Game Preview: Georgetown at Seton Hall

Game 15: Georgetown Hoyas (10-4) at Seton Hall Pirates (9-4)

When: Friday 9 pm

Where: Prudential Center

Series: Hoyas lead 59-49, Seton Hall won 2 of 3 last season

Last Meeting: Seton Hall 73-57 in the BIG EAST quarterfinals on March 14, 2019 at MSG

TV: FS1 (Brian Custer & Len Elmore)

Radio: The Team 980 (Rich Chvotkin)

KenPom Rankings: Seton Hall 21, Georgetown 46

KenPom Score Prediction: Seton Hall 78, Georgetown 71 (73 percent)

NET Rankings: Seton Hall 28, Georgetown 46

Line: Seton Hall – 6.5, 148 o/u

If there’s one New Year’s Resolution for Georgetown it would be for good health in the coming months.

It all came crashing down for Georgetown in its BIG EAST opener on NYE as the Hoyas quickly went down 14-0 before trailing by as many as 33 in a 76-60 loss at Providence.

Coach Patrick Ewing had rallied the troops to a six-game winning streak despite the loss of four scholarship players in December but the absence of Mac McClung (eye injury) was too much to overcome in a heavy defeat to the league’s most disappointing team so far in the Friars.

McClung is currently a game time decision for tonight’s game as Georgetown looks to avoid an 0-2 start in conference play for the third time in the last four seasons.

Yes, it’s early but an 0-2 starts in conference play haven’t been kind in the past. Georgetown has started 0-2 seven previous times and only once has that season ended in the NCAA Tournament. Oddly enough they did win the league’s top seed in 2013 after a slow start, so it’s possible, just not advisable.

So what needs to improve from the other night? Terrell Allen and Jahvon Blair went a combined 6 for 29 from the field. The shots need to get better and that could start with playing inside out with Omer Yurtseven.

Clearly the Hoyas best offensive weapon with McClung out, Yurtseven never really got going despite going for another double-double on Tuesday. Yurtseven was just six for eight from the field.

New Jersey native Jagan Mosely needs to become more assertive offensively. Mosely took just five shots against Providence although defense will be his biggest contribution against Seton Hall as he tries to limit the second leading scorer in the conference in Myles Powell. Powell was a one man Hoyas wrecking crew last season so anything less than 25 points would be considered a matchup win. Jamorko Pickett needs to be more like the second half player from last game, especially if McClung misses anymore time. It’s time for the junior to get up his shots.

Georgetown has lost four straight games at Seton Hall and five of the six since conference realignment with the lone win coming in 2015.

SCOUTING SETON HALL

Powell is back as Seton Hall hopes to live up to the preseason hype and make the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year under Kevin Willard although the Pirates haven’t been able to get out of the first weekend since 2000.

The Pirates actually picked up their biggest wins of the non-conference season without Powell when they defeated Maryland in a low scoring affair two weeks ago. In on the strangest stats you’ll ever hear, Seton Hall blocked more shots (15) than Maryland made (140).

Speaking of blocked shots – Willard has two bigs he can throw at Hoyas star center Omer Yurtseven in Romaro Gill and Ike Obiagu. Both stand at 7-foot-2 and each had six blocks against the Terps.

Quincy McKnight and Jared Rhoden average 10.9 and 8 points per game respectively.

Prediction: Seton Hall 80, Georgetown 66