The Georgetown men’s basketball team (7-2, Big East) takes on Southern Methodist (6-4, AAC) Saturday at Capital One Arena. Tip-off is slated for 12:00 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on FS1.
The Hoyas last played at Syracuse (7-2, ACC) on Saturday, December 8, falling to the Orange 72-71 in heartbreaking fashion. The Hoyas were led by senior center Jessie Govan, who tallied 22 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Freshman guard Mac McClung chipped in 18 for the Hoyas, who squandered a 15-point first-half lead within minutes of starting the second period. The Orange would eventually prevail on a go-ahead, mid-range jumpshot by junior guard Tyus Battle. Hoyas sophomore guard Jahvon Blair attempted a buzzer-beating half-court shot that clanged off the back of the rim, ending the Hoyas’ hopes to steal a major non-conference road victory.
However, the Hoyas are once more in the position to grab a solid non-conference victory, this time against SMU. While the Mustangs do not boast the depth or talent that they have in years past, they bring a high-powered offense, ranked 41st in adjusted efficiency according to KenPom.com. SMU is led by senior guard Jahmal McMurray, a perimeter dynamo who is shooting 42 percent on the season from three point range on nearly nine attempts per game. Sophomore forward Ethan Chargois is the Mustangs’ second-leading scorer, at 13.8 points per game, and leading rebounder at just over seven per contest.
Where SMU is weaker is on defense, where they rank 179th in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Mustangs also play at a much slower pace than the Hoyas, who rank 18th in tempo. SMU, on the other hand, ranks 341st.
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