The Georgetown Hoyas head to Cincinnati still looking for their first win in the Big East. Will the Hoyas finally get that this weekend via a stunning upset versus the No.8 Xavier Musketeers? The Musketeers destroyed Georgetown last December. Will it be the same story this time around? Check out our preview of this Georgetown vs Xavierin the 2022-23 NCAA basketball season.
Georgetown’s struggles in the Big East continue, with the Hoyas losing their eighth game in a row in conference play after falling prey to the Villanova Wildcats on the road last Monday, 77-73. It really has been that kind of season for Patrick Ewing’s team which has yet to win since the start of 2023. If anything, Georgetown is starting to look better on offense of late, having recorded an effective field goal rate of 58.7 percent in two of its last three games. Guard Primo Spears can still rack up points against the best of them, as he is averaging 15.5 points per game and is coming off a 19-point performance against Villanova. He had 22 points in last month’s 102-89 home loss to the Musketeers. While the Hoyas’ defense has always been abused, there’s something positive in it, as it is fifth in the Big East with a 10.8 percent block rate.
Xavier just got stunned Wednesday in a 73-72 road loss to the DePaul Demon Deacons. That was the Musketeers’ first loss in 12 games and first against Big East competition this season. Still, this is a Xavier team that should be good enough to steamroll past the going-nowhere Hoyas. Xavier’s offense can have a field day again versus the Hoyas, just like the Musketeers did in the first meeting. In that game, Xavier shot a 70.6 eFG% – its second-best in a game this season. The Musketeers also went 14/26 from behind the arc in that contest. On the season, Xavier is 11th nationally with a 39.0 percent shooting from deep. After going only 4/20 on their 3-pointers in the loss to DePaul, the Musketeers are primed to recapture their outside touch this Saturday.
Xavier is 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 games.
