Butler @ Georgetown preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 2, 2019 ) Georgetown 84, Butler 76

If Georgetown wants to be considered one of the top 68 teams in the country, then Saturday's Big East game against visiting Butler is a must win. The Hoyas have injected themselves into the NCAA Tournament conversation with three wins in their last four games but a loss to the Bulldogs would quiet that talk - likely for good.

The Hoyas matched their overall and Big East win total from a season ago by completing a season sweep of Providence on Wednesday and will look to do the same against the Bulldogs, who snapped a three-game losing streak - their longest of the season - Saturday against Seton Hall. All five starters scored in double figures for the Hoyas against the Friars, but it was Josh LeBlanc who enjoyed his best game in Big East play. The freshman forward from Louisiana had 17 points, matching his high in a conference game, and 11 rebounds, giving him his first double-double since Jan. 5 and his fourth of the season. Paul Jorgensen had 18 points, including the game-winning layup with 15 seconds left against Seton Hall, to lead the Bulldogs in scoring for the fifth time this season.

TV: Noon ET, MASN2

ABOUT BUTLER (13-10, 4-6 Big East): The Bulldogs were abysmal shooting the ball in their last two losses as they made 36.1 percent from the field, including 11-of-48 from 3-point land, but that changed against the Pirates despite an off night by leading scorer Kamar Baldwin. Jorgensen led the way by going 7-of-9 and 6-10 senior center Nate Fowler came out of nowhere to give the Bulldogs 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting. "We need to keep making positives steps toward the team we know we can be," coach LaVall Jordan told the media. "Our two seniors (Jorgensen and Fowler) stepped up and decided how we were going to play. If we get that energy and that type of unity, I feel good about our chances heading down the stretch."

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (15-8, 5-5): After playing minimally during the non-conference portion of the schedule, Kaleb Johnson has carved out a role for himself off the bench for the Hoyas, who are in search of their first 20-win season and NCAA Tournament berth since 2014-15. The 6-6 senior guard from South Hill, Va., has averaged 15.4 minutes, 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in conference play while shooting a robust 72.4 percent. Johnson, who is a career 54.6 shooter, has started only two games this season after doing so for all 30 games as a junior, when he averaged 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds.

TIP-INS

1. Baldwin has scored in double figures in all five prior matchups with the Hoyas while averaging 18 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

2. Georgetown has taken two straight games and three of four from the Bulldogs to go up 8-5 in the series but have dropped three straight meetings at home.

3. Butler sophomore F Joey Brunk averages 8.2 points but is fourth in the Big East in field goal percentage (66.1) - right behind LeBlanc (66.7).

PREDICTION: Georgetown 84, Butler 76