10.01.2023

Seton Hall vs. Georgetown Game Preview and Pick

Georgetown has not won a Big East conference game since March 2, 2021, so now every conference game comes with the same questions. Is tonight the night they break it? How much longer does Patrick Ewing have a job? What has happened to this once-storied program?

All of those questions are valid, and depending on the outcome of tonight’s game against Seton Hall, we will likely see them being asked again. We’ll break down the game before getting into how I’ll be betting on it.

Game Preview

The last game Georgetown was able to win came on December 7th against Siena. They now find themselves losers of seven straight, six of which were conference games. There isn’t one thing you could put your finger at and say that’s the problem because it’s not just one area holding them back. However, one area that certainly needs to be addressed is their defense.

The Hoyas enter tonight with a defensive efficiency rating of 107.7 on KenPom, which ranks 286th in the country. Their offense is not good enough to mask how lackluster their defense has been, especially over this recent losing streak. Georgetown has only allowed less than 80 points once in their last seven games, and on the season, teams have managed to shoot 36.7% from three and 45.5% from the field against them.

In most games this season, the second half has become a genuine problem for the Hoyas. They are allowing an average of 41.5 points to be scored in the second half and only managing to score an average of 34.7.

Seton Hall enters tonight with a losing record in conference play as well, but their issues are not defense-related. The Pirates are ranked 27th in the country in defensive efficiency rating according to KenPom, and they have also held opponents to a 28.3% three-point percentage.

Offensively the Pirates have been inconsistent all season and currently have an effective field goal percentage of 49.3%, which is 213th in the country. No player has given the Pirates consistent scoring on a nightly basis, as leading scorer Tyrese Samuel is averaging just 11 points per game this season.

Pick for the Game

Currently, the point total for this game is sitting at 142, and for my best bet, I’ll be taking the over in this one. The over is 8-2 in Georgetown’s last ten games, and with how their defense is playing, I think this is the perfect spot for Seton Hall to have a big offensive game.

This season, 83% of the Pirates' shots have either been three-pointers or at the rim, so despite the low shooting numbers, I think they are due for some positive regression on the offensive end. Georgetown is ranked 299th in the opponent's effective field goal percentage, so teams consistently find success against them.

As for the Georgetown offense, there is no question Patrick Ewing’s back is against the wall, and he will need his team to come out firing on offense. The Hoyas are 46th in the country in field goal attempts per game, so they do not get cheated from offensive possessions. In their last game, the Hoyas shot over 50% from the field and from three, so I think they can continue that offensive momentum tonight.