LEFT: Georgetown Hoyas host the Creighton Bluejays on Wednesday to start BIG EAST play

Your Georgetown Hoyas (8-2) host the Creighton Bluejays (7-4) at Capital One Arena this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Tom McCarthy, Steve Lappas and Georgetown alumnus Roy Hibbert on the call. The game will also be broadcast locally on Team 980 and on the SiriusXM app, with Rich Chvotkin providing commentary for his 51st season.

The Hoyas are coming off a 75-71 win over Syracuse and will look to build on a unique defensive performance. Offensively, aside from Jayden Epps, Georgetown didn’t look great at JMA Wireless Arena and will need to find better shooters if they want to outdo the Bluejays’ traditionally fast-paced long-range shots.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but Georgetown has not beaten a conference opponent named DePaul since its win over Butler (68-62) on February 19, 2023. 48, in the BIG EAST Tournament on March 13, 2021. (Edited 12/18 to correct Butler win.)

Creighton enters the game with a 7-4 record against a non-conference schedule that features several top-25 teams. The Jays defeated #14 Purdue to open the season and #1 Kansas two weeks ago, but lost to Nebraska (home), San Diego State (Las Vegas), #29 Texas A&M (LV) and #7 Alabama (away). on Saturday.

Ryan Kalkbrenner (17.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.5 bpg, .720 FG%) leads the Bluejays. Kalkbrenner, a three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, was also named BIG EAST and National Player of the Week on November 11th.

Senior point guard Steven Ashworth (16.3 ppg, 6.2 apg) returns, along with Arizona State transfer Jamiya Neal (10.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.5 apg) on ​​the wing. However, Texas Tech transfer Pop Isaacs (16.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), who scored 27 points against Kansas, will miss the remainder of the season due to hip surgery.

Creighton is a familiar scene for Greg McDermott’s sniper teams. He is averaging 77.7 points per game and shooting 47.0% from the field, 33.3% from three-point range and 79.4% from the free throw line.

Georgetown will probably have to keep Creighton under 70 points to have a chance, but they can’t forget to score themselves. The Hoyas need Malik Mack and Micah Peavy to hit some threes if they want to take a lead late in the game.

Here are the links:

The surging Hoyas face their first Big East test against Creighton | FLM

Over the last three seasons, the Hoyas have lost to the Blue Jays six straight times, with each loss coming by double digits.

But Georgetown is off to its best start since 2017-18 and is planning on a turnaround season.

Leading the Hoyas’ resurgence were Thomas Sorber and Jayden Epps, who tied for the team lead with 15.5 points per game.

Epps was brilliant against Syracuse, hitting 11 of 15 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, on his way to 27 points.

After the win over the Orange, Cooley was more interested in talking about Epps’ defense.

“His defensive development is almost like he’s a new player,” Cooley said.

Georgetown hosts Creighton to open BIG EAST Play | GUHoyas

Epps and Sorber lead the team with an average of 15.5 points per game. Peavy (13.4) and Malik Mack (12.3) round out the Hoyas, averaging double figures. All four are among the top 30 points in the BIG EAST.

Sorber leads the team on the glass with 8.2 RPG, second in the league, followed by Drew Fielder with 5.6 RPG and Mack (4.5 RPG).

Mack is on pace offensively with 4.3 apg and ranks 10th in the league in helpers.

Peavy ranks eighth nationally and leads the BIG EAST in steals per game while receiving 2.80 pockets per game.

Defensively, the team ranks second in the league and 29th nationally in steals per game (9.7). The Hoyas force their opponents to commit 15.60 turnovers per game, which ranks second in the conference.

Sorber has three double-doubles, ranking him third in the league.

Men’s Basketball Opens BIG EAST Play in Georgetown | Go to Creighton

Creighton is 16-9 all-time against Georgetown and has won 13 of the last 16 meetings in the series… Creighton is 6-5 all-time against the Hoyas in Washington, DC, including four straight double-digit wins. .. Each of the last nine Bluejay victories and each of the last eight series meetings, regardless of the winner, has been decided by double digits…

Greg McDermott is 15-10 all-time against Georgetown (15-9 as Creighton coach). McDermott has a 12-13 career record against Ed Cooley, including 2-0 since Cooley committed to Georgetown.

Cooley is 13-13 in his career against Creighton, having lost a CIT game as head coach at Fairfield in addition to his 13-10 mark leading the Friars vs. CU. Cooley is 0-2 against Creighton as Georgetown coach.

Men’s Basketball Drops Non-Conference Finals to No. 7 Alabama | Go to Creighton

Kalkbrenner had 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks at halftime, while Ashworth had nine points over all 20 minutes of play. Alabama held an eight-point lead over Labaron Philon in the first half as the Crimson Tide limited their shooting to 38.5 percent after missing 13 of their final 14 attempts before halftime.

Alabama needed just 46 seconds to score the first five points of the second half and push the lead back into double digits at 42-31. CU used an 8-2 lead to cut the deficit to six at 53-47 with 11:24 to play.

A three-ball by Ashworth brought the Jays within seven minutes to 70-63 with 3:38 to play, and CU cut the deficit to six on three-balls by Neal (72-66) and Jackson McAndrew (77-71) twice in the game’s final three minutes. CU had a chance to get within three points after a defensive stop with about a minute left, but then missed a clear look from downtown and was forced to foul.