#8 Georgetown Looks to Avenge Loss to #2 Villanova

By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Geoff Nelowet

The Georgetown Hoyas are coming off one of their most uninspired and sloppy performances of the season in a 72-64 home loss to unranked upstart South Florida. The game before that, the Hoyas took down perennial superpower and then eighth-ranked Duke in a blowout home win. If the last two results for the Hoyas are any indicator, this team has the potential to knock off the best – as long as they play with intensity every time they are on the court. Otherwise, they fall back to the middle of the pack, and in the Big East, arguably the most competitive conference in the country, a team such as the Hoyas cannot afford to lose to anyone other than the conference elite.

And the conference elite is now in town, as Georgetown is facing a reversal of roles – they are now playing the underdog. Albeit a slight underdog, the Hoyas are facing second-ranked Villanova. ‘Nova is 20-1 on the season and 9-0 in the conference. They already defeated Georgetown on their own court three weeks prior. It was a game in which the Wildcats were in control for almost its entirety, led by fifteen at halftime and finished with a five-point victory. Georgetown, even at home, will have to put forth a much better effort to walk away with a win.

The Hoyas boast one of the best triads of players in the nation. Austin Freeman, Greg Monroe and Chris Wright each average nearly fifteen points per contest, and Monroe is one of the best rebounders in the conference at 9.7 per game. Jason Clark is the only other player averaging double figures at 10.5 point per.

Unlike the Hoyas’ balanced attack, much of the Wildcats’ offense flows through senior guard Scottie Reynolds. Reynolds, who nearly left last season for the NBA, is fifth in the conference in scoring at 18.5 points per game. ‘Nova, though, has five other players on the roster that average nine points or more. Reynolds may control a high volume of shots, but the Wildcats do not lack in depth or talent, and their 20-1 record reflects that.

Georgetown was frustrated against USF, and they will undoubtedly play with more effort and determination. The Hoyas are also looking to avenge a loss, and at home, this looks like an opportune time for Georgetown to pull the upset. This will be no easy task, though, as Villanova is one of the premier teams in the nation – they will not go down without a fight. Final score: Georgetown 88 Villanova 84