Analysis: Georgetown 61, Fairfield 49

Frankly, Georgetown was a complete embarrassment this afternoon, looking terrible on the Verizon Center floor.

I'm not talking about their play, but rather their uniforms. For reasons that only a 22-year-old marketing executive at Nike could fathom, the Hoyas abandoned their traditional gray home uniforms for the execrable home whites made notorious during the Esherick era.

When Jessie Sapp took a shot to his junk in the opening minute, it couldn't be more clear what was in store for G'town.

Let's run the numbers:

	Offense				Defense
	1st Half	2nd Half	Total		1st Half	2nd Half	Total
Pace	24	27	52
Eff.	136.4	102.1	118.2		136.4	58.3	94.9
eFG%	59.6%	55.3%	57.8%		63.5%	20.4%	41.5%
TO%	12.4%	18.2%	15.5%		8.3%	7.3%	7.7%
OR%	46.7%	29.4%	37.5%		30.8%	20.8%	24.3%
FTA/FGA					0.0%	29.6%	15.1%
FTM/FGA	7.7%	36.8%	20.0%
Assist Rate	61.5%	55.6%	59.1%		76.9%	60.0%	72.2%
Block Rate	0.0%	9.1%	4.3%		0.0%	15.8%	8.8%
Steal Rate	0.0%	7.3%	3.9%		0.0%	3.6%	1.9%

  Fairfield vs Georgetown  
  12/01/07 1:00 pm at Verizon Center  
  Final score: Georgetown 61, Fairfield 49
     
  Fairfield               Min   +/-   Pts  2PM-A 3PM-A FTM-A  FGA    A    Stl    TO   Blk    OR    DR   PF  
  Han, Jonathan          36:17  - 9  17/44 1 -1  4 -6  3 -4  7 /48 2 /11 1 /48 2 /48 0 /22 0 /34 3 /30  0   
  Hawkins, Yorel         34:13  - 15 11/36 4 -11 1 -3  0 -0  14/47 1 /9  0 /46 1 /46 0 /21 0 /35 3 /29  4   
  O'Sullivan, Marty      24:40  - 1  4 /34 2 -6  0 -2  0 -1  8 /33 2 /11 0 /31 0 /34 0 /13 2 /22 3 /20  4   
  Edney, Warren          32:31  - 18 7 /34 2 -4  1 -4  0 -0  8 /43 1 /10 1 /45 0 /44 0 /20 2 /32 2 /27  2   
  Johnson, Anthony       34:30  - 8  0 /40 0 -8  0 -0  0 -0  8 /44 4 /15 0 /46 0 /43 1 /18 1 /30 3 /31  3   
  Johnson, Devin         06:54  + 2  0 /13 0 -1  0 -0  0 -0  1 /8  1 /4  0 /8  0 /8  0 /3  1 /4  0 /4   0   
  Allen, Herbie          03:43  - 3  0 /5  0 -0  0 -0  0 -0  0 /5  1 /2  0 /5  1 /5  0 /1  0 /3  0 /2   1   
  Grzeck, Sean           06:55  + 3  3 /15 0 -0  1 -1  0 -0  1 /9  1 /4  0 /9  0 /10 0 /4  0 /4  0 /4   0   
  Evanovich, Mike        04:45  - 7  2 /6  1 -2  0 -2  0 -0  4 /9  0 /1  0 /8  0 /10 0 /4  1 /8  1 /1   1   
  Nero, Greg             15:32  - 4  5 /18 0 -1  1 -1  2 -3  2 /19 0 /5  0 /19 0 /17 0 /9  0 /13 1 /12  4   
  TOTALS                 40:00       49    10-34 8 -19 5 -8     53 13/18 2 /53 5 /53 1 /23 9 /37 20/32  19  
                                           0.294 0.421 0.625       0.722 0.038 0.094 0.043 0.243 0.625      
    
