Washington, D.C. (Sports Network) - With the postseason rapidly approaching, a
pair of Big East Conference teams hoping to improve their prospects meet in
the nation's capital this morning, as the South Florida Bulls take on the
14th-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.
USF comes in at 13-9 on the year, but the Bulls have charged hard through the
bulk of its conference slate, logging a solid 6-3 mark thus far. The team has
won four of its last five games, including an 81-78 decision at home over
Providence last Sunday. That said, the Bulls have been an entirely different
team in Tampa (11-1) than they've been on the road (2-6, 2-8 when you add in a
pair of neutral-site affairs). They have split their last four road bouts
though, so there is some reason for optimism today.
Georgetown has won 17 of its first 21 games this season, and the team is 7-3
against Big East competition. The Hoyas have won four of their last five as
well, with their most recent victory coming in a 58-44 defensive battle
against visiting Connecticut on Wednesday. Like USF, Georgetown has been
dominant at home, sporting an 11-1 mark to this point, and the club has won
two straight in D.C. following a 68-64 setback versus Cincinnati on January 9.
Georgetown has won seven of the previous 10 meetings in the all-time series
with South Florida, which includes a 61-55 decision in the Sunshine State last
season.
USF had five players score in double figures in the recent win over
Providence, and the Bulls needed every point they could muster. Anthony
Collins and Hugh Robertson scored 15 points apiece to pace the home team,
which got 14 points from Ron Anderson, Jr., 13 from Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and 11
from Augustus Gilchrist. As a team, South Florida shot 50.9 percent from the
field and hit 6-of-13 three-point attempts along the way. Both teams took
exceptional care of the basketball, combining for only 13 turnovers. Gilchrist
(10.7 ppg) is the only active player averaging double digits in the scoring
column, and he is the only current starter netting more than 8.7 ppg. As a
team, the Bulls are putting up just 62.1 ppg on 44.2 percent field goal
efficiency and 70.7 percent from the foul line, while at the same time
allowing a mere 59.0 ppg on typical shooting outputs of 40.7 percent overall
and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. A +3.2 rebounding margin also helps the
cause.
Hollis Thompson scored 18 points as one of three Hoyas to reach double figures
in the recent win over UConn, as the home team made just 21 baskets in the
game, but permitted the visitors a paltry 18. Thompson added nine rebounds to
his solid stat line, while Henry Sims tallied 13 points despite committing
seven of GU's 15 turnovers, and Jason Clark chipped in with 11 points and five
boards. The Hoyas scored 11 points at the free-throw line compared to just six
for the Huskies, who were simply horrific in going 2-of-20 from beyond the
arc. Clark (15.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 39 steals), Thompson (14.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and
Sims (11.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 34 blocks) have been the most consistent
performers for Georgetown this season, but guys like Otto Porter (8.2 ppg, 6.8
rpg) and Markel Starks (8.0 ppg) have provided additional support when called
upon. Like their counterpart today, and as evidenced in the recent win over
UConn, the Hoyas have played exceptional defense this season in allowing just
59.2 ppg behind shooting efforts that come in at 39.4 percent overall and 27.9
percent from downtown. Offensively, the team nets 70.8 ppg in hitting 46.9
percent of its total shots and 36.2 percent of its three-point launches. Add
favorable margins in both rebounding (+4.8) and turnovers (+1.4), and it's
easy to see why the team is having such a successful season.
The Sports Network