Georgetown Basketball

The Georgetown Hoyas are red hot. They have won nine straight and have only averaged giving up 54.5 points a game during that stretch.

With only two weeks left in the regular season, the best team in the Big East will show its tenacious defense once again at the XL Center against UConn. 

Georgetown's season was in serious jeopardy in January. The Hoyas were blown out by Pittsburgh. Greg Whittington was ruled academically ineligible (per Jeff Borzello of CBS Sports). Then they were embarrassed in a 61-58 loss to South Florida.

Since then, the Hoyas ran off nine-straight wins, including four Top 25 teams and three of which are currently ranked in the RPI Top 20.

According to Jason Reid of The Washington Post, John Thompson III says that defense has been the primary reason for the Hoyas to win games.

Marquette and Pittsburgh have been the only Big East teams to shoot over 40 percent against Georgetown.

Unless the Hoyas are in foul trouble, they only go seven players deep. However, this Georgetown team has been outstanding at controlling the tempo both at home and on the road. 

On the offensive end, Georgetown's 65 points a game (238th in NCAA) appears to be troubling by itself, but not when it comes on 46.1 percent shooting (53rd). The Hoyas half-court offense has been tremendous, and that mainly has to do with the scoring ability of Otto Porter Jr. 

Georgetown struggled offensively in its last game against Syracuse by only shooting 35.2 percent from the floor and putting up 57 points. However, Porter Jr. put the team on his back, posted 33 points on shooting 12-of-19 and constantly killed any run the Orange attempted to make.

The UConn Huskies meanwhile have been inconsistent to say the least. They have impressive wins at Notre Dame and at home against Syracuse, but they also lost at home to Villanova and struggled to close out South Florida in Storrs-Mansfield as well. 

This also isn't a good matchup for the Huskies. Connecticut wants to play at a faster pace and thrives in transition baskets that allows them to shoot its season average of 45.4 percent. With the exception of the Indiana game back in November, Georgetown hasn't allowed that to happen for the most part all season.

Another key for tonight will be how teams respond to runs. While Georgetown is heading to Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament and eventually the NCAA tournament, UConn will end its season in 10 days because of postseason APR ineligibility. If Porter Jr. starts making plays in the second half, does UConn fold or fight back?

A win for Georgetown tonight would put the Hoyas one step closer to a Big East regular-season title, an accomplishment they haven't achieved since the 2007-08 season.

Not only that, a win tonight would give the Hoyas another RPI Top 50 win for their resume. That would give Georgetown a total of 11 wins inside the RPI Top 100 with only one loss outside of it. That is a recipe for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Hoyas get the win.

After being picked fifth in the preseason Big East rankings, expectations were relatively tempered for the Hoyas heading into this season.

During their non-conference schedule, Georgetown was up and down. They had impressive performances against stiff competition, but continually struggled on offense.

The early impressive performances included a win over then-No. 11 UCLA and a close loss in overtime to No. 1 Indiana. 

Although they had these impressive outings, the Hoyas also had a few perplexing efforts.

They defeated Tennessee at home, but only scored 37 points in the game. Georgetown also beat Towson with only 46 points. Yes, they were winning games, but they were not earning any style points and doubts persisted as to how they would fare against the Big East gauntlet.

Their performance early in the Big East season did not remedy those doubts.

The inconsistencies on the offensive end continued early in Big East play. The Hoyas lost their first two conference games, which included a 28-point drubbing at the hands of Pittsburgh.

A few games later, Georgetown lost to South Florida and found themselves at 2-3 in the conference, still searching for an identity at the crossroads of their season.

Following the loss to the Bulls, something clicked and the Hoyas have not looked back.

Georgetown has not lost since the defeat to South Florida and has been the hottest team in the country. In total, they have won nine games in a row including four wins over ranked opponents.

This hot streak has put the Hoyas on top of the Big East standings and has people talking about a potential deep run in the tournament.

Although the Big East is not as dominant as it has been in the past, it is still the second-best conference in the country and any team that can win the conference has the ability to go all the way in March.

