The Georgetown men’s basketball team (13-10, 3-9 Big East) look for a return to winning ways when they take on Seton Hall (17-7, 6-5 Big East) Saturday afternoon at the Capital One Arena. The Hoyas have lost four games in a row, most recently a heartbreaking 73-69 loss to Providence (16-8, 7-4 Big East) on Tuesday in Rhode Island. Meanwhile, the Pirates seek to stop a two-game slide, with their most recent loss coming to Marquette (14-10, 5-7 Big East), 88-85.
Junior center Jessie Govan scored 27 points to lead Georgetown’s scoring against Providence, but no other Hoyas reached double-figures for the game. Junior forward Marcus Derrickson added nine points and nine rebounds but fouled out with just over three minutes left, setting the stage for a Providence comeback.
“It’s a learning experience but at some point you have to learn,” Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing said. “We can’t keep letting games slip away from us. It was a hard-fought game. Both teams played hard. I’m disappointed we didn’t win but you can’t take anything away from them.”
The Hoyas looked to be in control against the Friars, taking a 67-62 lead with 2:24 left on two free throws by freshman forward Jamorko Pickett. However, Providence would finish the game on an 11-2 run, capitalizing on poor offensive execution and defensive lapses by Georgetown, tying the game on two free throws with 28 seconds left and surging ahead after a Govan foul put them back at the line, with under five seconds left. The turnover margin doomed Georgetown once more, as the Hoyas committed 16 and forced just nine.
Seton Hall is led by senior forward Desi Rodriguez, who averages 17.6 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38 percent from the three-point line. Senior forward Angel Delgado dominates the paint, averaging a double-double with 13.3 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game. During the Pirates’ first matchup with the Hoyas on January 13th, a 74-61 victory for the Pirates, Rodriguez scored 19 points while Delgado notched a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Seton Hall is 30th in the nation by adjusted efficiency margin, according to KenPom.com.
Derrickson contributed a double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first matchup against Seton Hall, but the Hoyas struggled to get offensive production from others, shooting just 36 percent from the field, overall. Govan was limited to 11 points and shot just 5-16 from the field, and the Hoyas received just four points from their bench. Georgetown will need more production from their stars and their reserves if they hope to stop their losing skid.
Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. Follow @GUVoiceSports for game day updates and breaking news.
