Teams finishing conference play on a four-game losing streak or with defeats in five of their last six games are not typically rewarded with a top-8 NCAA Tournament seed, let alone an invitation. Then again the 21-10 Georgetown Hoyas have a complex overall resume, but the answer to the troubles are clear; they are not close to being a top-10 team without Chris Wright.

Ranked ninth at two different points this season, the No. 22 Hoyas will likely find themselves outside the top-25 for the first time when the finals polls are released. However, they stockpiled so many quality wins _ eight against RPI top-50, 11 total away from home _ and lost only to NCAA-bound teams that their March Madness bid is secured. Now the question is will their overall body of work keep them as a favorite by seed come Selection Sunday.

When they were riding an eight-game winning streak -- all inside the Big East -- there was talk about them getting on the one or two seed line. All that ended once Wright, who had started 93 straight games, went down with a broken left hand against Cincinnati on Feb. 23. In that game the Hoyas finished shooting a season-low 25 percent from the field. Their next two regular season losses ended with only marginally better accuracy. Scoring 62 points against UConn on Wednesday was the first time they reached 60 points since Wright, the Hoyas leader in assists, second-leading scorer and most indispensable player has been out.

Not only a factor in the open court, Wright was the one player who could penetrate, dish and hit a teammate in rhythm. Without that element, crucial at this point of the season when pace tends to slow regardless, the offense has disappeared and so have the wins.

Heading into the Big East Tournament the Hoyas had the feel of a six or seven seed, but losing by 17 to the Huskies will not help their cause. Wright reportedly has done non-contact drills in practice and the coach John Thompson has stated the program is "optimistic" about Wright returning for the NCAA. We'll see.

Soon we'll find out what the selection committee makes of Wright's progress and the Hoyas slide. Put it all together and a No. 7 stands as the best case, but they could find themselves in that pesky 8/9 contest with a potential second round matchup against a scary No. 1 seed.

POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
Under coach John Thompson III the Hoyas have reached a Final Four, taking a trip to the NCAA Tournament's concluding weekend in 2006-07. Since then, Georgetown has just one NCAA Tournament win while losing two straight, including a stunning 97-83 loss as a No. 3 seed last season to 14th seeded Ohio. It's reasonable to think that skid continues -- unless Chris Wright returns from a surgically operated on broken left hand and picks up at or near the level at which he played in February.

The Hoyas have 10 wins over teams expected to make the field of 68 (including Marquette) and 11 if Memphis gets in, but all of those came with their senior point guard running the show. Georgetown has been its best all season when the game is up-tempo and the ball is moving quickly. All that hinged on the play of the Hoyas' point guard, who was third in the Big East in assists in the regular season.

For nearly the entire season the Hoyas ranked second nationally behind Kansas in field goal percentage at around 50 percent, but that level of efficiency was on the wane even before the injury. During their current four-game skid, the Hoyas have shot a dismal 34 percent overall and it's been even worse (24 percent) from beyond the arc, an area Austin Freeman and Company typically thrive.

Freeman has continued to be a creative scorer, averaging 19 points over the last four games, but he no longer is receiving wide-open looks without his longtime backcourt partner, Wright, to feed him. That has led to even more double teams and a 6-for-28 stretch (21 percent) on 3-pointers. Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson can also stroke the outside shots, but the normally flowing Princeton offense has been stagnant to say the least.

If the draw pits Georgetown against up-tempo teams unfamiliar with its motion offense, then the Hoyas' chances for success increases, especially if they go with a smaller, quicker lineup. Though it will put them at a disadvantage on the boards, they will have a better chance to create space for their scorers.

When intact, Georgetown can beat anyone in the country, but for now this is a falling knife scenario. The downward trend will continue unless a returning Wright shows he can catch, pass, dribble and shoot the ball effectively. Regardless, be cautious filling out your bracket if you want the Hoyas to go far. Under the Wright circumstances, agreed, but the Hoyas are not looking like a second weekend team at this point.

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