  Georgetown              Min   +/-   Pts  2PM-A 3PM-A FTM-A  FGA    A    Stl    TO   Blk    OR    DR   PF  
  Wallace, Jonathan      31:02  + 5  13/42 2 -6  3 -8  0 -0  14/36 1 /10 0 /38 2 /38 0 /26 0 /27 2 /23  0   
  Summers, DaJuan        31:45  + 13 16/52 4 -5  2 -5  2 -4  10/37 2 /12 0 /45 1 /45 1 /30 1 /25 3 /33  2   
  Sapp, Jessie           06:07  + 1  0 /3  0 -0  0 -1  0 -0  1 /5  0 /1  0 /9  2 /9  0 /7  0 /4  1 /8   0   
  Ewing, Patrick         29:30  + 9  9 /43 4 -5  0 -2  1 -2  7 /34 0 /12 0 /40 1 /40 1 /25 2 /23 5 /26  2   
  Hibbert, Roy           24:42  + 16 7 /41 2 -3  0 -0  3 -5  3 /31 2 /12 0 /35 3 /36 1 /22 2 /21 5 /24  4   
  Macklin, Vernon        15:18  - 4  1 /20 0 -0  0 -0  1 -5  0 /14 0 /8  0 /18 0 /17 0 /12 0 /11 3 /13  1   
  Wright, Chris          14:34  + 5  1 /24 0 -1  0 -0  1 -2  1 /14 1 /9  1 /19 0 /18 0 /10 1 /11 3 /15  3   
  Rivers, Jeremiah       27:44  + 9  9 /49 1 -2  2 -2  1 -4  4 /33 5 /14 0 /38 0 /39 0 /24 1 /22 3 /27  3   
  Freeman, Austin        19:18  + 6  5 /31 1 -1  1 -4  0 -0  5 /21 2 /10 0 /23 0 /23 0 /14 1 /16 2 /16  0   
  TOTALS                 40:00       61    14-23 8 -22 9 -22    45 13/22 1 /53 9 /53 3 /34 12/32 28/37  15  
                                           0.609 0.364 0.409       0.591 0.019 0.170 0.088 0.375 0.757      
     
  Efficiency: Georgetown 1.151, Fairfield 0.925
  eFG%: Georgetown 0.578, Fairfield 0.415
  Substitutions: Georgetown 32, Fairfield 31
     
  2-pt Shot Selection:  
  Dunks: Georgetown 5-5, Fairfield 0-0
  Layups/Tips: Georgetown 6-8, Fairfield 5-15
  Jumpers: Georgetown 3-10, Fairfield 5-19

Minutiae after the game:

• Georgetown allowed Fairfield a 136.4 O. Eff. in the 1st half, their worst defensive half so far (Michigan, 2nd half, 101.3); Georgetown held Fairfield to a 58.3 O. Eff. in the 2nd half, their best defensive half so far (Michigan, 1st half, 60.8)
  

• Patrick Ewing is 13-15 (87%) on 2-pts., 1-8 (12%) on 3-pts.; Chris Wright is 3-12 (25%) on 2-pts., 3-4 (75%) on 3-pts.

• Jeremiah Rivers now leads the team with a 136.5 O. Rating, thanks to 4-7 on 3-pts. and 1 turnover (or a 6.8% TO Rate); last season, he had the lowest O. Rating on the team (77.9, a full 20 points worse than anyone else), due to a terrible 39.9% TO Rate and 4-17 on 3-pts.

• Vernon Macklin is 1-7 on FTs so far this season; he's the only player shooting less than 50%. Unfortunately, Roy Hibbert (12-24), Jeremiah Rivers (4-8), Jon Wallace (3-6) and Patrick Ewing (1-2) are all right at 50%.

• Austin Freeman has ended ~26 possessions so far this season, but has yet to shoot a free throw.

