Georgetown Basketball

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The second round of Ed Cooley's return to Providence follows Saturday. It's a different scenario that what he found upon his return last season.

A year ago, it was a 13-6 Providence team that was battling through injuries, facing an 8-11 Georgetown team that was already 1-8 in Big East play. The Friars were considerable favorites entering the game, but the Hoyas gave the Friars enough of a competitive game that it muted much of the anti-Cooley vitriol surrounding the game.

Have both sides moved on? Only five players, two from Georgetown and three from PC, were even on their respective rosters last season, and fully half the student body wasn't even at PC when Cooley last coached there. The remainder of the crowd at the former Providence Civic Center will take note to dutifully boo Cooley and the Hoyas, but they are also mindful that it's Georgetown that has the 13-6 record this year, not Providence.

Georgetown's narrow win over Villanova was a defensive triumph as much as any, holding the Wildcats without a point in the final 4:52 of the second half. Offensively, it has averaged just 65.9 points per game in Big East play, about seven less than the Friars. Defensively, Georgetown ranks not only among the Big East's best but 21st nationally in defensive efficiency, and that defense will be challenged by a Providence team which will play with some urgency, having lost five of its last seven and falling under .500 for the first time in January since Ed Cooley's first season at PC in 2012-13.

This a different Providence team than the one that confidently swept the Hoyas in three games last season. In the Jan. 27, 2024 game at the Amica Pavilion, the Friars got a combined 65 points from Devin Carter, Josh Oduro, and Davonte (Ticket) Gaines; none return to the game Saturday. PC's guard play has kept it competitive, led by junior Jayden Pierre. Despite some rough shooting over his past two games (3 for 20), Pierre averages 41 percent from the field, with a season high of 24 versus Connecticut and will be called upon to get points with dribble drives and cross-screen opportunities. Pierre's turnovers can be a problem, but this is a team-wide problem and not unique to him.

Across the court, shooting guard Bensley Joseph shook off a season low two points versus Creighton for a 20 point, seven rebound effort versus Villanova, and can be just as effective feeding players inside as is Pierre. As a team, PC can struggle crating its shot, but Pierre and Joseph gives the Friars as good an opportunity as any to stay competitive from the backcourt. This pair won't get the media attention that guards at Marquette or UConn, but they're a solid pairing and Joseph could be a defensive pest against the Hoyas.

In some ways, the frontcourt for PC has over-contributed following the apparent season ending injury to pre-season All-America candidate Bryce Hopkins, with a rotation of Justin Floyd, Jabri Abdur-Rahim, and Wesley Cardet all seeing minutes in response. Floyd is averaging 14 points per game in his last three starts, Abdur-Rahim is getting spot time off the bench, and Cardet being perhaps the wild card of the trio, having picked up his game in Big East play with a season high 18 versus UConn and arguably its best long range option, but sat out the Villanova game due to injury. None are at Hopkins' level, but each is capable of moving the Friars forward in any one game. Freshman Ryan Mela, with three starts in conference play, also sat out the prior game.

Sophomore Justyn Fernandez gets his second start following a 17 point game versus Villanova last week, but Abdur-Rahim should see more of the time on the floor after halftime. The multiple options on the wings are an advantage the Friars have entering this game, as none of Georgetown's forwards have been particularly consistent this season, particularly on offense, and PC can go deep from the three point line, with 14 threes in its loss to the Wildcats.

Freshman Oswin Erhunmwunse anchors the Friars down low, and being a freshman in the Big East has been a learning experience. At 220 pounds, Erhunmwunse has not been a major option inside but he's a productive rebounder and an underrated shot blocker, which should provide a different test to Georgetown's Thomas Sorber than what Eric Dixon did in Georgetown's game at Villanova on Tuesday. Erhunmwunse's ability to control the boards will be vital to the Friars Saturday, with injuries being a limiting factor to transfer Christ Essandoko, playing just one game since December 20.

As much as anything, this game may come down to tempo. The Friars average 73 points a game in Big East play with just one game under 70 points, while the Hoyas average 65.8 with just one game over 70 and none since its Dec. 28 non-conference game with Coppin State. Georgetown hasn't shown the offense to tear open a game, especially from outside, so it must limit PC from outside and keep the game on or under 70, as they did successfully against Villanova and no-so-successfully against St. John's. Turnovers have come down for both teams over the past two games, but a sloppy game cannot be discounted on either side of the court.

Some other keys to the game:

1. Rebounds: PC leads the Big East on defensive rebounds and that's significant. The Hoyas had a season low 30 versus Villanova and were outrebounded by a net of 11.

2. Ball Control: The Friars are last in the conference in assist to turnover ratio as a result of nearly 14 turnovers per game in Big East play. Georgetown's defense should be a test for PC to maintain its possessions.

3. Drew Fielder: The Hoyas need a stronger showing from Fielder, especially on the offensive end. Outside of his start versus DePaul Fielder is averaging just 3.6 points per a game and had no points in 22 minutes versus Villanova.

Last season's game in Providence came down to the last two minutes and this game could be much of the same. Absent Devin Carter, who steps forward?

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