Georgetown Basketball: Complete Roster, Season Preview for 2014-15 Hoyas

The Georgetown Hoyas will be looking to rebound from a subpar season that saw them finish seventh in the Big East, missing the NCAA tournament and having to settle for an NIT bid.

The Hoyas will return three starters from last year’s team, including D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, and head coach John Thompson III will need to find ways to integrate a five-freshman class which was rated 11th-best in the nation and best in the Big East by 247sports.

Most observers consider the Big East to be a one-team race this season, and nobody is expecting the Hoyas to make a run at Villanova, but if things break right, a tournament berth is definitely within reason.

Let’s see how the Hoyas will fare in the season ahead.

This is your complete preview and prediction for the 2014-15 Georgetown Hoyas.

The Hoyas are bringing in a solid group of five freshman who all have the capability and talent to contribute right away, and they'll need to if this team is going to improve on last year's disappointing finish.

Isaac Copeland (Forward)

Copeland is the gem of Thompson's recruiting class—a versatile 6'9" forward who can really change the game and make an impact in a hurry. He’s got the potential to be a big-time scorer who can get his points facing the basket or backing down defenders. He can also stretch the defense by knocking down perimeter shots.

This kid has a very high ceiling and was ranked No. 16 overall in the ESPN 100. 

Paul White (Forward)

White gets overshadowed a bit by Copeland, but he's another high-ceiling forward with a great all-around feel to his game. He's a bit undersized—6'8" but only 185 pounds—and will need to continue packing on pounds in order to keep from being out-muscled inside.

He has tremendous natural athleticism.

Tre Campbell (Guard)

Campbell isn't considered as good a prospect as the others on this list, but on a team that could use a pure point guard, he could become the crucial cog. This will become especially true if Smith-Rivera finds himself more comfortable operating off the ball.

L.J. Peak (Guard)

Peak might not contribute as quickly as the rest here, but he is a good transition player who could provide necessary depth and scoring along the perimeter.

For the Hoyas, three starters return from last season and none is more important than Smith-Rivera, the team's leading scorer from a season ago. Joshua Smith is a huge body who will make the frontcourt formidable, should he remain on the floor, and Jabril Trawick should add solid secondary scoring.

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Forward)

With Markel Starks gone after four successful seasons with the program, the onus will fall on Smith-Rivera to be the Hoyas' primary offensive engine. He was the top scorer a season ago, and he needs to hold down along the perimeter, where his team could use a little more depth. 

He can score the basketball well, and he's a good passer, but the question is whether he'll be as good handling the point.

Joshua Smith (Center)

Smith is a huge body, and that's meant to be taken literally. The 7'0", 350-pound center is a handful and almost impossible to defend when he gets the ball in the blocks. He missed all but 13 games last season for academic reasons but was the Hoyas third-leading scorer, averaging 11.5 points per game in just under 20 minutes of play. 

His conditioning isn't great, but when he's on the floor he's a bruising player down low who is difficult to stop.

Jabril Trawick (Guard)

Pressure is also on Trawick to help Smith-Rivera and Campbell along the perimeter. The senior was good for nine points a game last year, but with a lack of depth at the position, Coach Thompson will likely be looking for that number to go up a bit. His perimeter defense is an underrated part of his game.

Georgetown's complete roster can be found here, and we'll be analyzing its starting rotation and projected bench contributors.

Starting Lineup

PG: D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, junior

SG: Jabril Trawick, senior

SF: Isaac Copeland, freshman

PF: Mikael Hopkins, senior

C: Joshua Smith, senior

Key Bench Players

Paul White (Forward), Tre Campbell (Guard), L.J. Peak (Guard), Aaron Bowen (Forward)

The Hoyas are definitely stronger up front than in the backcourt. Smith is a big bruiser who can dominate when he's on the floor, Hopkins blocks shots and Copeland and White are athletic forwards with high ceilings.

Smith-Rivera will need to effectively run the point, getting his points and distributing, or else that could place undue pressure on the freshman Campbell. Trawick is a good perimeter defender, but offensively he's more suited to slash to the paint.

Will the Perimeter Depth Be Enough?

There are some teams that could sustain a major injury to one of their key players, but the Hoyas are not one of them, at least not in the backcourt. They are spread pretty thin around the perimeter, relying heavily on Smith-Rivera and Trawick to pick up the bulk of the minutes and scoring.

Peak and Campbell should help spell them, and Campbell could slot in at the point if Smith-Rivera struggles there, but this is a thin group.

Can Smith-Rivera Compete for Big East Player of the Year Honors?

You'd certainly have to expect this to be the case. Averaging more than 17 points per game last year, Smith-Rivera will once again be the focal point of the Hoyas offense, and with a talented group around him, he should be poised for a huge campaign.

The ball, and the offense, are going to be moving through his hands, and he's a big key to whether the Hoyas can return to the Big Dance, and if so, how far they'll go.

How Much Can the Hoyas Rely on Joshua Smith?

Smith, at the risk of being repetitive, is basically a truck with legs down in the blocks. He's 350 pounds, and when he's on the floor, good luck keeping a body on him and limiting his scoring opportunities. The question is whether Coach Thompson can get more than 13 games and 20 minutes a game out of him. 

The Hoyas are certainly hopeful that the academic issues, which limited him last year, are behind him, but conditioning is a whole different issue.

Best-Case Scenario

The Hoyas were probably better than their 18-15 record and NIT appearance last season, but they seemed to be missing something. The addition of a talented group of freshmen to a group including Smith-Rivera, Trawick and Smith, could easily be enough to get Georgetown back into the Big East mix.

After Villanova, there really isn't another team that you would consider a contender for the Big East crown. But the Hoyas' combination of veteran leadership and a stud freshman class should easily put them into the mix for runner-up in the conference and a comfortable berth in the NCAA tournament after a year's absence.

Worst-Case Scenario

The worst thing that could happen to the Hoyas is an injury or steep drop off in production from a key member of the backcourt, and that in particular means Smith-Rivera. An injury would be devastating, and it would leave Georgetown scrambling to find production from a thin group of guards with a lot to prove.

A secondary issue could come in the form of Smith, who is dominant but has proven to be limited in his ability to stay on the court. The Hoyas have a great deal of depth up front, but Smith will provide that veteran body in the middle to help out the incoming freshmen and clear paths.

If a major injury in the backcourt or a lack of consistent production up front plagues the Hoyas this season, they could once again be looking at a second-tier postseason tournament.

Villanova is going to win the Big East barring something completely unexpected.

Most—if not all—observers will tell you that and with good reason, but the competition for second-best team in the conference is wide open.

Don't stress, Hoyas fans, your team will put a quick end to their one-year drought in NCAA tournament appearances, and they'll be the runner-up in conference.

Smith-Rivera is primed for a breakout season, flanked by Trawick and an extremely deep, talented frountcourt, and he should be in the mix for conference player of the year honors as one of the country's best guards.

The Hoyas will be a 20-plus win team, finish second behind the Wildcats and enter March Madness as a No. 4 seed, where they'll advance to the Sweet 16 before bowing out.