After a blowout loss to Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, Georgetown still controls its own destiny, owning the tie-breaker against the Pittsburgh Panthers. So, when the Hoyas face a pedestrian UConn team today at Verizon Center, a victory would clinch the Big East regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament.
UConn enters the game after a gut-wrenching loss to Villanova on Wednesday night and no hope at making the NCAA Tournament as an at large bid. Given the season the Huskies have had, they certainly could roll over today, but given the history between these schools, that could be wishful thinking.
To claim the Big East title, the Hoyas will have to beat UConn's trademark full-court pressure and half-court trapping defense. In losses to Villanova and Syracuse, tough defensive pressure has led to a staggering number of turnovers, something the limited-possession offense of the Hoyas can ill-afford. UConn will look to push the tempo today and hope that their much-hyped, but still very raw, freshman center Hasheem Thabeet can hold down Roy Hibbert in the paint. If Georgetown gets in trouble, look for the Hoyas to put the Huskies on the line, where their free throw percentage resembles something akin to the odds of winning the Virginia Lottery.
This is the final home game in the careers of Sead Dizdarevic and Kenny Izzo, two long-time, depth players for the Hoyas, but also two fan favorites due to their limited playing time. It may also be the final home game for Georgetown junior Jeff Green, who could very well test the waters of the NBA Draft after his stock has surged over the course of GU's 11-game winning streak.
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