Georgetown is the class of the conference and here is why they will make it to the Final Four.

Otto Porter

Porter was selected to the preseason all-conference team and has more than lived up to expectations. Because of the Hoyas inconsistencies on offense, they have relied heavily on him for production, and he has not disappointed.

Porter is currently averaging 15.9 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He is one of the leading candidates for the Wooden Award and is the catalyst for the Hoyas.

Porter is coming off one of his best performances to date. In the final Georgetown-Syracuse game at the Carrier Dome, Porter exploded after a sluggish start to shoot 12-19 from the field and scored 33 points while tallying eight rebounds en route to a Hoya victory.

The statistic that is most indicative of Porter’s value to Georgetown was that the Hoyas only scored 57 points against the Orange. This meant that Porter accounted for 58 percent of the Georgetown offense.

As Porter goes, so do the Hoyas. If Porter’s production stalls, the Hoyas could be in trouble, but he shows no signs of slowing down and, Georgetown could ride Porter all the way to Atlanta for the Final Four.  

Defense

As evidence by the first half against Syracuse, Georgetown still struggles on offense, but they have the defense that will keep them in the game.

The Hoyas can go through stretches of offensive ineptitude, but their defense is always on. They have only given up more than 62 points twice since Dec. 15.

Their defense plays big and shuts down passing lanes. The Hoyas’ length on defense disrupts the rhythm of their opponent’s offense and every shot is contested.

Every team has an off game in the tournament, but the challenge is finding a way to win that game when a team is not on its “A” game. Even when their shots are not falling, Georgetown’s defense has the capability to carry them through that “off” game and take them deep in the tournament.

John Thompson III

Thompson III has been a consistent winner at Georgetown ever since he took the helm in 2004. He has restored the prestige at the program that his father help built.

Thompson III brought a version of the Princeton offense to Georgetown and, since his arrival, the Hoyas have been one of the most offensively efficient teams in the country.

The Princeton offense slows down the game and, with the constant back cutting, does not allow the defense to rest. The Hoyas capitalize on overly aggressive defenses.

Thompson III has the pedigree to take Georgetown deep in the tournament. He won back-to-back Big East championships in 2006 and 2007 and also led the Hoyas to the Final Four in 2007.

Thompson III has done the best coaching job of his career this year. As mentioned before, few experts had the Hoyas contending for a Big East championship and early in the season, the Hoyas looked they would be lucky to just salvage a bid to the Big Dance.

Now, Thompson III has the transformed the Hoyas into contenders.

They are now the favorites in the Big East and in line for a possible two-seed in the tournament. Georgetown is not one of the most talented teams in the country, but they find ways to win and that is a reflection of good coaching.

Once March comes, the attitude of every team is simply win and advance. Style points have no value come tournament time. The Hoyas certainly do not win pretty, but they win nonetheless.

Outside of Otto Porter, Georgetown shot 20 percent at Syracuse Saturday afternoon. The sensational sophomore forward picked up the slack so impressively that the Hoyas overcame a longtime foe in their final meeting at the Carrier Dome, ending the Orange's nation-best 38-game home win streak. 

Porter poured in 33 points as Georgetown surged to a 57-46 victory over Syracuse. His performance helped push the Hoyas into sole possession of first place in the Big East standings. 

I'll get into details about how Porter powered his team to its ninth consecutive win in just a moment but Jim Boeheim did a great job of summing up the situation. 

"Porter was so good today," Boeheim told the Associated Press via ESPN.com. "He just dominated the game. He really won the game."

Put the Hall of Fame Syracuse coach's statement alongside the rest of the items currently piling up on Porter's expansive resume. The 6'8" Missouri native is spearheading a late-season surge for Georgetown, asserting himself as a serious Big East Player of the Year candidate and a National Player of the Year darkhorse.

Porter has averaged 20 points and nearly eight rebounds per game during the past five contests, elevating his game in the most pivotal stretch of Georgetown's season. His latest dominant display occurred while he shared the court with conference star Michael Carter-Williams.

