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One Big East giant will fall tonight as No. 20 Marquette and No. 9 Georgetown face off. The Golden Eagles enter the game 12-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while the Hoyas are 12-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big East. An undefeated conference record will be shattered in what is bound to be a thriller.
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
When: Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN U
Listen: 540 ESPN
Betting Line: Georgetown -5, according to OddsShark.com
What’s At Stake?
Early in the Big East schedule, a loss wouldn’t devastate either side, but every game counts towards the all-important seeding in the long conference tournament. Being ranked so high at No. 9, if Georgetown keeps winning, they can push for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Marquette would love to just stick in the Top 25.
What They’re Saying
According to Howard Fendrich of the Washington Examiner, Georgetown guard Jason Clark talked about his squad’s rise up the rankings after being left out of the Top 25 to begin the year.
We did feel disrespected as a team, with people saying we wouldn't win a lot of games. It's definitely nice to get the recognition because coming into the season nobody thought we were going to be anything.
After losing to Vanderbilt, Marquette bounced back with a win over Villanova. Golden Eagle head coach Buzz Williams praised his team and Darius Johnson-Odom, their leading scorer, saying (via CBS Sports):
I was extremely pleased with how they responded with Darius being at the top of the list. I think he played really well offensively because he played extremely hard. He played for other guys on our team. The ball never stuck in his hands. And I thought he was as good as he's been in a long, long time defensively.
Marquette Player to Watch
While Johnson-Odom may be the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer, overall, Jae Crowder is their most productive player. The 6’6”, 225-pound forward is averaging 16.6 points a game and leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 boards per.
Georgetown Player to Watch
Hollis Thompson can shoot the three, and at 6’8”, you better play him tight, because a late close-out does no good. The Georgetown junior is averaging 13.7 points a contest and an insane 47.1 percent from beyond the arc. He also is second on the team in rebounding, snatching 5.8 a game.
Key Matchup
Darius Johnson-Odom vs. Jason Clark
Darius Johnson-Odom can’t have a down-scoring night if Marquette wants to upset Georgetown. He is averaging 17.9 points a game and is shooting an impressive 39.7 percent from downtown. Jason Clark is averaging 15.1, but he also has more talent around him.
If Clark can outscore DJO, then let’s just say Georgetown will cover the spread.
Prediction
The Hoyas are smoking right now. Their only loss to the season was a four-pointer to Kansas that happened in November. Georgetown has won 10-straight games, which includes victories over Louisville, Alabama and Memphis twice.
At home, their streak won’t stop.
Georgetown 70-65
David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.
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