The Georgetown Hoyas have a 1-3 spread record in their first four games of Big East Conference play, with the ‘over’ going 3-1. They now take to their home floor at Verizon Center for Monday’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats, who are 3-1 ATS in their first four road contests.
Sportsbooks opened Georgetown as a seven-point favorite, with
early NCAA basketball betting action on Cincinnati quickly dropping the number to six. NCAA Basketball odds makers first posted the ‘total’ at 124.5, remaining unchanged after initial
action was mixed.
Hoyas suffer setback in Morgantown
The Georgetown Hoyas saw an 11-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s
74-62 defeat as a two-point road dog against the West Virginia
Mountaineers. The Hoyas allowed 50 percent field shooting from WVU, while
struggling with a 2-for-14 day beyond the arc.
Hoyas forward Hollis Thompson put up a team-high 20 points,
hitting 7-of-13 from the field. Thompson’s mates Henry Sims and Jason
Clark logged six assists and five steals, respectively, finishing with 10
points each.
The contest’s combined 136 points leaped above the closing ‘total’
of 131.5. Georgetown was edged out in boards, 34-30, while sinking
14-of-20 free throws.
Bearcats upset by St. John’s
Cincinnati suffered its third home loss of the year in Saturday’s
57-55 setback as a 12.5-point home favorite against the St. John’s Red
Storm. The Bearcats were held to 26.3 percent shooting from the floor,
while having no answer for 13 rebounds and three blocks from Red Storm guard
Maurice Harkless.
Cincinnati’s Sean Kilpatrick led his squad’s scoring with 21
points, with a dozen coming from a 4-for-13 outing from three-point land. Bearcats bench mates Yancy Gates and Cheikh Mbodj logged seven rebounds each,
with Mbodj adding two blocks.
The tight affair’s combined 112 points plunged below the ‘total’
of 131, making the ‘under’ 4-0 in the Bearcats’ last four games. Cincinnati recorded a sparse five turnovers, while Bearcats guard Dion Dixon
was held scoreless in a 0-for-8 day from the field.
Back the Hoyas as home ‘chalk’
Monday’s tip is scheduled for 9 p.m. (ET), with ESPNU providing
the national television coverage.
I am placing my NCAA basketball pick in favor of Georgetown, laying the points at home
with the Hoyas off a loss and in a circled revenge spot. Cincinnati swept
Georgetown in last year’s two meetings between the foes, winning by a combined
margin of 127-93.
Georgetown has put up 74.3 PPG at home, hitting 48.2 percent from
the floor. The Hoyas have held visiting foes to 52.6 PPG, while
Cincinnati has managed just 39.8 percent field shooting in its road games.
Cincinnati’s defeat from Saturday had signs of a squad becoming
overvalued, bringing its low-octane back to reality after reeling off two big
wins. The Bearcats picked up a 66-63 win as six-point dogs in their last
road spot on Jan. 1 against the Pittsburgh Panthers, who have continued in
freefall mode to make Cincy’s ‘upset’ worth drawing a line through.
The Hoyas finished their last contest at Verizon Center strong,
rallying from a 43-29 halftime deficit against Marquette for last Wednesday’s
73-70 win. Clark piled in 26 points as part of Georgetown’s sizzling 62.8
percent night from the field, while Thompson drained 4-of-5 from beyond the
arc.
Look for Georgetown to bounce back from Saturday’s road loss, running up the
score here for a double-digit triumph and cashed ticket thanks to its home
rims. The Hoyas have two road games following this, making this a prime
spot to impress pollsters and re-build momentum.
My Pick: Georgetown -7