West Virginia vs. Georgetown: Preview of Big East Championship Game

When West Virginia faces Georgetown tonight in the Big East Tournament finals, the Mountaineers will have a chance to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia defeated Georgetown 80-68 two weeks ago.

In that game, Georgetown was without start guard Austin Freeman, who was out with an illness. He would be diagnosed later that week with diabetes, and has since returned to the line-up. He has averaged 15.5 points a game since his return, and the Hoyas are 4-0.

Freeman is the Hoyas' leading point scorer on the season, and shoots 45 percent from three. He is arguably the biggest reason the Hoyas have earned a trip to the Big East finals, scoring 18 points in their win versus No. 3 Syracuse.

In the first game, center Greg Monroe and guard Chris Wight carried the Hoya team. They combined for 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. They have carried that performance into the Big East tournament, and the return of Freeman has helped the Hoyas win their last four games by nearly 20 points a game.

All three are expected to have big games versus the Mountaineers.

West Virginia comes into this game struggling to score points, averaging just 53.5 points in their two Big East Tournament games. Though they scored just 53 versus the slow paced Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the semifinals, they did shoot 48.8 percent from the field, but just 16 percent from three.

The Mountaineers have earned a trip to the Big East Championship game on the back of senior forward Da’Sean Butler. He comes in averaging 19.5 points in his two games, and shooting 57.6 percent. Only Butler and Kevin Jones have scored in double figures in both games for West Virginia.

The key for the Mountaineers to win will be to shoot better from three. Other than Butler, only reserve guard Jonnie West has made a three-point shot for the Mountaineers. Butler has gone 6-13 from three, while the rest of the team has gone a combined 1-26. West Virginia shot 34 percent from three during the regular season.

This will be only the second time West Virginia has made the Big East Tournament Championship Game, and a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament will be on the line. Georgetown will be seeking its eighth Big East Tournament Championship, and its first since 2007. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 pm. ET.