One Down, Two to Go - Hoyas Rout Huskies in Storrs

There was some question as to whether the game would be close. One team entered a poised, savvy, veteran group starting three seniors and two juniors. The other brought an inexperienced, but talented club, facing their first collective conference game.

You never would have known who was who by watching.

Georgetown taught the rest of the Big East a nice lesson in how to beat UConn.

1. Zone them and make them shoot. UConn looked lost against Georgetown's tough 2-3 zone most of the night, failing to move the ball crisply and create open looks. Rarely was anyone flashing the high post to create spacing, and nary a skip pass was thrown all night. I'd love to see what a team like Duke would do against Georgetown. It would be a beautful matchup. By the way, you think Boeheim was salivating watching UConn struggle against their zone??

2. Scrap. Claw. Fight. UConn doesn't seem to like to do those things as much as Georgetown did. Perhaps Georgetown, despite their youth, entered a little tougher from a tussle with Memphis in DC. This laisse-fair attitude might get it done some nights, but bring that attitude against some lesser-known brawlers like Cincinnati or West Virginia, and you have an upset in the making.

First conference game? You'd have never known it as Monroe thoroughly out played the UConn All-American Hasheem Thabeeet.

3. Go Right AT Thabeet. Yes, he blocked some shots tonight, but I continue to be largely unimpressed with the 7'3'' junior. He is a non-factor on offense, and the Hoyas were not intimidated by him defensively. The best way to attack a shot blocker is to go right at him. Georgetown did all night.

4. Move on Offense. The Hoyas disciplined back-cutting and motion baffled the Huskies all night and got them layups and good shooting angles. You are not going to clear out and go one on one and beat them. That allows them to funnel traffic to their 7'3'' fly swatter. You have to move the ball, backcut and create lanes. Georgetown did this well.

5. Don't be Afraid to Push Tempo. Second best way to thwart a shot blocker? Beat him down the court. Georgetown was able to create easy shot opportunities and free throw attempts by pushing the ball when they had numbers. If they didn't, right back out into the motion "Princeton" style offense to get a good shot.

The road doesn't get any easier for Georgetown (Pitt and ND are up next), but a win AT Connecticut is a heck of a way to start the conference season!