GAME THREAD: No. 20 Providence at Georgetown

Game 30: No. 20 Providence Friars (20-8, 12-5) at Georgetown Hoyas (7-22, 2-16)

When: Sunday 12:30 PM

Where: Capital One Arena

TV: FOX (Tim Brando and Donny Marshall)

Radio: 99.1, Sirius XM 386 (Rich Chvotkin - 49th season)

Series: Georgetown leads the series 47-33

Last Meeting: Providence won the first meeting this season, 74-62 on Feb. 8. The Friars have won the last three in this series

Hoyas Quick Look:
KenPom: 208 - Offense (174), Defense (222)
Best 2 Wins: Butler (118), DePaul (151)
Worst Loss: American (287)
KenPom Projected Record: 7-24 (2-18)
Net Ranking: 220
Last 5: LWLLL

Friars Quick Look:
KenPom: 29 - Offense (19), Defense (77)
Best 2 Wins: UConn (5), Marquette (11)
Worst Loss: St. Louis (103)
KenPom Projected Record: 22-9 (14-6)
Net Ranking: 40
Last 5: LWWLW

KenPom Game Prediction: Providence 80, Georgetown 70 (81%)

Line: Georgetown +7, o/u 149 (started at 8.5)

We’ve made it to the final home game of the season as the Hoyas host the 20th-ranked Friars in a rare Sunday afternoon affair from Capital One Arena.

Georgetown will be honoring four seniors on Sunday in Bryson Mozone, Malcolm Wilson, Qudus Wahab and Akok Akok. Mozone, the grad transfer from USC Upstate, is the only one of the group that will see his NCAA eligibility end this season. The other three - Wilson, Wahab and Akok - could be returning to the Hoyas or playing elsewhere in 2023-24. They could also move on into the post-college portion of their lives. It’s all TBD.

So as another historically bad season winds down for Georgetown, the question must be asked: What’s really at stake against No. 20 Providence?

Well, I’ll tell you.

With a win on Sunday afternoon the Hoyas can:

(1) Send their seniors out on a winning note at home.

That’s always fun. Georgetown last did so with fans in attendance back in 2019.

(2) Avoid setting a program record for most home losses in a season.

Georgetown is 5-11 at home. The record for most home losses in a season was set just last year when the Hoyas finished 6-11.

(3) Avoid matching a program record for losses in a season.

Georgetown is currently 7-22 with two games left in the regular season plus the BET. The Hoyas set the program record for most losses in a season just last year when they finished 6-25. Remember they had a game against Xavier canceled which is why they can still hit the 25 loss mark even with one more win. Of course Georgetown could also avoid hitting the 25 loss mark by winning their final regular season game at No. 19 Creighton on March 1st. And if you want to get really, really technical about it, yes, Georgetown could avoid a 25th loss this season even if they lose both of their remaining regular season games. They’d just have to win the BET and the NCAAT to avoid loss No. 25. So, yeah. Best bet is to win at home against the Friars, even though it’s a tall order as it’s far more likely than the other two scenarios.

BET SEEDING

With Georgetown virtually locked into the 11th seed, the only remaining suspense for the Hoyas is whether they will face Seton Hall or surging Villanova in the opening round of the Big East Tournament.

Both the Pirates and Wildcats are tied for the 6 seed at the moment at 9-9 with the two squaring off on Tuesday. Villanova won the first meeting earlier in the season at home and would clinch the spot by earning the series sweep in Newark. Seton Hall’s path to the six seed includes winning the rematch on Tuesday and then each school having the same result on the final day of the regular season.

OK that’s all I got everybody. Please go ahead and leave your comments below!