During the Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green era, the Hoyas played plenty of big games. Every game in their Final Four run, of course, was huge, but even for regular season matchups, screaming fans consistently packed the Verizon Center thanks to the constant position at the top of the conference standings. Unfortunately, I was not a Georgetown fan during those days.
In the three seasons I have been a fan, the Hoyas have had their fair share of important games. Last season’s game against Duke had it all—a hated villain, a talented Hoya team, and Barack Obama and Joe Biden sitting courtside. There was also the Snowpocalypse victory over Villanova, an overtime win against Memphis, and the always intense meetings with Syracuse. And those are just the home games—the Hoyas had a thrilling win in Missouri earlier this year and a beatdown of Butler at Madison Square Garden last season. But no game I have seen, including these, has measured up to those in past years.
Saturday’s matchup against Syracuse will change that. The game against the Orange will be the biggest game of the regular season since the 2007-2008 season. The meeting—between two of the bitterest rivals in the Big East—has huge playoff implications, marks the first meaningful Senior Day since 2008, and will be played in a Grayed-Out Verizon Center.
The Hoyas are currently tied for fifth place in the Big East with Syracuse. The team is looking to finish in the top four of the conference and secure an all-important double bye in the Big East Tournament, which would automatically put the Hoyas in the quarterfinals. Although Chris Wright’s injury has dealt a serious blow to their chances of getting one, the Hoyas still realize the importance of it.
This year, getting two automatic wins in the Big East is like running into the lion’s den and coming out perfectly unscathed—it just doesn’t happen. And, by being guaranteed to play a maximum of three games, the Hoyas should be well-rested for the real tournament—playing four games in four days last year didn’t lead to anything good in the Big Dance.
If Georgetown beats Syracuse, they will be on their way to getting a double-bye. They would then have to beat Cincinnati in the final game of the season and hope two of the four following teams win out: Louisville, St. John’s, West Virginia, and Connecticut. But if they lose against Syracuse, they can kiss a top four finish good-bye and would be in the middle of a fight just to finish in the top eight.
Georgetown hasn’t been near the top of the league this late in the season since 2008, when they won the Big East regular season title. Last year the Hoyas were clamoring to stay in the top half of the conference, and the year before that, the squad was in a freefall destined for the NIT. This Saturday will be the closest fans will get to postseason basketball in the Verizon Center, and it’s been a while since anyone could say that.
Besides the major postseason implications, four seniors will be honored before tipoff. Austin Freeman, Julian Vaughn, and walk-on Ryan Dougherty will all play their final home game in a Georgetown uniform. Sadly, Wright likely played his on Wednesday night. This is the first time Hoya fans will get to say goodbye to such a large and decorated group since Hibbert and his classmates left. Last year there was no senior day—there were no seniors. The previous year guard Jessie Sapp was honored, but a small student turnout thanks to Spring Break and the Hoyas late season struggles dampened the celebration.
The fact that the arena will mostly be gray-clad will only intensify the ceremony. It will be even more emotional when Wright likely doesn’t suit up. Fans will attempt to repay the seniors for all the excitement they have provided with their play and hard work in the Verizon Center. It will be impossible for the players not to feed off the love shown from the Hoya faithful and use it to crush the Orange for a second time this season—something they haven’t done since 2002.
If there is one game to go to in the last three years, this is certainly it. It will be “the” event on Saturday in college basketball and in the D.C. sports scene. Don’t miss it. There may not be another one like it for years.
