Improving Villanova visits defense-challenged Georgetown

Brendan Hausen averages 6.6 points in just over 16 minutes per game off the bench for Villanova, but the sophomore guard has keyed his team's recent turnaround.

Hausen has scored in double figures and shot at least 50 percent in three straight games for the Wildcats (13-11, 6-7 Big East), who aim for their third win in four games when they visit Georgetown on Friday in Washington, D.C.

Villanova entered February on a five-game losing streak, its longest in 13 years. Hausen helped the Wildcats end their skid with an 11-point effort in a 68-50 win over Providence on Feb. 4.

Then, after scoring a game-high 15 points in Villanova's three-point loss at Xavier three days later, Hausen dropped 17 — one shy of his career high — as the Wildcats throttled Seton Hall 80-54 last Sunday in Philadelphia.

"Credit to (Villanova coach Kyle Neptune) and the other coaches for getting me to those spots and my teammates for finding me," said Hausen, whose 14.3 scoring average over Villanova's last three games is tied with forward Eric Dixon for the team lead. "I've been just playing it one day at a time, playing off my shot, taking what the defense gives me."

Defenses lately have been giving Hausen too much space from outside the arc. Hausen has hit 11 of 20 3-pointers (55 percent) over his last three outings ahead of Friday's matchup against one of the Big East's worst defensive teams.

The Hoyas (8-16, 1-12) allow the conference's highest field goal percentage (52.5 percent) and the second-most points per game (82.1) in league play.

Coach Ed Cooley's team has surrendered at least 90 points on four occasions during its current nine-game losing streak, including Tuesday's 94-72 beatdown by No. 17 Creighton in Omaha, Neb.

"Many of us are in a situation where you could easily put your head down given what we're going through, but that's part of the process for growth and development," Cooley said.

Offensively, Jayden Epps leads Georgetown with 17.6 points per game, but the Illinois transfer hasn't shot above 33.3 percent from the field in any of his last six contests. Supreme Cook has picked up for Epps as of late, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds over the Hoyas' last three games.

—Field Level Media