Conference: Big East
Game Location: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
Date: Saturday, December 15th
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Series: First Meeting
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV: MASN
Live Video: GU Hoyas All Access & ESPN3
Mascot: Jack the Bulldog
What is a Hoya?
Georgetown's current head coach John Thompson III is the son of former Georgetown head coach John Thompson, Jr. (Georgetown's head coach from 1972 to 1999). Thompson (III), served as an assistant coach at Princeton under head coaches Pete Carril and Bill Carmody where he learned the "Princeton Offense". When named head coach at Georgetown, he immediately introduced the Princeton offense (with variations) to the Hoyas, and has been very effective with the offense.
Thompson returns for his 9th season at Georgetown and entered the 2012-13 season with just two starters and nine letter winners and was picked to finish in fifth place in the Big East Conference this year. Like the Catamounts, the Georgetown roster features zero seniors and is predominantly made up of underclassmen, with a combined group of 10 freshmen and sophomores.
The Hoyas are coming off a 2011-12 season that saw the team finish with a 24-9 record, reaching the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr. is expected to lead the Hoyas this season, and is one of 50 college basketball players selected to the Wooden Award Watch List. He was named an Associated Press preseason honorable mention All-American and a preseason All-Big East First Team selection..
The Hoya's shooting woos are well documented this season. In Georgetown's sixth game, the 15th-ranked Hoyas and the Tennessee Volunteers put on one of the most dreadful shooting displays in Division I basketball this season. The Hoya won 37-36, then turned around and shot even more poorly in last Saturday's 46-40 home win against Towson. Along with the Hoyas 36% shooting against the Volunteers, they set a school record for fewest points since the shot-clock was installed. The Hoyas hit only 29% Saturday against Towson, in the first half, missing 22 of their first 24 shots.
Thompson attributes their offensive struggles to his team's youth. During games, he rotates seven players, five of whom are sophomores or freshmen. However, as poor as their shooting from the field is this season, Georgetown has excelled in defense. The Hoyas rank in the top tier in the country in points-per-game defense (54.1) and has limited opponents to 37 % shooting overall this season..
The Hoyas won their fifth-straight game this past Monday night and improved to 8-1 overall with a 89-53 win over the Big South's newest member, Longwood. Their lone loss came at the hands of #1 ranked Indiana back on November 20th, by final score of 82-72 in overtime.
Georgetown has wins over Duquesne, Liberty, UCLA, Tennessee, Texas, Towson and Longwood.
As expected, Otto Porter Jr. leads the team in scoring with 11.7 points per game and is second on the team in rebounds, grabbing 7.3 per game. If the Cats can control their turnovers, and put together two halves of decent shooting, this game is within the reach of the Catamounts.
Sumler, King, & Tankelewicz, all need to be on their game for a win.
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