Previewing The Hoyas

#11 NC State vs. #3 Georgetown

Sunday March 18, 12:15pm – Columbus, OH

CBS – Tim Brando, Mike Giminski

All time series record: NC State leads 4-2

The Pack faces off against the Georgetown Hoyas in the round of 32, after dispatching the Aztecs of San Diego State. Georgetown advanced by handling the Bruins from Belmont, 74-59. Unlike SDSU, who often go with a three or four guard lineup, the Hoyas like to go with only one true guard, thus utilizing their size to disrupt opponents defensively.

Hoyas Backcourt

Jason Clark (#21, Sr, G) leads the Hoyas in scoring (14.1 ppg). Against Belmont, he scored 21 pts on 9/12 shooting (3/5 from 3pt). He averages 48.3% from the floor (32.9% from 3pt). He also pulls down 4.1 rpg.

Markel Starks (#5, So, G) averages 7.2 ppg on 45.9% shooting (36.8% from 3pt).

Hoyas Frontcourt

Hollis Thompson (#1, Jr. F) and Henry Sims (#14, Sr, C) both average double figures in scoring (12.5 ppg and 11.8 ppg respectively). Both also rebound well (5.5 rpg and 6.1 rpg). At 6′ 10”, Sims is also a pretty good shot blocker (1.4 bpg).

Otto Porter (#22, Fr, F) had a big hand in defeating the Bruins, scoring 16 pts on 6/7 shooting (1 of 2 from 3pt), and grabbing 8 rebounds. His season averages are 9.8 ppg (52.8% FG, 22.4% 3FG), and 6.8 rpg.

Nate Lubick (#34, So, F) scores 3.5 ppg and collects 3.8 rpg.

Greg Whittington (#2, Fr, F) comes off the bench with 4.3 ppg and 2.8 rpg. Against Belmont he tallied 7 pts on 3 of 4 shooting (1/1 3pt) and 4 rebounds.

Tendencies

The biggest reason for Georgetown’s success is its defense. The Hoyas finished the season near the top nationally in total team defense holding opponents to less than 60 ppg on 38.7% shooting. They were number one nationally in perimeter defense holding teams to only 26.6% shooting from beyond the arc.

Unlike SDSU, the Hoyas can also match up with us down low with their size. Sims (6’10”, 245), and Lubick (6’8”, 240) take up a lot of space.. Thompson and Porter both go 6’8”, 200+, as does Whittington. They rebound well and can block or alter shots in the paint, Sims especially.

On offense, Georgetown’s biggest perimeter threat is Thompson, who shoots 43.3% from 3pt. Clark is their only other player who attempted more than one hundred threes on the season, hitting 47/143 for 32.9%. Starks (35/95) and Whittington (19/54) each average 35%+ from long range.

In the paint, Sims and Lubick both have the size to bang down low. Sims is capable offensively around the basket, but also gets points off of offensive putbacks, as does Lubick. Neither Thompson nor Porter have that same bulk, but each is a bit quicker and thus more versatile, with a bit more offensive range (especially Thompson).

Prediction

It’s no secret that Georgetown is going to try to do to us what they did to Belmont. Specifically, they’re going to want to keep Scott Wood off balance to limit his ability to square and shoot, and they’re going to try to limit both Howell and Leslie down low both offensively and on the glass.

We’ll need Wood to continue moving and working hard to get good looks, and to pull the trigger quickly when he gets them. Any openings he gets won’t last long. He’s been showing much better effort of late in moving without the ball, and his ability to catch and shoot quickly and effectively has been improving.

Leslie has the athleticism and versatility to win the battle with their bigs most of the time, but Richard Howell will be a question mark. He shot very well against SDSU’s front line, but this isn’t SDSU’s front line. No more mobile than he is down low, don’t expect a repeat performance. If he can at least revert back to his normal form, meaning he gets most of his own misses, I think that’s going to have to be good enough.

Lorenzo Brown will need to have some dribble penetration, finishing himself or dishing in the paint (or back to the perimeter) if he gets doubled. It would take a great deal of pressure off of everyone if Williams, Johnson or Painter could hit some open looks, though Johnson’s size is going to make it difficult for him to get good looks most of the time.

Needless to say (yet again), the Pack will need to stay out of foul trouble.

78-75 in OT, Wolfpack advances

(Alert readers will notice that’s same prediction I made with the SDSU game….hey, it worked last time didn’t it?)

Quick and irrelevant facts

-The last time NC State defeated a #3 seed? 1983 (def UNLV)

-The last time NC State reached the Sweet Sixteen? 2005 (def Defending Champs, #2UConn)

-Georgetown is the oldest Jesuit/Catholic University in the US (founded in 1789)

-What is a Hoya? Sorry, but even after researching it I still don’t know. I can tell you it’s not a bulldog, however. It apparently came to be by way of a student chant from the 19^th century (seriously). It seems the chant combined the greek “hoya”, and the latin “saxa”. Translated literally, it means “What rocks!” (seriously)

-Famous alumni include former President Bill Clinton; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; and People Magazine’s sexiest man alive for 2011, Bradley Cooper.