Dec. 20, 2007

Team Bay Area is embarking on another road trip this week. However, because the game is so close to Christmas, only one member will be making the trek to Memphis. While it is tough to go at it alone, I'm looking forward to meeting up with one of my best friends (former roommate at GU) who is traveling from D.C. so we can watch the game together. It's an amazing thing when the game of basketball can bring people together from opposite coasts! I trust that Alan and the rest of the crew will whoop it up good back at the Bus Stop in San Francisco.

I fly out on a red eye Thursday night and arrive in Memphis around 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. One of these days I am going to figure out that I am not as young as I used to be and that getting 2 hours of sleep on a plane isn't really good for my body. I'm sure Friday night on Beale Street will fit into this category as well. As I've never been to Memphis, I wanted to take full advantage of my time there, so a red eye was the only way to make this a reality. As we did in Alabama, I plan to carry on the tradition of tracking down as much good BBQ as possible. I have several recommendations from my friend Chris Lilly - 7 time BBQ World Champion. So I'm sure we're in store for a great visit. And I can't wait for the game. Honestly, it feels like Christmas is coming 3 days early this year.

I fly back home to Oakland Saturday night, so my trip will be a short one. I don't think I'll have time to hit Graceland, but I'm sure I'll see at least one Elvis impersonator sing "Blue Christmas" while on Beale Street.

Go Hoyas!
Drew McGowan (B'95)

The media is sure to bill this game as a game of contrasting styles - the fundamentally sound, boring, smart, team of players from Georgetown versus the high-flying, acrobatic and athletic future pros of tomorrow from Memphis.  The Hoyas slow it down, play with their heads while the Tigers use their pure athleticism to run you off the court.  As enticing as this angle might be, don't buy it.

It is a game of contrasting styles, no doubt. Memphis does play at a faster pace. Not a single game in the past two years has Georgetown had more possessions than Memphis' 74 possessions per game average this year -- and that includes the UNC overtime game. That doesn't mean the Hoyas don't run as much though, it just means more of that is done in the halfcourt.

Memphis is a great defensive team which not only forces turnovers but also blocks and alters shots. While Georgetown has upped the defensive pressure in the last couple of games, its defense has been more focused on preventing the ball going into the bucket rather than turnovers.  

On offense, the Memphis attack is actually similar to Georgetown's in many ways. They space well, pass well and play team ball just like the Hoyas. The difference is that while Georgetown relies more on movement and passing to create opportunities (and a 7 foot center). Memphis starts its offense through dribble drive penetration. Whether it is Hibbert, the style or some other reason, the Georgetown offense has had the edge over the Memphis offense this year, which has struggled at times with turnovers and its outside shooting.

So, yes, there are intriguing differences between the two teams. But Memphis players play great team ball and are fundamentally sound. And Georgetown as more than a few athletes on the squad, as Jared Dudley found out last year. This game isn't a referendum on the future of basketball - street ball versus old school fundamentals.  It's simply a great basketball game between two very talented teams who just might have a rematch sometime in March.

So from all of us out here in the West - have a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful holiday season. Here's to us walking out of Memphis with a huge W.

Cheers to each of you and your family!

Hoya Saxa!
Alan Greene (B'99)