Heading into their second-round game against No. 2 Ohio State today, the No. 7 Georgetown Hoyas are facing a flurry of questions, designed to elicit a complex response, about how they will advance deeper into March. But second-year Head Coach John Thompson III thinks the answers to those questions are simpler than some might expect.
“I think that most teams do what they do,” Thompson said matter-of-factly at the Hoyas’ Saturday press conference. “I would anticipate that Ohio State is going to do what they’ve had success with all year. I don’t think they’re going to re-invent the wheel … just because they’re playing us.”
Senior forward Terrence Dials, the Buckeyes’ (26-5) stalwart in the paint, echoed those sentiments. After Georgetown (22-9) sophomore center Roy Hibbert’s 17-point, nine-rebound performance against No. 10 Northern Iowa, his size and presence were all the buzz at University of Dayton Arena. But Dials, who leads the Buckeyes in both points (15.1) and boards (8.2), does not see any reason to be intimidated by another big man from Georgetown’s celebrated lineage.
“He’s definitely going to pose some problems for us, being seven-two. He’s probably the biggest guy I’ve played to this point,” Dials said. “But I am just going to play my game. I’ve gone against good big guys all season in the Big Ten and tomorrow won’t be any different.”
But while Hibbert’s size used to be the only thing he had in his repertoire on the basketball court, his hard work throughout the season has given him new advantages.
“Most of his life he has just tried to be big. Now he’s getting to the point where he is understanding how to take advantage of that and how to use that as a basketball player,” Thompson said.
Still, Ohio State poses significant problems for the Hoyas, not only because of Dials’ imposing presence inside, but because the team balances his post production with solid shooting from the perimeter, especially from three-point range. The Buckeyes have attempted 702 three-pointers on the season, sinking 257, two behind the school record and at a 36 percent clip. Led by guards Je’kel Foster, Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler, who have all attempted more than 100 from the three-point line this year, Ohio State connects on about 8.4 long-range bombs per game.
This ability to knock down the open shot, coupled with Big Ten Player of the Year Dials inside, creates a versatility that allows Ohio State to play at a variety of paces throughout the game.
“They surround a very good interior presence with four very good shooters,” Thompson said. “But we can adjust. We can play slow or we can play fast. We can go inside and we can go outside, so we never really get into that discussion with our guys.”
Nevertheless, the Hoyas’ ability to go outside, play pressure defense and catch Ohio State off guard relies on Hibbert exerting his power down low. When asked about Georgetown’s motion-based offense, Ohio State Head Coach Thad Matta agreed with a suggestion that the Hoyas look like LSU and play like Northwestern. They have size across the frontline, starting 7-foot-2, 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-9, mirroring the formidable frontcourt of the Tigers. The Northwestern Wildcats, meanwhile, are the only other team the Buckeyes have faced who play a similar offense to Georgetown’s. Ohio State came out victorious in the teams’ two meetings during the Big Ten season, 61-52 and 56-53.
Matta noted, however, that Georgetown’s length and athleticism pose distinct challenges for his scarlet-clad players. It is this advantage that the Hoyas will try to exploit, especially on the defensive end of the court.
“We have some pretty big guys on the front line with myself, Jeff [Green] and Roy [Hibbert],” senior forward Brandon Bowman said. “That can pose a problem for anyone if we use it correctly during the game. We just plan on playing long, having our hands up all the time and being active on defense. We can disturb a lot of their passes, and if we close out at the right angles we can disturb a lot of their shots.”
Perhaps the biggest thing the Hoyas have, however, is the memory of disappointment. Struggling down the stretch last season, they lost their last five regular season games, which knocked them out of contention for an NCAA tournament berth.
“It left a bad taste in our mouth and we didn’t want to go that route again this year,” sophomore guard Jonathan Wallace said. “I know the guys are pretty happy with what we’ve done so far, but at the same time I know they aren’t satisfied with the point we’ve reached so far. We have to stay hungry to reach that ultimate goal.”
Tipoff for Sunday is slated at approximately 4:50 p.m., 30 minutes after the conclusion of the George Mason-North Carolina game.
