NCAAB: TOP 20 BATTLE IN NATION’S CAPITAL
Saturday marks the start of the “Road to the Final Four” as CBS tips-off its season of coverage with a showdown in the nation’s capitol between #17 Memphis and #19 Georgetown.
Tip-off is set for 2 pm ET and you can get the latest odds here.
Both teams were forced to reload the cupboard this season after several stars left for the riches of the NBA. However, both are still on solid footing, so Saturday’s game should be a good one.
Memphis (5-1, 4-2 ATS) looks to continue to build its pre-conference resume taking on Georgetown. The Tigers have missed Derrick Rose at the point (who wouldn’t?) and are trying to work in freshman Wesley Witherspoon, who was handed the keys to the Tigers offense.
Coach John Calipari tried to use Antonio Anderson; however he’s better suited as an off-the-ball wing that can rebound and play reckless defense. It is evident this is not a good shooting team behind 17-feet. These Tigers play best when running, shooting and crashing the boards. Memphis had final exams and is 8-2 ATS when playing with seven or more days rest.
Georgetown (6-1, 2-2 ATS) may lack the veteran leadership of last season, but something could be cookin’ in Hoya country with talented freshmen Greg Monroe and Jason Clark, as well as sophomore Chris Wright, supplementing holdovers Jessie Sapp and DaJuan Summers.
Coach John Thompson III wants to win this game as a great tune-up before the Big East wars start. Thompson knows what he will receive from Sapp and has to keep prodding Summers to be more diversified, by grabbing rebounds and not settling for jump shots.
The Hoyas need to control the tempo at a slower pace, since they are 5-17 ATS in home games when they allow 67 to 74 points in a game.
Georgetown is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in home games vs. top caliber teams – outscoring their opponents by 12+ points/game since 1997. The average score was GEORGETOWN 68.4, OPPONENT 71.2.
The Tigers beat a much better Hoyas’ team a year ago in December by 14 at home. The Tigers’ dropoff hasn’t been near as dramatic as Georgetown, even with huge personnel losses. This is two different level teams at this point. I don’t think oddsmakers will account for it with Georgetown playing at home.
