Georgetown tries to rebound from a demoralizing loss at Syracuse when it hosts #8/#7 Duke Saturday at 1 pm EST. You can watch the game on CBS or listen on ESPN 980.
Duke is everyone’s favorite team to hate. This year, they’re in their usual top-10 perch, leading the nation in offensive efficiency and floor slaps. But, as in the last several years, some cracks show. They’re 1-3 in true road games, and like the Hoyas, have uncertain depth after a very strong core. Still, a match-up with Duke is always dangerous, with or without intra-squad half-time boxing matches like last year. So let’s take a look at this year’s team, with a little twist in honor of the upcoming Lost premiere:
- Star–Coach K. Of course, all his kids do things the right way, which is broadcasters’ rationalization for giving him all the credit for his players’ accomplishments and letting him sell cars and insurance during timeout breaks. If he was a Lost character, he’d be… Ben Linus, easy. Devious, plotting, Satanic-looking, buggy eyes, weird hair, lost some of his aura the last couple of seasons — really, the similarities are eerie.
- Star (player edition)–three-way tie between junior forward Kyle Singler (16.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg), senior guard Jon Scheyer (18.8 ppg, 5.7 apg), and junior guard Nolan Smith (18.1 ppg, 3.1 apg). If they were Lost characters, they’d be… Singler would be Sawyer–weird shaggy hair, particularly dislikable, he makes occasional shows of how tough he is, and yet it’s unclear how tough he actually is. Scheyer would be Richard–team captain, seemingly ageless, has been at Duke/on the Island apparently forever. Smith would be Desmond–a decent dude who overcame tragedy (Smith’s dad died/Desmond is perpetually separated from Penny) got wrapped up in something (Duke/Island) from which he can’t extricate himself, consigned to a life of tedium (pressing the button/being a fourth banana to the public behind Scheyer, Singler, and K), and probably should have a bigger role.
- X factors–Miles and Mason Plumlee–twin forwards that seem to score a lot or not at all, they may be the best hope of controlling Greg Monroe down low. If they were Lost characters, they’d be…Miles and Hurley–you can’t count on them to carry the show, but they may be good for a pleasant surprise. Plus, supposedly Miles Plumlee is a psychic.
- Question mark–Freshman guard Andre Dawkins looked great earlier in the season but has seen his minutes and production wane while senior forward Lance Thomas’ minutes have increased. This is likely K’s adjustment to bigger conference foes. If this were a Lost plotline, it’d be…what’s the deal with Jack’s dad? I’d like to know but, ultimately, it probably won’t make or break the series for me.
Georgetown has had two opportunities against top-ten competition–’Nova and ‘Cuse–but has dropped them both. Saturday they’ll have another opportunity against a team that, while very good, provides the Hoyas with a favorable match-up. Georgetown has size down low with Monroe (Lost character: Jacob–the leader, gifted, benevolent to a fault) and Julian Vaughn (Jin–modest expectations, eventually left for dead, but now an increasingly reliable contributor) which is the only place Duke might have a weakness. Jason Clark (Sayid–quietly a fan favorite, doesn’t need the spotlight but always seems to do useful things) and Chris Wright (Jack–always in a leading role, sometimes for no good reason, but you get the sense that the outcome will eventually depend on him) should be able to at least partially neutralize Smith and Scheyer. When the Hoyas have the ball, it’s unclear which Devil matches up with Austin Freeman (Locke–solid contributor for years but not quite a leader, has recently been replaced by a doppelganger assassin) and Hoya back-cuts could penalize the Blue Devils for their aggressive, overplaying brand of man defense. Of course, it could also go horribly wrong–lazy passes could get swiped by Duke defenders, the Devils’ relentless hustle could get them offensive rebounds, which the Hoyas can’t afford, Scheyer and Smith could light it up from NBA range, and the Hoyas could get another goose egg from their bench (which is like Kate–a perpetual wet blanket that you only notice when she/it is doing something detrimental).
Ultimately, like Lost, the game will be the dichotomous contest between good and evil, one that dates back thousands of years, and that hinges on a yet-to-be-revealed secret. Or something.
Prediction–Georgetown 78, Duke 74.
Obama is going to the game! Go Hoyas!