Hoyas game preview
Georgetown vs. Mount St. Mary's

Monday, November 30, 2009

Georgetown (4-0) vs. Mount St. Mary's (3-2)

Where: Verizon Center.

Time: Monday, 7:30 p.m.

TV: MASN.

Radio: WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), WTEM (980 AM).

Following his team's 97-64 loss to Georgetown on Saturday, Lafayette Coach Fran O'Hanlon said he was convinced this year's Hoyas were a top-20 team.

But a top 10 team?

O'Hanlon hesitated, noting it was too early in the season to tell. He heaped praised on center Greg Monroe and said he was impressed with the Hoyas' guard play. Then he hit on the issue that likely will determine whether the Hoyas make the leap to the sport's elite: depth.

"I don't know how deep they are," O'Hanlon said, "but they certainly have a lot of pieces."

Georgetown's relatively thin bench didn't slow the Hoyas in their romp over Lafayette. On the contrary, for the first time since November 2001, six Georgetown players finished in double figures.

But there's no doubt Coach John Thompson III will need more production from his reserves as the Big East season gets going in earnest, even if the Hoyas avoid injury.

That's largely the value of games like Monday's against Mount St. Mary's, ideally presenting an opportunity to give the Hoyas less experienced players some valuable seasoning.

Georgetown's 12-man roster (25 percent smaller than many Division I teams) has no seniors and four freshmen. One is a walk-on; another, Jerrelle Benimon, has been sidelined the last three games after aggravating a sprained left ankle.

"As we get down the road, we'll be deeper," Thompson said, noting Benimon would add depth once he's healthy, and that he expected reserves Henry Sims and Nikita Mescheriakov to continue to improve.

Monday's game marks the 26th meeting between the nation's two oldest Catholic universities. Georgetown holds a 20-5 edge, including a 69-58 victory last December at Verizon Center.