Hoyas hold off Badgers in 2K Classic

Isaac Copeland scored 15 points to lead Georgetown past the Badgers 71-61 in a semifinal of the 2K Classic. Tipoff for the game is slated for 5 p.m.

The game will be shown live on ESPN2, with Dave O’Brien calling the play-by-play and Seth Greenberg serving as the color analyst.

Wisconsin: The Badgers had won their last two November tournaments: the 2013 Cancun Classic and the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis…. 2 Wisconsin came back to tie the game at 59-all. “As bad as we feel right now, hopefully in the long run, it’s going to help us out”, said Hoyas coach John Thompson III, whose team has dropped four of its last five games dating to last season.

The Hoyas (1-2) have never started a season with three straight losses and they didn’t this time around thanks to a good defensive effort and other players picking up for D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, the All-Big East first-team selection. Georgetown is averaging 75.5 points and they are shooting 47.7 percent from the floor while shooting 36.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc while defensively they are allowing 78.5 points and their opponents shoot 44.6 percent. Georgetown is looking for a big win to get their season turned around. After advancing to the national championship game last April, they fell to Western IL in their season opener this year as they look to replace 62 percent of their minutes from a season ago. Reserve junior forward Reggie Cameron added 14 points, all in the first half, hitting 4 of 5 three-pointers. Peak (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney) chipped in 12 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Friday’s game will be the fourth all-time between Georgetown and Wisconsin, with the Badgers leading the head-to-head series, 3-1. Redshirt freshman forward Ethan Happ, who was held scoreless in the first half, added 12 points and 10 rebounds. However, the big story for Georgetown – literally – has been 7-foot, 275-pound senior center Bradley Hayes, who has 35 points in two games after registering a total of 30 points in his first three seasons.

Neither of these teams have been at their best so while it is just a lean my play here is Georgetown plus the points.