Georgetown Spoils Shabazz Muhammad's Debut

By:  Shane McCarthy

Leading up to the contest between UCLA and Georgetown, it was all about the debut of Shabazz Muhammad for UCLA.  After being suspended for the first three games, the Bruins were finally going to get him on the court with the rest of their talented freshmen class.  There was very little talk about the game, not that it was a foregone conclusion that UCLA was going to win, but it certainly felt that way since their prized recruit was finally going to don a uniform.

Georgetown was in control of the game from the very start, getting off to a quick 10-2 lead.  Markel Starks was spectacular all night long.  He finished with a career high 23 points, but it was how he did it that made the Hoyas so effective.  He played with great energy, had a bounce in his step every possession, controlled the perimeter and most of all – played with confidence and made sound decisions. 

UCLA also had no answer for the combination of Otto Porter and Greg Whittington.  The two combined for 31 points and 16 rebounds.  The versatile combo will provide fits for defenses all year long.   Banging bodies down low and stepping out and dropping 3s, the all-around play-making ability of the two is impressive. 

But none of this would have mattered if Georgetown didn’t show up on the defensive end.  The 2-3 zone they sat in all night made UCLA uncomfortable.  Georgetown’s regular rotation featured players that measured in at 6-9, 6-8, 6-8, 6-8 and 6-2.  Too much length and athleticism for a young UCLA team to handle who has yet to play together.    

The 78-70 victory was the first time that Georgetown has ever beaten UCLA.  Now the Hoyas get a crack at the #1 team in the land tomorrow, Indiana, for the Legends Classic championship (to the dismay of many who wanted an Indiana vs. UCLA match-up).  Indiana struggles on the defensive end, but it will take an effort as good as if not better than tonight’s, to topple the Hoosiers.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #7 Georgetown Hoyas

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

The Hoyas are missing a lot of fire power from last year’s squad, but that doesn’t mean this is going to be a down year.  Having one of the best coaches in the nation in conjunction with one of the best players in the conference, means they will still be a respectable force in the Big East. 

Who’s Back:

Otto Porter –F– Soph – 29.7 Min, 9.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg

Markel Starks –G– Junior – 24.4 Min, 7.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.6 apg

Greg Whittington –F– Soph – 20.1 Min, 4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.9 apg

Nate Lubick –F– Junior – 18.4 Min, 3.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.0 apg

Jabril Trawick –G– Soph – 11.4 Min, 3.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.5 apg

Mikael Hopkins –F– Soph – 6.8 Min, 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

Moses Ayegba –C– Junior – Returning from injury 

Incoming Recruits:

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 3, 210

ESPN’s 58^th ranked player and 10^th ranked Shooting Guard

Rivals.com’s 32^nd ranked player and 8^th ranked Shooting Guard

Stephen Domingo – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 7, 200

ESPN’s 77^th ranked player and 9^th ranked Small Forward

Brandon Bolden – [Center] – 6 foot 10, 200

ESPN’s 28^th ranked Power Forward

Bradley Hayes – [Center] – 6 foot 11, 250

ESPN’s 56^th ranked Center

Who’s Out:  Jason Clark, Hollis Thompson and Henry Sims

Outlook:

Georgetown will be entering the 2012-13 season with a new look for the second year in a row, as they replace three veteran starters – Clark, Thompson and Sims.   Fortunately there are pieces already in place that got valuable playing time last year.  And there are talented incoming recruits that will make an immediate impact.

However, the Hoyas are going to need improvements in the front court if they want to repeat the success of last year.  Hopkins, Lubick and Whittington all got playing time last year, but their performance was average.  Early indications point to Whittington making the leap this year and blossoming into a good low post player.  After playing half of every game last year, he should be better prepared for what to expect. 

Conversely, Georgetown should be just fine in the back court and on the wing.  But they do lack a true point guard.

Markel Starks struggled a bit in his first season of seeing extended playing time, by turning the ball over far too often.  With Jason Clark now gone, he may be more comfortable in his role.  However, if last year was any indication – his role is not point guard.  He has a knack for scoring, but he will need to cut down on the giveaways.  And without any other viable options to run the point, the Hoyas better hope he has improved.

Expect incoming freshmen D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and Stephen Domingo to see the court early and often.  Both are ESPN top-100 recruits who are known for their scoring.

But make no mistake about it; this is Otto Porter’s team.  CBSSports.com recently compiled a list of the top 50 wings in the country, Porter was ranked 5^th.  This is what Jeff Borzello had to say about Porter - “His numbers don't jump out at you, but Porter is an ultra-efficient player who makes the most of his opportunities. He's versatile and perfect for the Hoyas' offense. With more minutes this season, Porter could take a major leap in production.”  Porter should be a force and is definitely a candidate for Big East Player of the Year.

Georgetown will have a different look this year, but a drop-off is not expected.  The program is in great hands with Whittington and Porter.  These two should thrive in JTIII’s system and lead the Hoyas to a plethora of victories.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac