CBB -- Georgetown at Alabama

Losing only F Jeff Green from the Final Four team of last spring

2007-12-05

Losing only F Jeff Green from the Final Four team of last spring, Georgetown was expected to be among the top national title contenders. So far in the early going, the Hoyas have fulfilled that promise, winning their first five games by 15.2 PPG. On Wednesday night, they’ll face their biggest test yet at Alabama, as part of the SEC/Big East Invitational. Georgetown is a 7-point favorite, in a game played at Birmingham.

Georgetown, ranked #5 appears able to hold its own even when star Roy Hibbert is not at his best. Despite a season-low seven points from preseason All-American Hibbert, Georgetown (5-0) beat Fairfield 61-49 at home Saturday.

It was the first time this season the 7-foot-2 Hibbert, who averages 14.4 points, didn't lead the Hoyas in scoring. Though he had seven rebounds, Hibbert took just three shots and went 3-for-5 at the free-throw line in 25 minutes as he battled double-teams and foul trouble.

Other than Hibbert, three starters return from last season's team that reached the national semifinals. The Hoyas also have talented sophomore reserves in Jeremiah Rivers and Vernon Macklin.

"Overall as a team they're a pretty good team," Alabama junior guard Brandon Hollinger said. "They're a top five team, so we've got to prepare very hard for these guys."

Rivers had nine points and five assists Saturday while replacing guard Jessie Sapp, who suffered a head injury early in the game. It's uncertain if Sapp will be in the lineup against Alabama (4-2), which will face its second top 10 opponent in eight days.

"By learning from the juniors and the seniors, you know, we learned from all of them, so now it's time for us to help out the team and it's our turn to step up and play too," Macklin said.

The 6-8 Summers, who started on last season's team, averages 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds, but does the little things that have helped the Hoyas to their best start since opening 10-0 in 2003-04.

"He needs to run down rebounds. He needs to make defensive plays. The baskets, the points, will come," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "But he has the ability to be pretty successful in a lot of different areas - the areas that are dirty, the hustle stuff. Not to say he can't do the pretty things, also."

Summers could be in for another big night Wednesday if Hibbert has trouble shaking Alabama's 6-9 junior Richard Hendrix.

Hendrix, a preseason All-SEC pick who averages 21.8 points and 12.8 rebounds, overcame foul trouble to finish with 17 points and four blocks in the Crimson Tide's 63-61 overtime home win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.

"I think that when you go through Richard Hendrix's career, he's not going to play against very many guys like (Hibbert)," said Alabama coach Mark Gottfried, who was an assistant on the U.S. Pan-Am Games team that Hibbert played for over the summer.

"There are not a lot of players like him so we need to get ready for that more than anything."

Hendrix had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Tide in a 76-63 loss to then-No. 9 Texas A&M last Wednesday.

Alabama, picked third in the SEC West Division, returns two starters from last season's team that went 20-12 but lost to Massachusetts in the first round of the NIT.

Alabama leads 2-1 in the all-time series with Georgetown, winning 94-73 during the 1982-83 season in the teams' most recent meeting.

As far as top trends are concerned, Alabama is 16-3 ATS as a home underdog. Though not an official home game for the Tide, they will certainly have the fans on their side this evening.

GEORGETOWN, however, is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was GEORGETOWN 67.4, OPPONENT 58.2 - (Rating = 1*)

This game is part of a doubleheader from Birmingham, the second game of which is matching West Virginia and Auburn. Tune in tonight at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN2.

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