Being a college student on New Year’s Eve has the potential to be a fun time of year, but how fun can it be when you have practice on New Year’s Day?
Georgetown’s players were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at New Year’s Day practice as they prepared for Xavier.
Jayden Epps didn’t practice as he works to get healthy enough to play against the Musketeers.
Friday night’s game starts a four-game stretch that will serve as the next litmus test for how far the program has progressed. After Friday night’s game with Xavier, the Hoyas head to Marquette, return home to face UConn, and at St. John’s. It’s one of the most challenging four-game stretches in the Big East.
The Musketeers (9-5, 1-2) are coming off a 94-72 win over an offensively challenged Seton Hall team. Six players scored in double-digits, with Ryan Conwell leading them with 22 points.
Xavier’s offense
Leads the BIG EAST in fastbreak points (sixth in the nation in at 18.3 ppg.) and 3-point percentage (seventh in the nation at .406).
Third in the BIG EAST in free-throw percentage (22nd in the nation at .781), assists per game (25th in the nation at 17.6 apg.), and assist-to-turnover ratio (40th in the nation at 1.52).
Keys:
Turn Xavier Over
It’s hard to apply pressure when you can’t make shots, so the criticism of Seton Hall not pressuring enough is hollow, but Georgetown is a better offensive team than the Pirates.
Georgetown will have opportunities to pressure Xavier in the backcourt, which could produce dividends.
Xavier might be fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio, but turnovers have been an issue in their losses.
The Musketeers turned the ball over 19 times against Michigan, 15 times against TCU, and 14 times against Marquette and Cincinnati.
Georgetown’s pressure will have to be applied responsibly. The Hoyas aren’t a team that applies a lot of pressure. Georgetown will need to get Xavier in the “trapping spots” of the floor and then apply pressure without fouling.
If the defense gets reckless and tries to double in other spots, it will lead to odd-man situations in which Xavier can make open three-point attempts. The Musketeers weaponize the three-point line better than any other team in the Big East.
Transition Defense
Georgetown’s transition defense starts with their shot selection. Yes, you read that correctly.
It’s all about taking the “right” perimeter shot, especially during transition and early in the shot clock. In today’s game, there will be times when that will be the best shot in the possession. It’s knowing when those situations are present and when they aren’t.
The Hoyas used various drills to practice getting back on defense, hoping it will choke off threes, especially the ones via transition ball reversal.
Body Shots
One of the best ways to slow down Xavier is to make them take the ball out of the basket, especially with points in the paint.
The Hoyas excel at that with Thomas Sorber. The fabulous freshman is averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. It’s imperative that Sorber stays out of foul trouble and limits his turnovers (12 combined in the last two games).
If Xavier decides to double Sorber, weak-side offensive rebounding will be there. Albeit against a lesser opponent, that’s partly why Drew Fielder had a double-double against Coppin State. Fielder was ready for opportunities presented by the opposing team’s obsession with defending Sorber.
