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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Marquette Men’s Basketball: Three keys, players to watch against Georgetown

Keys to the game

1. Defensive focus: Georgetown’s Princeton offense involves constant cutting, screens and backdoor passes. With some of the best passing big men in the country, all five Marquette defenders will need to be on their toes the entire 35 seconds. In their 73-70 victory on Jan. 4, the Hoyas produced 18 assists on 27 made baskets. Center Henry Sims, the team’s leader in assists, dished out five helpers.

With so many passes on a given possession — and no true point guard — the Hoyas are vulnerable to turn the ball over. Marquette has feasted on opponents’ turnovers and will need to do so to score easy buckets against a stifling Georgetown defense. This will be no easy task, as the Hoyas have an array of shooters, post players and ball handlers to create one of the most balanced offenses in the country.

2. Senior play: Marquette has ridden seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder all year and could very well do so late into March, but there is added incentive on Saturday. Buzz Williams has lost his last three Senior Day games, and one could argue this year’s senior class has been more valuable than any senior class under Williams.

Both Crowder (17 points, eight rebounds) and Johnson-Odom (18 points, four 3-pointers) had solid nights in the crushing loss to the Hoyas, but a dominating performance would be a fitting way for the duo to leave the Bradley Center.

3. Take good shots: This would seem obvious against any opponent, but it’s worth noting even further against the Hoyas. Georgetown has been the most efficient defensive team in the Big East this year, and its man-to-man defense has been a nightmare for opponents. On Monday, Notre Dame shot 33 percent from the field and scored just 41 points against the Hoyas defense.

Marquette was able to score 70 points in the January loss, but the Hoyas’ defense is surging right now, and Marquette will need to find open looks and not force anything.

Players to watch

1. Jason Clark: The senior leader had a huge night against the Marquette defense in the first matchup, scoring 18 of his 26 points in the second half comeback. He is the point guard by default but is better on the wing and attacking the basket. He has made almost 49 percent of his shots on the year, has averaged 1.5 3-pointers per game and is seventh in the Big East in steals (1.7 per game). Clark also ranks in the top 20 in points per game (14.5). Like Jae Crowder, Clark does a little bit of everything for the Hoyas.

2. Henry Sims: There may not be a better passing big man in the country, but Sims can do much more than find open cutters from the elbow. The 6-foot-10 center is averaging 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds on the year. He was efficient against the Golden Eagles in January, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting and added two steals and two blocks in the win.

There is hope sophomore forward Davante Gardner can log a handful of minutes against the Hoyas, but sophomore forward Jamil Wilson is the better fit to guard Sims, who plays at the free throw line as much as he does in the post. Wilson started over a healthy Gardner in the first matchup, and his versatility and length will be a key factor in shutting down Sims.

3. Hollis Thompson: Marquette fans will remember Thompson for his game-winning 3-pointer back in January, but he has struggled lately. In his last three games, Thompson has averaged 7.6 points on 33 percent shooting but has contributed with 7.0 rebounds per game in his last six contests. He is a tough matchup as a 6-foot-8 shooter, and sophomore guard Vander Blue likely will draw the defensive assignment. Despite his struggles, Thompson leads the Big East in three-point percentage (45.1 percent) and keeping him from heating up on the perimeter will be important.

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