Georgetown Basketball: Keys to Hoyas' 2012 NCAA Tournament Run

The Georgetown Hoyas can now celebrate a berth in the NCAA tournament. That should last all of a few brief moments, because there is a great deal of work to be done. 

Georgetown will be a No. 3 seed heading into the Big Dance. This comes on the heels of a 22-7 regular season and a quarterfinals finish in the Big East tournament. 

This is a team that can get hot in an instant, something that is valued a great deal in the NCAA tourney. 

The one major advantage Georgetown has going for themselves is their versatility. They can play a wide-open brand of ball. 

We will see them play gritty ball down low as well as run a fast-paced, guard-heavy game. This time of year is a special one that demands a great deal to the victor. 

You need to stay healthy, remain poised and continue to evolve on the fly. Georgetown is like any team entering this exciting field. 

They have their positives as well as some glaring negatives. Whether they move on after their first game and continue to pound away at the competition will depend on how they deal with tumult and pressure. 

This team has the talent to be one of the surprising squads in March. 

There is no other team that exemplifies team cohesion better than Georgetown. With that, we take a deeper look at the Hoyas and what is in store for their run for ultimate glory in the NCAA tournament. 

Superstars Who Must Shine

Otto Porter

The weight of Georgetown's hopes may not be entirely on Porter, but a good portion of them are. 

Porter has the size and athleticism to dominate the boards and get some easy buckets at the rim. The Hoyas will need his nine points and 6.8 rebounds per game and for him to stay out of foul trouble. Fans may love Henry Sims, but a player like Porter could be a breakout performer in March. 

Jason Clark

The Hoyas leader will be counted upon to keep some measure of poise on the court. This tournament demands a solid point guard that can lead the team and keep the emotions steady and measured.

Clark ended the regular season with 14.3 points per game. 

Hollis Thompson

You simply can't undersell what this player means to the Hoyas. If they are going to get deep into the tournament, it will be Thompson that leads them there. 

Role Player Who Must Emerge

Greg Whittington

The team that goes far in March has to be deep and yet there is still room for a budding star to emerge in the pressure-cooker that is March Madness. 

There are plenty of players that Georgetown can rely on, but the one that I am interested to see is freshman forward Greg Whittington. 

Whittington is just finding his way among the myriad of options, but he showed what he can do towards the end of the season against Notre Dame. 

The 6'8'' big man went 5-of-6 for 15 points against the Fighting Irish in the second-to-last game of the regular season. 

If the Hoyas can get a modicum of that production from him, they will be a tough team to beat. 

Offensive Strategy to Watch

Georgetown doesn't have one superstar that is going to dominate the ball. They play a wide and loose offense with Princeton sensibilities. 

Look for huge spacing as they get into a half-court set and a bevy of cutting near the basket. The Hoyas are a dangerous team precisely because you never know which player is going to emerge on any given night. 

The Hoyas have some great big men that can dish the ball as well as score buckets. The one key here may be Henry Sims, a 6'10'' center that has a great eye for passing. 

The Hoyas are fluid on offense, which can be a beautiful thing when they are clicking. 

Defensive Strategy to Watch

John Thompson III coaches accountability and toughness on defense. The Hoyas can be very good on that end of the court when they are communicating and rotating on defense. 

Notre Dame found out on February 27th just how tough this team can be. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey had this to say after that game. Via News-Sentinel:

"

That may be the best defensive team we played against this season...

Their length and their size and their quickness bothered us. We had the tempo we wanted, but we've got to score a little bit more to make it interesting.

"

The Hoyas then suffered a lapse in an 83-69 defeat by Marquette in the following game. If the Hoyas are talking and moving, using their size, they are a tough team to score on. 

Biggest NCAA Tournament Hurdle

It's all about North Carolina for Georgetown. 

Georgetown will open up action against Belmont on Friday, after that it's a wide-open field with a number of potential for upsets. 

NC State particularly scares me as a No. 11 seed that beat Virginia and very nearly pulled off the win against North Carolina in the ACC tournament final. 

If the Wolfpack take down the Aztecs, which I think they will, they are a very scary team to face early. 

If they can get to the Elite Eight, they will no doubt face North Carolina, and there is hardly a better team right now. 

Last-Second NCAA Tournament Prediction

Georgetown is as streaky as they come and could very well be headed to an Elite Eight, but may stumble to futile efforts as they did against a red hot Cincinnati in the Big East tournament. 

Anything can happen in the madness that is March, and that is why I am hesitant to put the Hoyas out of the second round, but they have shown me enough to warrant such a prediction. 

I think they ultimately fall to Kansas in the Sweet 16. 

For your printable NCAA bracket, click here.

For brilliant insights on pretty much everything, follow me on Twitter. 

Follow @gabezal