Georgetown-Memphis looks like a classic battle

ESPN.com

Updated: December 21, 2007

Joe Murphy/Getty Images

Chris Douglas-Roberts is having a superb junior season and is Memphis' leader.

Game to watch

By Jay Bilas

No. 4 Georgetown at No. 2 Memphis, ESPN, Saturday, noon ET

Saturday shapes up to be the best full day of college basketball of the young season, and there are far too many great matchups to do them all justice. I will be in Memphis for the Hoyas and Tigers, two unbeaten teams planted firmly in the top five, and two very different squads. The two powerhouses do have one important thing in common, and that is a winning culture and attitude. Saturday is a wonderful gift to college basketball fans during this holiday season, and I can't wait for the first game to tip off.

The skinny: This game features Princeton versus Princeton on Steroids. The latter phrase was neatly packaged by Memphis coach John Calipari to describe his relatively new offensive approach with his team, which would no doubt rankle Pete Carril and any Princeton offense purists. Georgetown's offense incorporates many of the Princeton offensive principles, and it is truly a beautiful offense to watch.

DaJuan Summers

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Georgetown's DaJuan Summers is developing into the next-great Hoya forward.

Georgetown will incorporate backdoor cuts against overaggressive defense, follow a cutter with a second cutter and snap back post-ups. The difference when the Hoyas run Princeton principles is they have great athletes that are skilled and well-drilled running it. No team cuts harder and better than Georgetown, and few teams pass the ball with such precision.

While the Tigers like to call their offense Princeton on Steroids, they really run a drive-and-kick offense that attacks off the dribble, skips the ball from side to side and attacks close-outs. It is simple and very effective, but it does not incorporate any screening. Memphis will run several different sets out of its basic actions, but to effectively defend the Tigers, Georgetown will have to deny drives and must close out under control.

Georgetown can and will play some zone, which could give Memphis some trouble. Memphis is not a great perimeter shooting team. Although the Tigers can hit open shots with time, they really struggle from the free-throw line, shooting only 57.6 percent from the stripe as a team. Georgetown has not been much better from the line, shooting only 58 percent from the stripe, but the Hoyas should improve. Georgetown is a very efficient offensive team, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from 3-point range.

Key matchup: DaJuan Summers and Chris Douglas-Roberts. Summers is developing into a great college player, and the sophomore is second on the Hoyas in scoring, rebounding and free-throw attempts while leading Georgetown in steals. Summers can shoot the ball with range and post a smaller defender, and he is a very good cutter. Memphis has some great athletes, but none better than Summers. CDR is having a terrific season, leading Memphis in scoring with 16.7 points per game. Douglas-Roberts has to play well for Memphis to win, because he is their most mature player, and the one the others look toward for leadership.

Key stats: Turnovers and free throws. Memphis has almost as many turnovers (141) as assists (147), and Georgetown will give the Tigers a lot of different looks defensively. Memphis likes to generate offense off its defense, so Georgetown cannot allow Memphis to take turnovers the other way for easy scores. The more Georgetown makes Memphis play against its half-court defense, the better chance the Hoyas will have for a big road win. Georgetown only forces 12 turnovers per game, but the Hoyas force a lot of challenged and bad shots, and they limit their opponent to one shot opportunity. If Memphis settles for challenged jumpshots against the Hoyas' defense, you can count that as a turnover. If you win the turnover battle, you will probably win the war.

Derrick Rose

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Memphis freshman Derrick Rose needs to play under control against the veteran Georgetown guards.

Memphis and Georgetown shoot about the same amount of free throws, and neither team really shoots them well. In addition, Memphis allows its opponents to shoot as many free throws as it does. In fact, Memphis has been outscored from the free-throw line on the season.

Breakout players: The one Memphis player that can go off in a game like this is Derrick Rose. He is a strong, super-athletic and skilled point guard. But he is still young, and he is still learning how to dominate and take over a game. Georgetown's guards are very good defenders and very strong, and Rose will have to have his best and most intelligent performance of the season to be successful against the Hoyas.

For Georgetown, Roy Hibbert will be a difficult matchup for the Tigers. He is big, strong and skilled as a passer, offensive rebounder and interior scorer, and he likes to show off his skill level. Hibbert, however, does not change ends well, and Memphis will be able to run him.

Who wins: This game will be about tempo. Just as you saw in the Pittsburgh-Duke game in Madison Square Garden, it is easier to slow a game down than to speed one up, and Georgetown has the ability to wrest the tempo away from Memphis. If the Tigers can press and get Georgetown to take some chances, then Memphis will have a better chance. Memphis has played the tougher slate, and while the Tigers have not played their best, this team is a group of winners. But I like Georgetown to barely clip Memphis in a thriller. This game has classic battle written all over it.


