Bulls Face Difficult Task Vs. Hoyas

[Brad]

Bulls Face Difficult Task Vs. Hoyas

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: Jan 17, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Want an idea what kind of challenge awaits the University of South Florida tonight when the Bulls take on John Thompson III's Georgetown club and its "Princeton offense?"

In Robert McCullum's final season at Western Michigan, the Broncos opened the 2002 season against Princeton, with Thompson as an assistant, in a preseason tournament.

"We knew for a couple of months we'd play them," McCullum said. "We played them well and I thought we defended their offense real well, but we shot 35 percent and lost by three."

Now the Bulls (6-10, 0-3 Big East) have less than 72 hours to prepare for Georgetown's unique offense.

"It requires a lot of discipline when you're defending," McCullum said. "You don't see that offense often and it forces you to do things in an unconventional way defensively. You have a better chance to defend it when you have more time to prepare."

The Hoyas (10-4, 2-2) lead the Big East in field goal percentage and feature three players hitting more than 40 percent from 3-point range.

Georgetown also has 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert (12.8 points, 5.9 rebounds) and 6-9 forward Jeff Green (10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds), named national freshman of the year by Basketball Times last season, on the inside.

There's also the discrepancy between the Bulls' offense (a Big East worst 61.7 points) and Georgetown's defense (second-best in the Big East allowing 59 points).

This will be the fourth meeting between USF and Georgetown, one of the Big East's storied programs, and first since the Hoyas defeated the Bulls 75-60 in the first round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament.

"It's another great opportunity to go out and prove ourselves to people all over the world," USF senior center Solomon Jones said. "We have to come out and want to win, come out and play hard."

Added senior guard James Holmes: "When you think of the Big East, you've got to think of Georgetown first. Georgetown and Connecticut, those are the top two. This is going to be excellent to have the chance to play at Georgetown."

The Bulls are well aware of the Hoyas' history of great players, including Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning.

"You hear about all those players," Jones said. "But not all the great shot blockers come out of Georgetown. We got some here at South Florida."

TONIGHT'S GAME

USF (6-10, 0-3 Big East)

at Georgetown (10-4, 2-2)

TIP-OFF: 7:30 p.m.; MCI Center, Washington D.C.

RADIO: WHNZ, 1250 AM

NEED TO KNOW: The Hoyas had won seven consecutive games before losing at West Virginia on Wednesday and Connecticut on Saturday. ... USF senior G James Holmes, sixth in the Big East in scoring with an 18.1 average, is coming off a season-low four points vs. St. John's. ... GU is 5-1 at home this season, including 4-1 at the MCI Center. ... USF features two of the league's top rebounders - senior Solomon Jones (second, 9.6) and junior McHugh Mattis (ninth, 7.7). ... Led by 7-foot-2 sophomore C Roy Hibbert (12.8 points), the Hoyas have six players averaging more than eight points a game.

Brett McMurphy

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[Paisa el Toro]

I saw that GU kid, Jeff Green, play against UConn, and he's sick. Another set of big men to deal with, welcome to the Big East! We're really going to have to hustle tonight. Let's go Bulls.

[The Sheriff]

Allen Iverson is the second coming of JC.

[bulls96go]

underdog is here!

let's shock the BE

win baby win

[BullDoug]

Allen Iverson is the second coming of JC.

****, I just "hurled" all over my keyboard.  :

[SkypointBull]

Allen Iverson is the second coming of JC.

Except against European talent in the Olympics.