The pair of standouts registered performances that landed on opposite ends of the spectrum. 

Porter filled the stat sheet, shooting 12-of-19 from the floor to go with eight rebounds and five steals. He has now shot better than 50 percent in nine games since the start of January.

Carter-Williams didn't come close to approaching Porter's numbers. He managed just seven points on 2-of-6 shooting in 39 minutes of action.

Carter-Williams leads the Big East in assists and continues to orchestrate the Orange offense. When you compare his Player of the Year candidacy to Porter's accomplishments, it becomes clear the Georgetown star has gained an edge in the award race.

The Hoyas' leading scorer has been a model of consistency. Porter accumulated double-digit point totals in 18 of the last 19 games. 

There's no disputing that Carter-Williams is enjoying a special season, but he's had a few clunkers along the way. His 38 percent shooting from the floor also leaves something to be desired.

Carter-Williams was 4-of-17 in an overtime loss at Villanova. He followed that game with a 3-of-12 effort at Connecticut. 

Porter proved his staying power in Saturday's victory at Syracuse. His performance is a late addition to the legacy of Syracuse versus Georgetown, a rivalry that comes to a close when the teams meet again in the March 9 regular-season finale (unless the two play again in postseason tournament action).

Hoyas head coach John Thompson lauded his leader following the game.  

"It was special. That's the only way to categorize it," Thompson told the Associated Press via ESPN.com. "You saw the show that I saw. To play up here against that opponent, that's what players do, and he's a special player."

On Saturday, Porter put himself atop the P.O.Y. leaderboard and drove Georgetown to the top of conference standings with two weeks remaining in the season.

The Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry could see the end to a great history of on-court battles, as they face for the second to last time this Saturday.

The Orange are headed to the ACC after this season, which leaves doubt for future matchups between the two squads. This is a big game for both teams; since they are tied up for first place in the Big East standings with Marquette.

Syracuse is undefeated at the Carrier Dome and needs a quality conference win to give them a No. 1 or 2 seed in the tourney. On the other hand, Georgetown lost three of its first five Big East games, but has won eight in a row. The Hoyas will bring their hot streak on the road to pull out a victory in what should be a raucous environment. Here are the keys to victory for both teams in one of the biggest Big East games of the season.

Syracuse

If the Orange are going to win this game, then it needs to be a high-scoring affair. Syracuse ranks first in the Big East with 75.2 points per game, while Georgetown is second to last with 65.3 points per game. Brandon Triche and C.J. Fair need to have excellent games against a very tough Hoya defense.

Also, James Southerland needs to continue to provide great shooting from behind the arc. He shoots almost 40 percent from the three-point line. Michael Carter-Williams needs to be the X-factor in this game because his size makes him a difficult player to defend.

Overall, the Orange has to shoot over 40 percent from the field, if they are going to win. In their three Big East losses this season, they shot under 37 percent. Better shot selection and making each shot count will be crucial for a Syracuse victory.

Georgetown

The Hoyas will need to run their Princeton offense effectively and slow down the pace of the game. Georgetown has been led all season by Otto Porter Jr. and his ability to score from all over the court. He needs to have an outstanding game, which won't be easy to do with over 30,000 fans cheering against him.

Next, the Hoyas need to out-rebound the Orange to give them a shot for a victory. The Orange rank 12th in the country in rebounding. As a team, Georgetown needs to assert themselves on the glass for the entire game.

Finally, Markel Starks needs be a very good facilitator and not make mistakes out on the floor. Turnovers could ruin Georgetown's momentum in the game. Winning this game could bolster their tournament resume for a high seed and give them an advantage in the conference standings.   

The Georgetown Hoyas have become the talk of the town in Big East circles. John Thompson's team has won seven consecutive contests, climbing the conference ladder to a first-place tie with Syracuse and Marquette. 

Versatile forward Otto Porter Jr. has spearheaded the Hoyas recent assault on Big East rivals. The 6'8" sophomore has vaulted from supplemental scorer to conference Player of the Year candidate in his second collegiate season. 

