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Game 29 - Georgetown (9-19) vs. Xaver (14-14)
Nuts & Bolts
Date: March 2, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Capital One Arena - Washington, D.C.
How to Watch: FS1
Matchup History: Xavier leads all-time series 20-6
Last Meeting: Xavier def. Georgetown 92-91 on 1/19/24
Prediction: Georgetown 67, Xavier 82
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Head Coach: Ed Cooley (1st season, 9-19 record at Georgetown)
Record: 9-19 (2-15, 10th in Big East)
Last Time Out: Lost @ Villanova 75-47 on 2/27/24
Player to Watch: Jayden Epps
Georgetown came off just its second Big East win of the year at DePaul on Saturday night and laid an egg against Villanova on Tuesday night, falling to the Wildcats 75-47 in a game that was never competitive.
Just 11 days prior, the Hoyas lost in D.C. to Nova 70-54, scoring just 19 points in the first half. On Tuesday, Ed Cooley’s squad matched its first half total from the first meeting, trailing 43-19 at the break.
Game over.
“We played a totally different Villanova team than we played a couple of weeks ago,” Cooley said after the loss. “They had a purpose, trying to become an NCAA (Tournament) team. When you have a purpose, more focus, more attention to detail that’s what happens.”
Georgetown’s Jayden Epps, who was fresh off back-to-back 30+ point games, was held scoreless in the first half, finishing with just 6 points and 0-7 from the field for the game.
The Hoyas were led by Dontrez Styles, who finished with 16 points to go along with a team-high 7 rebounds.
Saturday, Georgetown plays its first of three remaining regular season games as the Hoyas host Xavier. The first time these teams played, on January 19, the Musketeers won a thriller in Cincinnati, 92-91, in what was Georgetown’s best offensive performance of the season.
In that game, Jayden Epps scored 32 points and dished out 11 assists as the Hoyas made 11 three’s and shot 20-21 from the free throw line.
And it still wasn’t enough.
Georgetown led by as many as 14, including a 5 point lead with under 3:30 to go, but did not make a shot from the field in the final three minutes, falling by one in heartbreaking fashion.
The Hoyas are in the basement of the Big East, and have struggled throughout the conference slate, but this was a game they should have had.
Georgetown will have revenge on the mind on Saturday night, looking to steal a win against a Xavier team that stole one from them.
Head Coach: Sean Miller (2nd season, 41-24 record at Xavier - 2nd Stint)
Record: 14-14 (8-9, 8th in Big East)
Last Time Out: Won vs. DePaul 91-58 on 2/28/24
Player to Watch: Quincy Olivari
What a difference a year makes for Xavier.
Just 12 months ago, the Musketeers were gearing up for an NCAA Tournament run and were 20-8 through 28 games, eventually finishing 25-9 after a Big East Tournament Championship Game appearance and earning a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Fast forward to now: Sean Miller’s team is 14-14, is in 8th in the conference, and will not be making the NCAA Tournament unless it wins the whole thing in New York two weeks from now.
The Musketeers have been streaky throughout the season. They’ve never won more than three in a row and have never lost more than four in a row, with that streak coming to a close this past Wednesday in a 91-58 drubbing of DePaul in Cincinnati.
In the game, Quincy Olivari scored 32 for the Musketeers, his third time scoring 30+ this year, including a 43 point performance back on February 3 against DePaul. The 6’3” senior has scored in double figures in all but one game this year.
Xavier is a team that has been in a lot of close games, and has the players that can get hot at any time.
At this point, it’s all about seeding for the Big East Tournament and then seeing what they can do at Madison Square Garden.
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