WASHINGTON — Everything that could go right did for No. 12 Seton Hall on their trip to the nation’s capital.
Their best player made shots from all over the floor and looked like his old self after a poor game on Saturday.
Their steady senior point guard appeared healthy after suffering a knee injury four days earlier.
Their usual power forward returned to the starting lineup and facilitated the offense.
And their top rival in the Big East Conference lost, paving the way for the Pirates to open a bigger lead atop the conference.
Myles Powell went for 34 points, seven rebounds and three assists as Seton Hall left Capital One Arena with a 78-71 victory over Georgetown and a two-game lead over No. 10 Villanova atop the Big East entering Saturday’s mammoth showdown in Philadelphia.
Earlier Wednesday night, No. 19 Butler stunned Villanova, 79-76 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, on a last-second 3-pointer from Kamar Baldwin.
Even if Seton Hall (17-5, 9-1 Big East) loses at Villanova (17-5, 7-3), they would still hold a one-game lead in the Big East.
The Pirates got back in the win column after seeing their 10-game winning streak snapped in Saturday’s loss to Xavier. They out-rebounded the Hoyas 43-41 one game after Xavier dominated them on the boards, 51-22.
The Pirates have now won four of their last five and nine of 11 against the Hoyas, including a convincing 78-62 victory at the Prudential Center on Jan. 3.
Here’s a look at what went right for Seton Hall:
POWELL PUTS ON A SHOW
Powell, the Pirates’ All-America candidate, Powell rebounded after enduring the worst complete game of this season in Saturday’s 74-62 loss to Xavier.
Powell shot just 3-of-14 and 1-of-9 from deep for nine points on Saturday while being guarded by Atlantic City native Naji Marshall. It was the first complete game he’s played this season where he failed to score double-figures.
The Trenton native looked like a completely different player against Georgetown.
Powell banged two 3-pointers — and Jared Rhoden also had two — en route to a 16-0 Pirates lead to start the game.
Powell was also active in driving to the basket and hit a nice shot off the window during a first half in which he tallied 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting as Seton Hall took an 42-32 halftime lead.
He finished 12-of-24 for his 12th career 30-point outing and fourth against Georgetown. It's his third 30-point outing of the season and first since going for 32 in the Nov. 27 loss to Oregon in the Bahamas. His season-high was 37 against then-No. 3 Michigan State.
McKNIGHT RETURNS TO FORM
About an hour before tip-off, Quincy McKnight was out taking jump shots and warming up on the hardwood.
That was a good sign for the Pirates and their fans considering McKnight left Saturday’s loss to Xavier with about six minutes remaining due to a left knee injury.
At the time it was unclear how long McKnight might be out and considering he is arguably their most irreplaceable player, a prolonged absence could have been disastrous for a team with Final Four aspirations.
Seton Hall had both McKnight and Sandro Mamukelashvili in the starting lineup, while Georgetown was again without sophomore Mac McClung, who missed his second straight game with a foot injury.
McKnight drained a big-3 pointer from the right wing to extend the lead to 76-67 and finished with 10 assists and eight points.
MAMU STARTS AND DELIVERS
The 6-11 Mamukelashvili started for the first time since Dec. 8, when he fractured his right (non-shooting) wrist in a loss at Iowa State.
He returned to play five minutes off the bench on Jan. 29 in a win over DePaul and then played 16 minutes off the bench against Xavier, finishing with 10 points and three rebounds.
He continued to round into form against Georgetown, tallying eight points and 12 rebounds and making several nice passes out of the post to open players on the perimeter.
Starting center Romaro Gill added eight blocks, six points and five rebounds.
RHODEN IMPRESSING NBA SCOUTS
While much of the focus from NBA scouts so far has focused on Powell, Mamukelashvili and 6-10 freshman Tyrese Samuel, Rhoden hasn’t escaped their notice, either.
The 6-6 sophomore went for 12 points and nine rebounds and has now reached double-figure scoring in six of his last eight games. He entered as a 43 percent shooter and 28 percent 3-point shooter but made 2-of-3 from deep in the first half.
“He looks like a better pro prospect than anybody [on their team],” one NBA scout said at the half. “He’s 6-6 and can shoot it.”
ZION HARMON TO ANNOUNCE IN MARCH
Zion Harmon, the 5-foot-11 point guard from Marshall County High School (KY), is down to five schools and plans to announce on his 18th birthday on March 12.
Harmon is down to Seton Hall, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland and Western Kentucky. His father Mike said the Seton Hall visit last month “blew us out of the water” and they also just completed a visit to Kansas this week.
Harmon is ranked No. 20 in the Class of 2021 by ESPN.com, and his father said a decision on a college and possible reclassification to 2020 will come next month.
"In full respect to all of the great coaches from all of the great schools and the great schools that Zion has visited, and to Zion, he will focus on his ACT Test this Feb. 8th and finishing this high school season and will use this time in careful prayer and consideration and then make his announcement in March 2020," his father said Wednesday.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media.