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Don't miss …

• No. 5 Texas vs. No. 10 Michigan State, ESPN2, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET
Texas is a bit more explosive offensively, and can spread the floor and attack with its disruptive guards, D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams. Michigan State is bigger, more physical and deeper, and that depth could ultimately make the difference. No guard in America has been better than Augustin, who reminds me a little bit of Chris Paul as a young player. The Spartans do a great job of protecting the elbow and the low block and limiting penetration and second shots, and the Spartans' rotations and offense are starting to come around. This is not the same Michigan State team that lost to Division II Grand Valley State. MSU has become the contender and best team in the Big Ten that we all expected. Texas scores with greater ease, but Michigan State may be better-equipped for a grinder. I favor Texas to win this game, but only slightly.

• No. 12 Tennessee at No. 24 Xavier, ESPN, Saturday, 2 p.m. ET
The Vols proved against Western Kentucky that they are getting close to the contending team we expected them to be prior to the season. Chris Lofton is starting to get his shooting back, Tyler Smith is settling in, and JaJuan Smith is having a great season thus far. This game is about taking care of the ball and taking opportunities. Tennessee will press, trap and try to speed the game, but that always provides opportunities if the opponent attacks the pressure to score. The key player is Xavier's Drew Lavender. Tennessee will try to get the ball out of his hands and into the hands of lesser handlers. Xavier is coming off its poorest performance of the season at Arizona State, which was more of a chess match. This one will be a track meet. I like Tennessee in this one, even though it is away from the volunteer state.

-- Jay Bilas, ESPN

A weekend full of hoops

Don't forget about these games, too …

• San Diego State at Arizona, Saturday, 3 p.m. ET
Aztecs leading scorer Lorrenzo Wade is a star in the making. The explosive athlete is not only the team's best perimeter defender, but is also excellent in transition and can play inside and out depending on the matchup. Forward Kyle Spain and guard Kelvin Davis, along with freshman Tim Shelton, all average double figures as San Diego State goes head-to-head with interim coach Kevin O'Neill's Wildcats. Super frosh Jerryd Bayless is in attack mode on every catch. Chase Budinger has deep range and can score in bunches in transition or off screens in the half-court offense. Super-athletic Jordan Hill cleans up any mess on both ends with his rebounding and in transition. Arizona seems to be getting very comfortable with its new defensive-minded leader. There will be some great athletes and scorers in this one.

• Florida at Ohio State, Saturday, 4 p.m. ET
The new-look Gators and Buckeyes were hit hard by the NBA draft, and the two teams from the national championship game are breaking in a number of fresh faces that will have both these teams back in the top 10 next season. Florida has 11 freshmen and sophomores on the roster. Freshman swingman Nick Calathes and forward Chandler Parsons control the scoring on the perimeter, and sophomore center Marreese Speights takes care of the paint. Point guard Jai Lucas excels in Billy Donovan's screen-and-roll offense when forced to put the brakes on in transition. Ohio State's four-out, one-in offense fits the skilled Kosta Koufos perfectly. The Buckeyes' lone senior guard, Jamar Butler, will have to shoulder the load until the young Buckeyes get their legs under them. Don't miss a chance to watch these young stars.

• Mississippi vs. Clemson, Saturday, 5:30 pm. ET
Coach Andy Kennedy has Ole Miss off to a tremendous start again this season. The 2007 SEC West champs have five players averaging double figures. Center Dwayne Curtis and freshman lead guard Chris Warren lead the attack. Warren, considered one of the most underrated freshmen in the country, is second on the team in scoring behind Curtis and is also the assists leader. Forward Kenny Williams cleans the glass for Kennedy, a former Bob Huggins assistant. Clemson has also hit the ground running and pressing. Even without stud James Mays (out with a hip injury), guards K.C. Rivers and Cliff Hammonds have shared the load. Trevor Booker is a double-figure rebounder that will challenge Williams for above-the-rim rebounds. This game is full of speed, quickness and athletic ability at every position.

• Illinois vs. Missouri, ESPN2, Saturday, 8:30 pm. ET
This border war held in St. Louis will be for recruiting and bragging rights. Mizzou has lost seven in a row to Illinois, with the Tigers' last victory coming on Dec. 21, 1999. Last season, the Tigers lost a 73-70 heartbreaker. Shaun Pruitt leads Illinois in scoring and rebounding, and point guard Trent Meacham can deliver the ball and hit the open jumper. Missouri's Stefhon Hannah is the leading scorer and assist leader of a team that can go about 10 deep, with four Tigers averaging double figures. Illinois coach Bruce Weber will run great motion offense, and Missouri coach Mike Anderson will bring 40 minutes of hell to the banks of the Mississippi. Both teams are unranked, but this game will have an NCAA Tournament atmosphere.

• Virginia Tech at Wake Forest, Sunday, 5:30 p.m. ET
This is the first ACC game for both teams, and both the Hokies and the Demon Deacons both want to start conference play with a win. A.D. Vassallo has stepped up on the perimeter and emerged as Virginia Tech's leading scorer with his shooting from behind the arc. VT freshman Jeff Allen, at 6-foot-7, has continued to make his presence felt by being the team's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder. Hokies senior Deron Washington must play like a senior to give his team a chance. Wake Forest has a big-time freshman of its own in 6-7 forward James Johnson, who is its leading scorer and rebounder. Guards L.D. Williams and Harvey Hale round out the double-figure scorers.

-- Reggie Rankin, Scouts Inc.