Georgetown returns to action after a news-filled week Saturday when it hosts Cincinnati in its regular-season finale. The game is available online, whether watching on ESPN360 or listening on ESPN980.
Normally, this would be Senior Day, but the Hoyas have no seniors this year. Speculation about Greg Monroe’s NBA future is rampant, and this may be a de facto senior day for him, although Hoya fans everywhere will be rooting for at least one more year on campus for him. Austin Freeman has had a harrowing week, but appears to be feeling somewhat better, and should be warmly received whether he’s in street clothes or in uniform. On the Austin front, read Liz Clarke’s update. which should make you feel warm and fuzzy about Freeman, JTIII, Julian Vaughn (Freeman’s roomie), and Michael Wilbon’s piece about athletes with diabetes. Finally, read Andy Katz’s update, which, in addition to catching much of Clarke’s material, reports that the entire Hoya squad has battled the flu (but now, apparently, is over it).
Uncertainty about Freeman’s present and Monroe’s future, along with the Hoyas’ late-season slide, bring unusual gravity to a day normally about celebration. Still, the game will be played, and so a quick preview is in order.
Cincinnati is a team still struggling to get back to tournament-caliber after the halcyon days of Bob Huggins. This year’s Bearcats are talented and improving, if still inconsistent. Recently, they’ve taken Villanova and West Virginia to the wire before losing both games, and so would provide a battle even for a full-strength edition of the Hoyas.
- Star-Deonta Vaughn. The (18th-year?) senior guard runs the show for the Bearcats, leading the team in points and assists, and generally dominating the ball.
- X factor–Lance Stephenson. The talented but troubled freshman wing shares the team scoring lead with Vaughn, and hits the boards (5.2 pg), but still has issues with consistency.
- Supporting cast–sophomore forward Yancy Gates scores 10+ ppg, leads the team in rebounds per game (6.0 per), and will be Cincinnati’s best bet at controlling Monroe down low.
- Strength–two-pointers and rebounds. The Bearcats shoot and defend well from inside the arc, and really assault the boards on both ends. But…
- Weakness–other shooting, and turnovers. Cincinnati doesn’t get to the line much, doesn’t shoot well when it gets there, and doesn’t shoot from outside very well. And, while the Bobcats gain extra possessions on rebounds, they don’t force many turnovers.
The Hoyas have had a number of momentous games against high-profile opponents this year, but Saturday’s game will be meaningful for other reasons. Georgetown will be trying to right the ship before the Big East Tournament while proceeding through the strange haze that Freeman’s illness has left over the Hoya faithful, if not the team itself. Now is the time for the Hoya fans to rally around their team, as the Hoyas themselves will undoubtedly rally around each other.
Prediction-Georgetown 70, Cincinnati 65, on faith alone.