Finally getting around to posting Ray Floriani's recap of the WVU-Texas game at the Prudential Center (no idea, I had to look it up). This was the consolation game of the StubHub Legends Classic. Apparently, just about anyone can have a pre-season tournament these days.

Some notes and a few West Virginia player capsules based on Saturdays’ 75-61 win over New Mexico State.

Huggins knows his strength. Always thought of him as a power coach, especially with some of those vintage Cincy clubs. But he realizes John Beilein left him a slew of three point threats, so he runs a lot of motion designed to get the shooters open and to take advantage of Bulter and Nichols’ penetration abilities. It’s not the exact same offense Beilein ran, but there are similarities.

Huggins has his stamp on the program in defense. Tennessee shot only 39% from the field in their semifinal win over WVU. New Mexico State shot 40%.

At the half West Virginia led New Mexico state by three, 33-30. Aggie guard Jonathan Gibson led all scorers with 12 points. For the game Gibson finished with 12 and only got three shots off the final 20 minutes. “Coach (Huggins) is known for his halftime speeches,” Joe Alexander said with a smile after the game. “We got a good one tonight.”

Da’Sean Butler – “Our most consistent player,” per WVU mentor Bob Huggins. Butler, a 6’7” sophomore can operate effectively inside or on the perimeter. Huggins runs some special plays to utilize his skills. Tournament was a homecoming for the Newark native who starred at Bloomfield Tech. Butler was named to the All-Tournament team.

Alex Ruoff – A 6’6” forward, more of a perimeter rather than power type. Can stroke the three. Led the Mountaineers in the consolation with 16 points, 10 boards.

Joe Alexander – Hit a three that began a mid-second half run in the New Mexico State game. About a minute later the 6’8” junior rebounded a miss and slammed it home. A versatile and effective player. His only downside in Huggins’ estimation is a tendency to take a play or two off.

Jamie Smalligan – Has size at 7’ but the senior center will set screens or step out for a three. Not a power low post player, but doesn’t hurt the Mountaineers in their system.

Darris Nichols – Steady senior at the point. Eleven points, 3 assists in 37 minutes against New Mexico State and a nice defensive effort.

Joe Mazzulla - The 6’3” soph contributed 6 points in 15 steady minutes. “Mazzulla will play regularly,” Huggins said after the game.

Stat of note…Mountaineers entered the consolation game with 42% of their field goal attempts beyond the arc. Against the Aggies, 43% of their attempts were from that distance.

	WVU	NMST
O. Eff.	113.1	92
eFG%	56.7	44.5
TO%	13.6	28.7
OR%	28.6	42.9
FTR	25	38.2
Pace	66

The free throw rate and offensive rebound percentage hints this is more Beilein-style players that Huggins utilizes in his motion sets. The TO% and eFG marks for New Mexico State accentuate the defense. (Editor's note: This is the only game WVU has played this season with less than 74 possessions. Last season, the Mountaineers averaged 64 possessions/game.)

Texas romped to the title behind tournament MVP D.J. Augustin who had 23 points, 8 assists. Four starters in the Longhorn lineup scored better than 20 points. Vols usually like to pressure teams for easy baskets. Outstanding ball handling and care of the ball resulted in only 13 Texas turnovers. Game was a 75 possession pace, so that figures out to be 17% of the Texas possessions ended in a turnover. Outstanding figure.

Rick Barnes’ team was off the charts with an offensive efficiency of 129 against the Vols. Defense (104) wasn’t too bad either.

Texas entered the final with a 4-0 record and an obscene 133 offensive efficiency mark. Horns weren’t shabby on D with an 88 mark. Texas averaged 62 possessions the first four contests. A few over-matched foes, obviously not willing to get in a track meet.

Other Notes:

Attendance barely over 4,000. Shame, because it was a good tournament.

You knew it would happen … as Tennessee was getting waxed late in the final, a fan bellowed "Where’s Pat Summitt?" Fans, you have to love them no matter what.