Game 6: Georgetown Hoyas (2-3) vs Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1)
Series: First Meting
Where/When: Lahaina Civic Center, Wednesday 730PM EST
TV: ESPN2
Line: Hoyas -1
KenPom: Hoyas 83-80, 60 percent
We have to get some guys that understand that it’s not just about points and minutes and care about all aspects of the game. – Coach John Thompson III after Georgetown’s loss to Wisconsin in Maui
JT3 has never been one to specifically call out his players but the above quote is about as close as you are going to get out of him publicly. That’s what getting outrebounded 50-21 and 20-1 on the offensive end will do to a coach.
Who was he talking about? Well he the only player that seemed to find himself planted on the bench more than normal last night was Isaac Copeland who played just 17 scoreless minutes. Jessie Govan was also limited but that probably had more to do about his early foul trouble than effort in all aspects of the game.
The season is still young but tonight’s game could go a long way towards determining the direction of this team. Should Georgetown lose the Hoyas will have their worst record after six games – 2-4 – since starting 1-5 in the 1971-72 season. That was the last season before John Thompson Jr took over the Hoyas.
Looking back to how last season went, and given how Georgetown has already lost to a mid-major this year, 2-4 might be a very difficult hole to climb out of in search of a winning season. They Hoyas come home for three straight games then take off for a neutral site affair with LaSalle followed by a trip to Syracuse.
Getting to know the Cowboys
Oklahoma State is a high scoring team led by Jawun Evans. He’s at nearly 30 points per game and he shoots better than 50 percent from the field and from behind the arc. Phil Forte and Jeffery Carroll can also light it up from anywhere on the court. Right now the only thing that looks certain is that this game will probably hit the over. Brad Underwood did a phenomenal job at Stephen F Austin and he seems to have started off on the right track in the Big 12.
Hoyas
What to Watch:
Will Georgetown compete for an entire game? Unfortunately this a legitimate question one has to ask after watching the loss to Wisconsin. It’s one thing to lose to a good team but it’s another to get historically destroyed in the rebounding department. The good thing is that the players don’t have to wait a week or even a few days for the chance to get this bad taste out of their mouths. It’s also good for those of you watching at your in-law’s house.
Shake it Up: While you’re unlikely to see fire and brimstone from JT3, some changes to the starting lineup would be nice even if it’s just for a few minutes. It’s clear that they effort wasn’t there last night. I don’t think anyone would fault JT3 for making five changes at once should a continuation of last night occur.
Halftime: What in the world is going on at halftime in Maui? That’s two straight games in which the Hoyas come out not ready to play. Again, maybe switch up the lineups after half based on who is playing the best at the end of the game. Change something, anything, because this post halftime mannequin challenge isn’t working.
Reason to be delusional: You’re already in a food coma watching tapes of the 1995 Preseason NIT semifinal win over Marbury and Georgia Tech.
Reason to be cynical: You watched the game last night and know that the only offensive rebound credited to the Hoyas actually was just a missed shot that hit a Wisconsin player and went out of bounds.
Final Thoughts: We need to see something different tonight for a Hoyas win. I don’t think we do.
Cowboys 85, Hoyas 78