In the first round of the Crown Tournament, Georgetown and Washington State square off with plenty on the line—bragging rights, money, and a potential shot to pop the bracketology bubbles from a month ago. Georgetown dominates inside with relentless scoring, while Washington State’s sharpshooting prowess could light up the floor—and both teams are desperate to make a statement and cash in. As far as the details of this brand new, diamond-sparkling bracket showdown on the Las Vegas strip, check out my overview here. As for below, I’ll detail this matchup in my preview, prediction, pick, and best bet for this Crown Tournament first round college basketball game between Georgetown and Washington State.
Here’s how I’ll ply the game. As March Madness is winding down, I’ll be hitting my regularly-scheduled-programming of game write-ups for individual games each round, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. I’ll also be filling out a college basketball crown tournament bracket, to which I’ll link here later. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more to-the-minute, point-of-need analyses and plays throughout the tournaments.
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
(Photo Credit: FOX Sports/FS1)
Georgetown vs. Washington preview, prediction
Georgetown (17-15) enters off a rough stretch, losing four of their last five, including a 71-67 setback to DePaul. Despite Micah Peavy’s standout performance with 26 points in the loss, the Hoyas have struggled with consistency, particularly on offense. They’ve shot just 43.3% from the field this season, and their 25% shooting from three in their last game highlights a persistent issue. Peavy, who leads the team with 17.2 points per game, will be tasked with carrying the load, but if Washington State forces him into tough shots, Georgetown could be in trouble.
Washington State (19-14) enters this matchup with a significantly more potent offense, averaging 76.2 points per game in their last 10 outings. They’ve been shooting 48.1% from the field and have been a steady threat from beyond the arc, knocking down 8.8 threes per game at a 36.3% clip. Ethan Price (14.9 PPG, 51% shooting) and Dane Erikstrup (12.1 PPG, 37% from three) have been solid contributors, but the Cougars’ strength lies in their offensive depth. While their defense has been shaky, particularly against teams that can get hot from deep, their ability to score in bunches has given them an edge in high-scoring affairs. Important to remember all stats here are from their last ten games, but that’s the form this team took into pre-tournament practices.
As such, Washington State’s shooting ability is where this game will be won or lost. If they get hot from three-point range, Georgetown won’t be able to keep up. The Hoyas, meanwhile, need to rely on a defensive grind-it-out strategy, but with inconsistency on offense, they’ll have a hard time hanging with a team as capable of an explosive offensive outburst as the Cougars. Washington State’s last 10 games have shown them scoring 76.2 points per game, while Georgetown has averaged just 73.6 points per game during that same stretch.
Georgetown has also struggled against strong perimeter shooting teams, ranking outside the top 250 in defensive three-point percentage (35.9%). If the Cougars can establish their rhythm from deep, they will likely put Georgetown in a tough spot. Washington State has averaged 8.8 threes per game over their last 10 games, and if they hit their mark, they should comfortably cover the spread.
What’s interesting here is how loose these teams are playing with all the money on the line, giving both squads room to take risks and stretch their games. Georgetown’s offensive struggles, especially from three-point range, will be a major issue as Washington State’s defensive pressure exposes those flaws. That said, the Cougars are far from flawless themselves, with their defense allowing 84.5 points per game over the last 10 games. If Georgetown can slow the pace down, they could limit the Cougars’ offensive rhythm.
Washington State vs. Georgetown pick, best bet
Free throw shooting could be pivotal—Washington State has been better at getting to the line, averaging 19.3 attempts per game compared to Georgetown’s 15.4. However, Washington State struggles at the stripe, shooting just 69.8%, while Georgetown has been slightly more efficient at 72.3%. In a tight game, Georgetown’s free throw execution could be crucial.
However, Washington State’s higher volume of attempts and their ability to draw fouls could put added pressure on the Hoyas to foul more often, which might turn the game in the Cougars’ favor.
Georgetown has shown some inconsistency, particularly with their shooting (just 31.3% from three in their last 10). With Washington State’s offensive firepower (76.2 ppg in their last 10), they could be poised to exploit those weaknesses. Add in the fact that the Cougars are playing loose and with nothing to lose (Washington State has shot 48.1% from the field in their last 10 games, ranked 80th nationally), and I like their chances to cover the spread and pull off a potential win.
Their higher volume of free throw attempts (Washington State is averaging 19.3 free throw attempts per game in their last 10 games, ranked 38th nationally), combined with the likelihood of exploiting Georgetown’s perimeter struggles (Georgetown allows opponents to shoot 35.8% from three, ranked 230th nationally), should help them edge out a win here.
Best bet: Washington State ML (+145)
Tail Wazzu to win-and-advance outright with me in the DKN Betting Group here!
Want to approach your March Madness Bracket with the same precision as the top 1% of bracket pool winners? Check out what the PoolGenius optimizer has to offer!