Porter, who led Scott County Central to three Missouri state championships, is at the forefront of Georgetown's best regular season since 2008. He starred in spurts during the first half of the season before proving himself as a consistent scoring threat through six weeks of Big East action. 

Porter impressed as a freshman, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes of action per game. He finished fourth on the team in scoring and led the Hoyas in rebounds as Georgetown journeyed to the NCAA Tournament's second round. 

Porter took on the role of go-to guy at the start of his sophomore season and hasn't shied away from it since. He leads the Hoyas in scoring (15.3 points per game), rebounds (7.9), steals (1.8) and three-point shooting (44 percent), while ranking second on the team in blocks. 

Perhaps more impressive than Porter's season long consistency is the way he has handled himself in Big East games. The 19-year-old playmaker has exceeded the 20-point plateau four times against conference opponents, displaying occasional dominance on the boards. 

Porter is averaging 18.3 points per game in Georgetown's last 10 games. The Hoyas are 9-1 during that span, lending plenty of credence to his Player of the Year candidacy. 

He has accumulated six double-doubles this season, including a 17-point, 12-rebound display in a victory over fifth-ranked Louisville. Porter is shooting 50 percent from the floor this season. 

The sophomore was selected to the preseason All-Big East First Team, so no one is necessarily shocked by the way he has ascended among conference elites. Still, Porter's ability to routinely fill the stat sheet is special.

He ranks highly among conference contemporaries in several categories. Porter is in the mix of Big East leaders in points (11th), rebounds (third), field goal percentage (ninth), steals (seventh), blocks (15th) and three-point shooting (second). 

Porter has quickly proven to be a complete package on both ends of the court for Coach Thompson and company. 

"Otto is Otto," Thompson told Washington Examiner reporter Craig Stouffer.

 "He's reliable. He's going to be there every night. He's every day. Some guys aren't every day. Otto Porter is every single, solitary day. He has been for a year and a half now. I don't anticipate that changing throughout his career, period. Is he being a little more aggressive, assertive right now? Probably. But I don't think there's been any big swings in how he's performed."

The Big East basketball community continues to take notice. 

Porter was named Big East Player of the Week on Feb.18.

He was sensational in two pivotal Georgetown victories last week. Porter poured in 21 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a win over first-place Marquette, then scored 16 in a road victory at Cincinnati

During that two-game span, Porter hit all 14 of his free throw attempts. The sophomore is playing like a seasoned conference vet ready to make his impact during March Madness.

People recognized Porter as a rising talent at the finish of his freshman year. Perhaps they'll say he's the Big East's best player by the end of a sensational sophomore season.

The Hoyas have played like one of the best teams in the nation during the past four weeks. Georgetown's ascension in the Big East Conference standings can be attributed to eight victories in the past nine games, including three wins against nationally ranked teams. 

However, it seems the Hoyas have been lost in the shadows of the hyped (Louisville), the familiar (Syracuse), and a national media darling (Notre Dame) among the conference's top-tier teams. The Big East boasts "household name" star power, but are any of those players currently suiting up for Georgetown?

Head Coach John Thompson III has led this team to six NCAA tournaments in eight seasons on the job, but Georgetown hasn't survived to reach at least the Sweet Sixteen since 2007. Perhaps that lull has given the media and college basketball's national fanbase time to look elsewhere when ranking the Big East's elite.

The program's immense success of the 1980s is also lost on many of today's generation.

But after the Hoyas' 63-55 win over Marquette on Monday, underrate this team at your own risk. Georgetown implements the conference's premier defense, and sophomore forward Otto Porter is blossoming into a legitimate superstar just as his team needs him most.  

Georgetown (18-4, 8-3 in Big East) is currently locked in a first-place tie in the revered conference's win column and continues to rack up convincing wins over quality opponents. Yet the Hoyas still sit at No. 15 in the AP Top 25, trailing a team that has lost two straight games (No. 13 Ohio State) and a conference opponent it already beat (No. 12 Louisville). 

