So here it is. “The Gauntlet.” Eight ranked teams, ten games. One triple steel cage. Ok, scratch the triple steel cage. Still, what better way to start off the daunting stretch than against the Orange’s most bitter rivals? Wednesday night’s game at the Verizon Center has been circled in thick red marker on fans’ calendars since the conference schedule was released back in September. While they beat UConn at Storrs, they haven’t exactly taken care of business at home themselves, losing to Notre Dame and Pitt.

Last year, the shorthanded Orange let the Hoyas come back from a late deficit and didn’t have the gas to pull it out in overtime, as a Jonny Flynn three point attempt at the buzzer rattled off the rim. Going back further, the ‘Cuse have won eight of the last ten matchups and Georgetown hasn’t won consecutive games since the 2001-2002 season. History is clearly on SU’s side.

As for matchups, the Hoyas have four starters who are averaging double figures in scoring, but they don’t make a living beyond the arc, so I expect Syracuse to stay in the zone for the majority of the game. Playing the zone will give the Orange a greater chance of containing highly-touted freshman Greg Monroe while limiting an average perimeter attack. It will also expose the Hoyas’ rebounding shortcomings, which are as laughable as Craig Esherick’s mustache.

Monroe absolutely demolished Providence’s zone in the second half of Saturday’s game against the Friars. After making just one basket in the first half, he nearly posted a triple double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals. Monroe may be skilled, but he’s also very young, and Arinze Onuaku undoubtedly has some lessons to teach.

The ‘Cuse has stayed out of foul trouble all season, and they’ll have to continue that trend, because Georgetown will make you pay from the charity stripe if given th opportunity. The Hoyas are third in the Big East in free throw percentage with a 73% clip, compared to SU’s, shall I say, modest, 64% rate. Syracuse has an unquestionable size advantage inside, but it must use it the right way to stay ahead of the curve.

Finally, like the Orange experienced earlier in the season, Georgetown has struggled in the early going of its last three games, getting outscored in the first half by a combined 17 points, so a hot start for the Orange could go a long way.

Fun Fact of the Day:

Georgetown is currently ranked 13th in the AP poll. The last #13 to suffer a defeat at the hands of the Orange? The Hoyas, back on January 30th, 1995. Suck one, Iverson.

Plaid Suit Boeheim Alert:

At 5:00 pm Eastern time, ESPN Classic will air a January 1985 matchup between the Hoyas and Orangemen. I’m not going to give the outcome away, but would I post this if SU didn’t come out on top? Think about it.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 12:38 am by Brian G. . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.