Seton Hall Pirates at Georgetown Hoyas Betting Preview

Opening Line: Seton Hall -7 / Georgetown -7 O/U 146

Time: 7 PM EST Thursday January 14, 2010 on ESPN

Tonight the 11th ranked Georgetown Hoyas host the Seton Hall Pirates in an early season Big East game. The Pirates really need to win this game, as even though it is early in conference play they will be behind the 8-ball, big time, if they lose this game and are 1-4 in Big East play. The Pirates won their last game, but they have only won 2 of their last 5 games. The Hoyas are 3-1 in the Big East and have won 4 of their last 5 games.

This season Georgetown is 7-1 at home and 5-5 ATS and Seton Hall is 2-1 on the road and 3-6 ATS.

In their last games Georgetown came back from a 15-point halftime deficit to beat the Connecticut Huskies and Seton Hall snapped their 4 game losing streak beating the Cincinnati Bearcats 83-72.

Seton Hall is 0-3 against ranked teams this season and have lost 13 straight road games against teams ranked in the top 25.

The Pirates have to figure out a way to score on a Hoyas' defense that is holding opponents to an average of only 58.6 ppg. Seton Hall only has 2 players averaging in double figures, but as a team they are averaging 85.5 ppg. However they are not the best team on defense allowing an average of 73.3 ppg.

The Pirates have a solid inside out game led by stellar G Jeremy Hazell (23.3 ppg), who is the 2nd leading scorer in the Big East. He will have to score tonight for the Pirates to upset the Hoyas. It will make it easier on him if the frontcourt players of F's Herb Pope (12.9 ppg) and Jeff Robinson (9.1) can score in the paint, as that will help open up the perimeter.

The Hoyas also have a solid inside outside game with guards Austin Freeman (15.4 ppg) and Chris Wright (14.4 ppg) and C Greg Monroe (14.4 ppg).

The Pirates have to step it up and play solid defense on Hoyas' C Monroe, who is averaging 9.8 rebounds per game. Monroe presents a major match up problem for Seton Hall, as he is 6'11" and Pirates' forwards Pope and Robinson are 6'8" and 6'6" respectively. These 2 have to keep Monroe from dominating in the paint on both sides of the floor.

Seton Hall is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games, 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog, and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 against teams in the Big East. Georgetown is 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games as a home favorite, 2-10 ATS in their last 12 home games, and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite of 7.0-12.5.


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