Win over Connecticut would be a large boost for reeling Georgetown
For most of the season it appeared that Georgetown’s schedule — the most difficult in the country by any strength-of-schedule measurement — would be its ticket to as high as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.
But as the Hoyas enter the Big East tournament having lost four of their final five games — the last two without injured senior point guard Chris Wright — that schedule has turned into the saving grace that will keep them in Big Dance no matter what happens to them at Madison Square Garden.
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“No, they’re in,” reassured Jerry Palm, who runs the Web site CollegeRPI.com and projects the NCAA bracket for CBSSports.com.
Palm is confident the Hoyas (21-9, 10-8 Big East) don’t have a berth in the NCAAs at stake even if they lose in their conference tournament opener against Connecticut (22-9) on Wednesday. But despite a lack of any significant non-conference losses, a winning record in the Big East and playing in a conference that expects a record 10 or 11 NCAA bids, Georgetown’s backslide of four losses in five games already has taken a significant toll.
| Big East Tournament |
| UConn vs. Georgetown |
| When » Wednesday, noon |
| Where » Madison Square Garden, New York |
| TV » ESPN |
Projections by Palm and ESPN.?com both have the Hoyas slated to receive a No. 6 seed when the field is announced Sunday. The Huskies own a No. 5 seed in each of those predictions, which gives Georgetown a chance in the Big East tournament to not only snap its current skid, but also make a late improvement to its resume.
“I think Austin Freeman will step up for his team and try to lead them to a victory,” Connecticut guard Kemba Walker said after scoring a game-high 26 points in Connecticut’s 97-71 opening round win over DePaul on Tuesday.
Ironically, it was Walker, a fellow first team All-Big East selection along with Freeman, who helped start Georgetown’s late-season swoon, scoring 31 points against the Hoyas in a 78-70 win on Feb. 16.
“They put the ball in Kemba’s hands and let him make plays,” Hoyas coach John Thompson III said after that game. “Our defense was horrible.”
Wright, who led the Hoyas with 19 points that night, but struggled to keep up with Walker, tweeted Tuesday morning, “I want to play.”
Although there’s little chance that will happen in New York, if Wright’s broken left hand heals in time he should still have the chance in one last NCAA tournament.
