The Georgetown men’s basketball team (13-9, 3-8 Big East) returns to the hardwood against Providence (15-8, 6-4 Big East) Tuesday evening in Providence, Rhode Island. The Hoyas look to bounce back from a tough overtime loss against then-No. 6 Xavier (21-3, 9-2 Big East), while the Friars seek to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive.
Junior center Jessie Govan scored 23 points to lead the Hoyas’ scoring against the Musketeers, while junior forward Marcus Derrickson posted a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Despite shooting a solid 45 percent from the field and 14-17 from the free throw line, Georgetown did not do enough of the little things to come out with the victory.
“We shared the ball, a lot of guys chipped in and did a lot of good things,” Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing said. “But the outcome did not come out the way we would’ve liked.”
Holding a four-point lead late in regulation, the Hoyas fouled Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett on a made three-pointer, which led to an 86-all tie with 25 seconds left. The Hoyas could not score on the final possession of regulation and subsequently faltered in overtime. Georgetown limited turnovers, a consistent concern of Ewing’s, as they committed just 10 for the game. However, two of the 10 turnovers came at the start of overtime, putting the Blue and Gray behind the eight ball as the Musketeers made a run.
Providence is led by junior forward Rodney Bullock, who averages 15.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field. Senior guard Kyron Cartwright anchors the Friars’ offense, averaging over six assists per game to go along with shooting 41.3 percent from three. The Friars play at a grinding pace relative to the Hoyas, ranking 214th in adjusted tempo, according to KenPom.com.
The Friars most recently prevailed over Marquette (13-10, 4-7 Big East) in a 77-75 thriller. Sophomore guard Alpha Diallo scored 16 points to lead the Friars, who had five players in double figures and committed just ten turnovers. Up by two with six seconds left, Providence went 0-2 at the free throw line, but forced a turnover on Marquette’s ensuing possession to seal the victory.
Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on FS1. Follow @GUVoiceSports for game day updates and breaking news.