Georgetown is among the country's most dangerous teams right now because it can still win games when shots aren't falling on the offensive end. The Hoyas have surrendered 60 or more points just once since Jan. 19.

During the team's current six-game win streak, the Hoyas own wins over three ranked opponents (No. 5 Louisville, No. 24 Notre Dame and No. 18 Marquette) and they stamped out a rising St. John's squad, 68-56. Georgetown held foes under 53 points in three of those victories.

This team has also proven to be mentally tough, excelling on the road in recent action. Georgetown has claimed road victories over St. John's, Notre Dame and Rutgers in Big East play.

That experience should go a long way throughout the remainder of Georgetown's conference schedule. The Hoyas head to Syracuse, Cincinnati, Connecticut and Villanova during the final stretch of grueling Big East regular-season action.

And then there's Otto Porter Jr.

The 6'8" sophomore has been sensational and has provided his team with a timely spark when Georgetown is searching for answers on offense. Porter leads the Hoyas in points (15.3 per game), rebounds (7.9) and three-point shooting percentage (44 percent).

Despite his team-high touches, Porter turns the ball over less than two times per contest. He has scored at least 17 points in eight of the team's last nine matchups.

So why does Georgetown's improving catalyst not receive the accolades of his more publicized conference contemporaries?

“Why? Because you guys don’t talk about him," Thompson told ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil. “He’s one of the best players in the country and he’s consistently shown that. He takes pride in and excels at every aspect of the game. He’s not just thinking about my touches or my shots, and all of it is under the umbrella of how to put the team in the best position to win. 

“Winning is important to him and because winning is important, he understands that getting that deflection is important. He understands that communication on defense is important and that going after rebounds is important." 

Porter's under-the-radar persona matches that of this entire Georgetown team. 

The Hoyas still have two matchups against Syracuse to seize control of the Big East conference lead heading into postseason tournament play. If Georgetown continues to play composed offensive basketball and sticks to its highly successful defensive scheme, this squad could end up claiming at least a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. 

At that point perhaps people will begin to view Georgetown as a true threat to reach its first Final Four since 2007. But don't let me ruin the surprise for you.

Georgetown upset No. 5 Louisville 53-51 to improve to 4-3 in the Big East and 14-4 overall and now looks to build off back-to-back wins against ranked opponents. Behind the strong play of Otto Porter Jr., the Hoyas are ready to make a big run through the Big East down the season's stretch.

In its last two games, Georgetown's defense propelled the team to knock off Notre Dame and now Louisville. Notre Dame is averaging 73.1 points per game on the season but was held to 47 points by the Hoyas. Louisville averages 75.7 points per game and was held to only 51 points. 

The Hoyas will be able to frustrate teams much like they did Louisville. That strong defense and shorten-the-game tempo on offense will force opponents to make mistakes when they can't play their own style of basketball. 

Going forward, the key for Georgetown is to force its tempo on other teams. The Hoyas can't afford to try to play a more athletic, fast-breaking type of game. They simply don't have the offensive talent or system to make that work. 

Porter's play in recent games has helped Georgetown find its edge. Against Notre Dame, Porter scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Against Louisville, he finished with 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. 

In Georgetown's four losses, Porter is averaging just 5.0 rebounds per contest. In the 13 wins in which Porter played, he averaged 8.8 rebounds per game. This team is at its best when Porter is rebounding and playing strong. 

Georgetown's somewhat unattractive style of play won't do it any favors with rankings, but the team's resume is strong. They now have wins over No. 5 Louisville, No. 24 Notre Dame and No. 11 UCLA. They also took No.1 Indiana to overtime before losing 82-72.

In its next three games, Georgetown should be able to take care of business. The Hoyas play at home against Seton Hall, at home against St. John's and away at Rutgers. Those three games should help Georgetown move up in the Big East standings and prepare the team for a final stretch that includes playing Syracuse twice, Cincinnati and Marquette. 

Georgetown has the coaching and style of play to disrupt the rest of the Big East. As long as Porter continues to play good basketball, this team will make some noise heading into February and March.