Teams

Georgetown:
There was some fear coming into the Seton Hall match-up that this was a trap game with the Hoyas coming off a big win and a showdown against arch-rival Villanova on the horizon. Georgetown made sure there was no letdown, as the team stormed out of the gate. Before Seton Hall knew what hit them, the Hoyas were up 14.

When the Hoyas are playing well, it’s easy to overlook the critical role Greg Monroe has of facilitating the offense. But, when Greg was whistled for his fourth foul with 16 minutes still remaining in the game and was forced to sit out, it became clear what a huge part he plays even without scoring. The offense became stagnant, and Georgetown stopped getting the easy looks that helped them build their lead in the first half. Once Greg returned, the offense settled down and Georgetown marched on to victory. It will be key for him to stay out of foul trouble, since he is so instrumental in this system.

Seton Hall:
The Pirates struggled to get into a rhythm early in the game, and they were forced to play catch-up for the rest of the night. They made their biggest headway when their press was in full force. Georgetown had a few careless turnovers, and Seton Hall turned them into easy baskets. But, the Pirates were unable to stop Georgetown in the half court, and without any real scoring from Jeremy Hazell, they were doomed to fail.

Players

Georgetown:
Jason Clark had been struggling offensively the past few games, and against Seton Hall he was given the extra task of trying to contain Hazell, who entered the game averaging over 31 points in Big East play. Clark more than answered the call, stifling Hazell defensively. I think the defensive intensity loosened him up offensively, as he played with much more confidence. It seemed against the Huskies that Jason was afraid to pull the trigger at times. That was not the case last night, as he shot the ball without hesitation, and his two three pointers late in the second half were the nails in the coffin for the Pirates.

Seton Hall:
Jeremy Hazell has been a one-man show this season, single-handedly keeping his side in games. He started this game by hitting a three-pointer to give his side the lead 3-0. However, their lead would be short-lived, and Hazell was pretty much a non-factor after that. The Hoyas ran several different defenders at him, and they always had someone at his heels, not allowing him an open look. It paid off, as without his scoring contribution, the Pirates were unable to get anything going offensively.

Coaches

With about a minute left in the game, and the outcome already certain, Hazell started to help his average by hitting two long range three-pointers. It makes you wonder why he only took 10 shots in the game up to that point. With the range that Hazell has, Coach Bobby Gonzalez should have let him shoot from 35 feet, since it’s much easier to make an longer open shot than a closer contested one.

Referees

The officiating was not terrible in this game. Even Monroe’s fourth foul, which he picked up on the offensive end, was probably legitimate. The one thing that I did notice was the strange decision to make every foul a shooting foul. It seemed as if the referees were playing with the NBA continuation rules in effect, as many fouls that seemed to occur before the player even started his move to the basket were awarded two free throws.

Number of the Game

14: Field goals missed by the Hoyas. Georgetown shot amazingly well on the night, going 30-44 from the field, 68%. That means the Hoyas had two more assists than missed shots. That is incredible.

The Road to Victory

Georgetown now must play three of their next four games on the road, and all against ranked opponents. The Hoyas face #4 Villanova Sunday, then travel to #20 Pittsburgh on Wednesday, and after a weekend match-up against Rutgers must go north to play #5 Syracuse for a Big Monday showdown. If the Hoyas can come out of that stretch without too much damage, they will be ready for whatever March will throw at them.