DePaul @ Georgetown preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 24, 2018 ) DePaul 74, Georgetown 73

Georgetown will begin its final homestand of the season Wednesday with the first of two Big East games in a span of a week against DePaul. The Hoyas, unable to build off last week's upset of Villanova, are long shot to make the NCAA Tournament but still have a chance to win 20 games provided they beat the Blue Demons twice.

Patrick Ewing went deep into his bench, which outscored the starters 40-29, but could not find the answer to stop Creighton, a team that has had the Hoyas number of late and likely doomed their postseason chances barring a miracle run in the Big East Tournament. The Hoyas were unable to defend the 3-point line with the same level of success they enjoyed against Villanova and as a result the Bluejays accounted for 42 points - more than half their total in the game - from deep. "They're a unique team. They spread you out and space the floor. They hit 3s. You have to help (on defense)," Ewing told the media after Georgetown dropped their fifth straight game to Creighton, which has topped 80 points in all five contests. "Still, we're a good enough team that we should have been able to handle it." The Blue Demons find themselves mired in their third three-game losing streak of the season and second in conference play following a 79-67 home loss to Creighton a week ago.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT DEPAUL (13-12, 5-9 Big East): With so much of the team's production set to be lost to the departure of seniors Max Strus, Eli Cain and Femi Olujobi, coach Dave Leitao has been working Flynn Cameron into the rotation recently and the freshman responded with his first game in double figures against Creighton. The 6-3 guard from Auckland, New Zealand, registered career-highs in minutes (19), points (11) and rebounds (four) while making all four of his shot attempts for the Blue Demons. Olujobi posted his 45th career came in double figures, 19 of which game came for DePaul following 26 for North Carolina A&T.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (16-11, 6-8): Jahvon Blair hasn't had his number called much this season for the Hoyas as he has logged fewer than 10 minutes in seven of the last 11 games, but enjoyed a productive game against Creighton. The sophomore from Canada played 22 minutes - his most since early January - and enjoyed his third game in double figures this season with season-high 16 points. Blair has seen his scoring cut in half from the nine points he averaged last season, which was good for fourth on the team, but may have earned a larger role with freshmen Mac McClung and James Akinjo struggling of late.

TIP-INS

1. Strus went over 2,000 points for his career when combining his time at DePaul (935 points) and Division II Lewis University (1,078 points).

2. The Hoyas have won 20 of the last 23 meetings against the Blue Demons to take a 30-9 lead in the series, but two of the losses have come in the last two home games.

3. The trio of Strus, Cain and Olujobi have accounted for 56.3 percent of DePaul's scoring this season, including 68 percent in the last five games.

PREDICTION: Georgetown 83, DePaul 73