Following a devastating loss at St. John’s on Sunday, the UConn men’s basketball team (18-9, 10-6 Big East) host conference rival Georgetown (16-11, 7-9 Big East) at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. on Wednesday night.
The major headline of this game is Georgetown center Thomas Sorber. The freshman from Trenton, N.J. has emerged as one of the best freshmen in college basketball, averaging 14.5 points per game. UConn did an excellent job containing Sorber, holding him to nine points on a 3-9 shooting.
The Huskies won’t have to worry about the Hoyas’ big man in the rematch from Jan. 11’s game in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday morning, the program announced that Sorber suffered a left foot injury on Saturday that required surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
This was heartbreaking news for the potential Big East Freshman of the Year, as the Hoyas reached 16 wins for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Georgetown will have to rely on their backcourt to get the job done. Micah Peavy earned the Big East Player of the Week award in my latest Big East Baller Update. He averaged 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and five steals in two games last week while shooting 61.5% from deep. In a blowout win over Providence, the Texas native became the first Division I player to finish a game with 30 points (career-high), seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals since 2014. He leads the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game.
In the three-guard backcourt, Jayden Epps and Malik Mack also produce double-figure averages. Mack, who spent his first season at Harvard, leads the team in assists per game (4.5). Epps is coming off a 22-point outing on Sunday. Georgetown has had someone score at least 21 points in each of the last five games.
With Sorber out for the year, expect Drew Fielder to slide into the center position in the starting lineup. In his second season with the Hoyas, the 6-foot-11 sophomore averages seven points per game and has started all 26 games. However, his role will increase.
Who will replace Sorber in the starting lineup? Head Coach Ed Cooley may turn to Kentucky transfer Jordan Burks. Burks started in Georgetown’s loss at Creighton on Sunday and will serve as a true power forward for the Hoyas. The sophomore from Decatur, Ala. averages 4.4 points per game and shoots 57% from the field.
A key player off the bench for Georgetown could be Curtis Williams Jr. The sophomore from Detroit, Mich. tallied 15 points on 4-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-4 free-throw shooting performance.
UConn’s offense has hit a low point, ranking in the 25th percentile in offensive rating for the last five minutes. The true shooting has been poor, down to 51.3% in the last five games (11th percentile).
Alex Karaban led the Huskies in scoring with 17 points at Madison Square Garden, with most coming in the second half. He drilled three 3-pointers in a row before St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino called timeout.
The last time Karaban hit three or more 3-pointers in a game was during the first meeting against Georgetown, where he scored 19 points including four made 3-pointers. The Huskies’ eight-point win was without Liam McNeeley, who was named the Big East Freshman of the Week on Monday.
Connecticut holds a nine-game winning streak against the Hoyas. Georgetown’s most recent win was on Jan. 14, 2017. The last time UConn dropped a game against Georgetown at home was Feb. 27, 2013. UConn holds a 39-36 lead in the all-time series dating back to the 1958-59 season.
Cooley has faced UConn 14 times in his career, including his time at Providence. He is 4-10 against the Huskies but holds an 8-7 record against UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley.
The 76th edition of the UConn-Georgetown rivalry will tip off at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.