Georgetown, DePaul Meet in Big East Clash

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to build momentum in the early conference schedule will meet Tuesday when the Georgetown Hoyas visit the DePaul Blue Demons in a Big East men’s basketball matchup.

The game at Allstate Arena pits teams with identical 9-5 (Georgetown) and 9-6 (DePaul) overall records, each seeking a second league victory.

Georgetown arrives after a 95-83 home loss to Saint John’s on Dec. 31, which snapped a three-game winning streak. The Hoyas have shown resilience, with an overtime win against Saint Peter’s and a road victory at Marquette in recent weeks.

DePaul enters with confidence after an 86-77 home win over Xavier on Saturday. The victory provided a boost following a three-game skid against conference foes Villanova, Connecticut and Saint John’s.

A key matchup will feature Georgetown guard KJ Lewis against DePaul’s CJ Gunn. Lewis is coming off a 27-point performance in the loss to Saint John’s and has averaged 16.8 points over his last four games. Gunn has been a consistent scorer for the Blue Demons, pouring in 22 points and grabbing six rebounds in the win over Xavier. He has scored 15 or more points in five of his last six outings.

For Georgetown, Malik Mack, who had 18 points and eight assists against Saint John’s, provides a secondary playmaking threat. DePaul’s backcourt depth will be tested, with Layden Blocker (18 points vs. Xavier) and RJ Smith (10 points, six rebounds, five assists) coming off strong performances.

The Hoyas have struggled defensively in losses, allowing an average of 87.5 points in their five defeats. DePaul’s offense, which scored 92 and 86 points in its last two home games, will look to exploit that.

This begins a critical stretch for both programs. Georgetown faces a gauntlet after this, with games against Seton Hall, Creighton and Connecticut looming. DePaul travels to face Connecticut next Saturday.

Tuesday’s tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. The teams will meet again in Washington on Jan. 28.