game against an athleric team/St. John’s. In the game at the Phone Booth, Dunham started strong (13 points in the first half) then the Hoya defense shut down the Butler sharpshooting guard in the second half as he finished with 13. That left the game squarely on the shoulders of Jones, who needs to be stopped tonight at Hinkle.
2. The Hoyas need to replicate in part—apart from the Jones performance and early shooting struggles–Game #2 at The Phone Booth where it played strong D, made the plays that counted and showed improvement from the game in Atlantis. The Hoyas must get to the line and make free throws (75% in Game 2 vs 50% in Game 1), cut down on turnovers (9 in Game 2 vs 15 in Atlantis), and maintain mental focus (e.g., especially when it counted, Jabril’s steal, Mikael’s emphatic block of a Jones shot, DSR’s block and Copeland nailing the critical J).
3. Shake It Up! Smith played poorly in the first game in Atlantis and had a better but not great game in DC yet may have a better chance getting into the action as a substitute, catching Butler off guard. Bowen did not shoot well in either game against Butler yet he has improved throughout the season (55% from the field) and the point of playing him is for his defensive and athletic skills. I would start Hopkins for his experience, grit and defensive expertise and sub in Copeland for his offensive explosion and rebounding skills.
Not only Hoya fans such as this blogger view tonight’s matchup as a must win. Just ask Georgetown’s experienced senior guard Jabril Trawick: “We just need this win. It’s a simple as that.”
Simply said, that won’t be easy. However, last season, the eventual NIT-bound Hoyas won at Hinkle Fieldhouse, 70-67, in overtime.
Which Bulldog will prevail tonight?
or
Georgetown-Butler III, Playing for Advantage at Hinkle Fieldhouse Tonight: Battle of the BIG EAST DAWGS
Jack: “Not him (Butler Blue III) again? And this time, in Indianapolis? I need a treat.”
Who doesn’t think this is the most important game of the season? At least the most important to date? (thank you, Ron)
This is the time of the college basketball season when every game could be one’s last. For the Georgetown Hoyas (now 18-9, 10-6 Big East), this is of course technically not true because Senior Day is on the horizon — Saturday, March 7th against Seton Hall. And the Hoyas will play a second round game (having secured a bye) in the BIG EAST tournament. Nonetheless, one cannot downplay the importance of a battle with Butler on the road tonight when the Hoyas are coming off of a poor showing at St. John’s and struggled to beat DePaul at home. And Hoya fans cannot forget the recent blowout in Philly at the hands (claws?) of the Wildcats.
The game will or have the potential to determine and/or affect:
1. Standing in conference.
2. Seeding in conference tournament starting next week.
3. National ranking, RPI, BPI, BSM (Bullshit Meter) and seeding in NCAA tournament.
Surprising factoid: The Hoyas will be meeting the Butler Bulldogs for the third time this season and only the fifth time in hoops history.
This Season
Game #1 In The Battle4Atlantis: On November 28th, Georgetown and Butler (now 21-8, 10-5 Big East) squared off at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. Butler won the first battle of the BIG EAST Dawgs, 64-58. How the Hoyas Lost: In the tourney’s third place game, Georgetown handed the game to Butler. A. Turnovers: Butler capitalized on the Hoyas 15 turnovers to its own 10, and scored points off of Hoya mistakes. B. Free Throws Not Falling: The Hoyas shot 50% from the line–10 for 19. C. Major Mental Lapses: At a key juncture in the second half when the Hoyas were staging a comeback, they allowed Butler to take the ball out of bounds on consecutive Hoya scores and run a virtual uncontested layup drills. Bright Spots: Freshman Potential. Isaac Copeland and Paul White were hot, with 16 and 13 points respectively, and carried the Hoyas in scoring.
Game #2, Conference Play: The teams then faced off again in their first BIG EAST battle at Verizon Center in January. How the Hoyas Won: Before nearly 15,000 fans in a Saturday afternoon “Gray Out” at Verizon Center, the Hoyas started cold and fell behind early. Eventually it was the freshman with icewater in his veins, Copeland, who hit the final go ahead shot, a 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds left in the game to put this one in the win column, 61-59. The Hoyas prevailed in spite of Butler junior forward Roosevelt Jones’s career high 28 points. The Hoyas played team team ball, with limited turnovers, and made 75% of their free throws. Georgetown gutted out this victory with some late game heroics from several players, including Trawick (smart plays); Copeland (10 critical points on high percentage shooting); and DSR (14 points), who made the defensive play of the game, when he blocked Jones’s last second drive that could have tied the game. The Hoyas were 75% for the game, 15 of 20, from the charity stripe. Kellen Dunham was the only other Butler player to reach double figures with 13. The Sixth Man at The Phone Booth played a critical role as well.
