The countdown to the Big East tournament is on with three games left to play.
Before the tournament, The UConn men’s basketball team will carry the momentum from their electric win over No. 8 Villanova University to the nation’s capital, where they play Georgetown University on Sunday.
This is the second matchup between the two historic Big East rivals. The Huskies took the first matchup by a wide margin in Storrs, where they crushed the Hoyas 96-73.
This season, it’s been more of the same result for Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas. The team has struggled to stay competitive in a difficult Big East conference. The Hoyas still search for their first win in conference play, as of Thursday. A win over a strong Huskies lineup would be a major glimpse of hope for the struggling Hoyas.
The team has clung to their guard duo of senior Donald Carey and freshman Aminu Mohammad. Carey, who averages 14 points per game on a solid 61 TS%, has been the leading scorer for the Hoyas this season and provides a solid path of offense. He’s definitely someone that opponents must respect on offense.
Then there’s Mohammad. The Big East freshman averages 13.8 points per game and is the favorite by many for the coveted Big East Rookie of the Year award. Mohammad has been one of the few bright spots for Georgetown and he’s sure to be a continuous weapon on offense for years to come.
Other than the team’s offense, the Hoyas aren’t in great shape. The team has ranked in the bottom half of all of college basketball in defensive efficiency at 106.3. Georgetown runs a fast tempo of basketball, looking to prioritize quick buckets over waiting for the right shot. The team ranks at 27 in all of college basketball for adjusted efficiency.
Despite all of the problems for the Hoyas, their biggest hole lies in the frontcourt. The team has struggled to maintain an effective frontcourt throughout the season. When you’re playing a UConn lineup with one of the most dangerous big men in the conference in Adama Sanogo, that’s a recipe for disaster. To put into perspective of how poor Georgetown’s frontcourt has been this season, UConn’s big man duo of graduate Isaiah Whaley and Sanogo were able to combine for a dangerous 34 points in the team’s previous matchup against the Hoyas.
UConn is certainly looking for plenty of points out of Sanogo in Sunday’s matchup, especially after the sophomore’s 20-point performance against Villanova. Sanogo will look to help his team grab their fifth straight win in the Big East competition.
It’s sure to be another great matchup for UConn, who needs to play with confidence as they head toward the end of their season and the exciting Big East tournament. The game will tip off at noon on CBS.
