Syracuse @ Georgetown preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 8, 2018 ) Georgetown 71, Syracuse 72

Elijah Hughes and Mac McClung will be the players to watch when Syracuse and undermanned Georgetown renew their rivalry for the 95th time Saturday in Washington, D.C. Hughes is doing it all for the Orange while McClung has been freed to shoot and score more for the Hoyas, who are down to seven scholarship players after junior forward Galen Alexander and freshman guard Myron Gardner announced Friday they were leaving the program.

Hughes is coming off a 33-point effort that raised his average to 19.6 points, which ranks third in the ACC, and helped to snap a three-game losing streak for the Orange. In addition to his scoring, the 6-6 forward is averaging four assists, 1.3 blocks and one steal while shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point land - numbers that if he could maintain them for the entire season would make him the third player to do so along with Washington's Markelle Fultz (2016-17) and Campbell's Joe Spinks (1992-93). McClung certainly wasn't sad to see fellow guard James Akinjo leave the team as he has looked like a different player in the two games since, both of which were road wins for the Hoyas over previously undefeated teams. The sophomore put up 52 points, nine assists and six rebounds while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from beyond the arc to earn Big East Player of the Week honors for the Hoyas, who have dropped two straight games to the Orange - including a one-point defeat last season - and trails in the series 51-43.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX

ABOUT SYRACUSE (5-4): While Georgetown can do a lot of damage with second-chance points, the Orange will have an opportunity to load up on points off turnovers. Jim Boeheim's team forces turnovers 22.8 percent of the time on defense and that plays right into the biggest weakness for the Hoyas, who average 16.7 turnovers. Joseph Girard III and Marek Dolezaj are most adept at getting steals for the Orange, combining for 3.5 per contest.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (6-3): Omer Yurtseven has gone five straight games without a double-double - missing the last three by a combined four rebounds - after opening the season with four straight, but the senior is averaging 9.4 boards and has a chance to have a big game against the Orange. The 7-footer has been solid on the offensive glass, grabbing 4.22 per game - good for a tie for sixth nationally entering Friday, and Syracuse gives up an offensive board on 32.5 percent of possessions thanks in part to its zone defense. Jamorko Pickett has picked up his rebounding efforts, pulling down six per game in the last four contests and Jagan Mosely does a good job of rebounding from his guard sport.

TIP-INS

1. Buddy Boeheim, the son of the coach, had a career-high 26 points, including six 3-pointers, in Syracuse's 97-63 victory over Georgia Tech on Dec. 7.

2. Jahvon Blair had 21 points in Georgetown's 91-74 victory over SMU, one more than he had in his prior seven games combined.

3. Georgetown and Syracuse have faced Penn State and Oklahoma State with the Hoyas going 1-1 and the Orange losing to both by double figures.

PREDICTION: Georgetown 76, Syracuse 72