#3 Tonight: On Tuesday night the teams meet for a third time at Butler’s famous Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Tipoff 7pm.
The Butler Bulldogs (21-8, 11-5), #21 in the country, are 13-2 at home this season. While the Hoyas lead the all-time series between the teams, 4-1, Butler now sits above Georgetown in the conference standings (11-5 vs 10-6) after the past weekend, when the Hoyas lost 81-70 to St. John’s at the Garden and Butler won 67-53 at struggling DePaul on Saturday. Butler is 8-3 over its last 11 games yet lost 2 of its last 5, including the 2-point loss at Georgetown on 1/17 and 3-point loss (68-65) at Villanova on 2/14. Dunham must be a focal point of the Hoyas tonight as he has scored 21.5 ppg over his last four home games while shooting 52% from the field. Junior forward Roosevelt Jones, who was unstoppable in the Hoyas victory at Verizon Center, also must be stopped tonight. Senior Kameron Woods leads the team in rebounds at 9.2 ppg. Butler has been without sophomore Andrew Chrabascz (11 ppg), who has missed the last four games with a broken hand. Reports say he will return to play the Hoyas.
The Hoyas have won 8 of their last 12 games, are ranked No. 24 in the latest RPI with an SOS of 4, yet their play is in decline and this game is critical to getting back on track. Veterans: DSR is hot, averaging 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the last two games. Josh Smith was recently named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List yet was a non-factor against St. John’s, fouling out with 5 points and a total of 8 minutes of play. Jabril Trawick, the team’s Ironman because of his consistency, is fourth on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg), second in assists (2.3 apg) and tied for third in rebounding (3.9 rpg). Hopkins, the Hoyas’ leading shot blocker now coming off the bench for the Hoyas, had a strong game at St. Johns, with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Freshmen: The Hoyas have one of the best freshmen classes in the country; however, they are still prone to freshmen errors. Copeland has earned a starting role and averages 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. LJ Peak is third on the team in scoring with 8.6 points but shoots just 39%. Paul White (5.4 ppt and 3.1 rpg) could also play an important role for the Hoyas once he regains his shooting touch, which fans witnessed early to mid season.
Hoyas, Who You Gonna Call?
The Hoyas had won three in a row before coming up short against the Red Storm. DSR matched a season high with 29 points, while Mikael Hopkins added 10 and 14 rebounds, but Georgetown shot 37.9 % and went 10 for 19 from the foul line. Sound familiar? Same numbers and percentage from the line as in the first game vs Butler in Atlantis. It wasn’t pretty. The 81 points were the most Georgetown has allowed in a regulation game this season.
Tonight I would call on the following team:
Hopkins, Bowen, DSR, Trawick and Peak, with Copeland, Smith and White off the bench. Why?
1. The Hoyas need to stop Butler, especially Dunham and Jones, with great defense and this is the Hoyas’ best defensive and most athletic team. Smith cannot keep up with athletic bigs, and Hops is coming off of a strong game against an athleric team/St. John’s. In the game at the Phone Booth, Dunham started strong (13 points in the first half) then the Hoya defense shut down the Butler sharpshooting guard in the second half as he finished with 13. That left the game squarely on the shoulders of Jones, who needs to be stopped tonight at Hinkle.
2. The Hoyas need to replicate in part—apart from the Jones performance and early shooting struggles–Game #2 at The Phone Booth where it played strong D, made the plays that counted and showed improvement from the game in Atlantis. The Hoyas must get to the line and make free throws (75% in Game 2 vs 50% in Game 1), cut down on turnovers (9 in Game 2 vs 15 in Atlantis), and maintain mental focus (e.g., especially when it counted, Jabril’s steal, Mikael’s emphatic block of a Jones shot, DSR’s block and Copeland nailing the critical J).
3. Shake It Up! Smith played poorly in the first game in Atlantis and had a better but not great game in DC yet may have a better chance getting into the action as a substitute, catching Butler off guard. Bowen did not shoot well in either game against Butler yet he has improved throughout the season (55% from the field) and the point of playing him is for his defensive and athletic skills. I would start Hopkins for his experience, grit and defensive expertise and sub in Copeland for his offensive explosion and rebounding skills.
Not only Hoya fans such as this blogger view tonight’s matchup as a must win. Just ask Georgetown’s experienced senior guard Jabril Trawick: “We just need this win. It’s a simple as that.”
Simply said, that won’t be easy. However, last season, the eventual NIT-bound Hoyas won at Hinkle Fieldhouse, 70-67, in overtime.
Which Bulldog will prevail tonight?
or