Game of the Day: No. 7 Georgetown 78, Connecticut 77 (2OT)
Otto Porter, as you’ll read below, was everything Georgetown needed and more Wednesday. He was key in each of the Hoyas’ last three possessions, but it was also his supporting cast that came up in a big spot. Without Greg Whittington because of his ineligibility, freshman D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera has emerged as a legitimate third scoring option with 14 points in the win. Add that to Markel Starks and package it all with a team focused on defense, and it’s no wonder why Georgetown is on such a streak.
Important Outcomes
1. Penn State 84, No. 4 Michigan 78
In perhaps the biggest upset of the year (in good company with TCU’s win over Kansas), few saw a Penn State victory coming Wednesday night. The Nittany Lions simply outplayed a potent Michigan offense and played at the Wolverines’ pace on their way to a win. As for Michigan, there is little to say other than to question how something like this happened.
The battle for the top of the MAC did not disappoint. The Zips extended their winning streak to 19 games and have now beaten Ohio, the next best team in that conference, twice. Demetrius Treadwell and Zeke Marshall led the way for Akron.
Arizona’s defense continues to stick out as likely its biggest threat to hopes of a Pac-12 title and a run in the NCAA tournament. USC shot 61 percent from the floor, despite coming into the game ranked 212th in the nation in field goal percentage. This should be another wakeup call for the Wildcats and a realization about the limits of their growth potential if they don’t improve defensively.
Starred
1. Otto Porter, Georgetown (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists)
The do-it-all forward was at it again Wednesday, giving an encore to the huge performance he put on Saturday against Syracuse. He had a hand in Georgetown’s final three possessions, scoring five points in that span and dishing out an assist. His layup with under 0:10 to play put the Hoyas ahead for good.
2. Doug McDermott, Creighton (32 points, 12-of-17 FG, 11 rebounds)
McDermott has had some un-McDermott-like performances spread out over the past few weeks, but he came back in a big way Wednesday against Bradley. Creighton is now tied atop the Missouri Valley race with Wichita State.
3. Eric Wise, USC (22 points, 9-of-12 FG, 5 rebounds)
Wise was one of five Trojans in double figures for a USC Wednesday night that simply broke Arizona down. The Wildcats continue to sturggle on the defensive end and Wise led an attack that shot 61 percent from the floor in a win.
Struggled
1. Trey Burke, Michigan (6 turnovers in loss to Penn State)
Burke came into Wednesday ranked third in the country with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.6. Against Penn State, he finished with six assists and six turnovers. Yes, he still scored 18 points but two of his six turnovers came at key points. One came with the game tied at 74 with 4:23 to play, and another with Michigan down three with 1:47 remaining.
2. Arizona’s Defense (61% FG Defense, 60% 3pt FG Defense)
There has been a trend emerging in Arizona’s losses. The Wildcats are continually unable to keep teams from shooting a high percentage. In their five Pac-12 losses, coach Sean Miller’s team has not been able to hold anyone below 48 percent shooting. That certainly does not bode well for March.
3. Carl Jones, St. Joseph’s (2 points, 1-of-9 FG, 3 TOs)
St. Joe’s has not has not had the type of season it might have expected to have coming into the season, and a loss Wednesday to Saint Louis adds to that. Jones struggled from the floor in the 17-point loss.
Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_
