Georgetown Basketball

Georgetown and Illinois aren't rivals and don't play in the same conference, but Hoyas men's basketball head coach Ed Cooley still had some choice words for the Fighting Illini on Saturday.

"I've also seen a growth in Jayden," Cooley told reporters when discussing guard Jayden Epps, who started his collegiate career at Illinois in 2022-23 before transferring to Georgetown. "I talked to him yesterday in practice, I talked to him today before the game. His development defensively, I mean, it's almost like he's a new player. It's something I saw in him his freshman year when he played for that other bulls--t school."

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood wasn't exactly interested in engaging in a back-and-forth.

"That's not even worth wasting my time on," he told reporters. "I don't know what he was referencing that about. I know Jayden (Epps) had a productive freshman year here. But I'm not getting into all that. I'll let our fans and everybody else have some fun with that, which I'm sure they probably are."

After Cooley and the Hoyas defeated St. Francis (PA) on Saturday, the head coach took to social media to apologize and say he has "the utmost respect for the University of Illinois."

Epps arrived at Illinois as a 4-star prospect in the class of 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and was a solid secondary contributor as a freshman while averaging 9.5 points per game.

He has since become far more productive at Georgetown and averaged 18.5 points, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game last season. Yet players improving as their collegiate careers continue is nothing new, and there's nothing to say Epps wouldn't have taken a similar leap had he remained at Illinois.

The guard was also more of a focal point of the offense, as he attempted 8.6 field goals per game at Illinois compared to 15.6 last season at Georgetown. Notably, he was slightly more efficient with the Fighting Illini at 41.4 percent from the field compared to 39.2 percent last season.

He has hit 40.3 percent of his field-goal attempts in five games this season but is also averaging a career-best 2.0 steals. That defense is exactly what Cooley highlighted, as Epps appears to be developing into a better all-around player.

Yet the story was more about Cooley than the player given the coach's comments, especially since neither team was challenged in their Saturday games.

Illinois defeated Maryland Eastern Shore by 47 points.

Georgetown and Illinois don't play each other this season, although they are each 4-1 in the early going. Perhaps they will both make the NCAA tournament and set up a game that will now feature no shortage of storylines.

Ed Cooley has no plans of leaving his job at Georgetown for the now-vacant head coaching position at Virginia.

The Hoyas head coach spoke about rumors of him leaving for Virginia and reassured fans that Georgetown is the job for him.

"Zero truth to that... I'm where I need to be, I'm where I want to be," he said. "I will tell you this, this will be the last college job I have. My goal is to make Georgetown basketball powerful again, inspire other people. That's all false news, and it's unfortunate that people jeopardize livelihoods, jeopardize people. It's unfortunate. But Martin Luther King's dream will protect them too. They can dream big somewhere else, but don't dream on my dream. I'm living that dream, and it's as a Georgetown Hoya."

The rumors of Cooley to Virginia sparked after former Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett announced his sudden retirement last week, less than a month before the start of the college basketball season.

Virginia will now have to conduct a swift coaching search to find a replacement for the 2024-25 season, but Cooley made it clear his name will not be in the running.

Cooley, who coached at Providence from 2011 to 2023, took over as Georgetown's head coach ahead of last season, replacing Patrick Ewing following his firing at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.

Cooley found little success in his first year at the helm, going 9-23, but that was to be expected after the Hoyas won just 13 games over Ewing's last two seasons. Cooley is no stranger to rebuilding struggling programs though, as he led Providence to seven NCAA Tournaments during his time despite the Friars missing the tournament for 10 consecutive seasons before his arrival.

In his second season at Georgetown, he's looking to take strides toward returning a historic program to a national stage, but it won't be easy. The Hoyas lost four of their five starters from last season and will have to find production elsewhere this year.

The good news is Jayden Epps, Georgetown's leading scorer from a year ago, is back this season. The Hoyas also have the No. 12 recruiting class for 2024, per 247Sports Composite, meaning they'll have some solid talent to work with.

Year 2 of the Cooley era tips off on Nov. 6 with a matchup against Lehigh.

Georgetown has formed a list of at least two candidates as it begins the search for a new men's basketball coach after Patrick Ewing was fired on Thursday.

Per Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry has emerged as "one of the leading candidates" for the Hoyas, but Rick Pitino isn't currently being considered.

Goodman reported earlier in the day that Georgetown is expected to "make a run" at Providence head coach Ed Cooley, who "will listen" to the school's offer.

Arguably the greatest player in Georgetown basketball history, Ewing was hired as head coach in April 2017. He was coming out of a long run as an assistant coach in the NBA with four different teams from 2002 to 2017.

The Hoyas gave Ewing his first job as a head coach at any level. He was tasked with turning around a program that was coming off back-to-back losing seasons under John Thompson III.

There were minor improvements under Ewing's watch with a .500 record in his first season and a 19-14 record in 2018-19. Georgetown made the NCAA tournament during the 2020-21 season for the first time in six years after winning the Big East tournament title.

Entering the tournament as a No. 12 seed, Georgetown lost 96-73 to Colorado in the first round.

Things bottomed out for the program over the past two seasons with a 13-50 record, though, including an 80-48 loss to Villanova in the Big East tournament on Wednesday in what turned out to be Ewing's final game.

Cooley is in his 12th season at Providence. The 53-year-old has a 242-152 record and six tournament appearances with the Friars. They have won at least 21 games in each of the past two seasons and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2021.

Providence is currently projected to be a No. 10 seed in the 2023 NCAA tournament by ESPN's Joe Lunardi.

Shrewsberry, in his second season with the program, has the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten tournament semifinals against Indiana on Saturday. He's led them to 21 wins so far this season, their most since 2019-20. They could make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 12 years.

After Georgetown's season ended with a blowout loss to Villanova in the first round of the Big East men's basketball tournament on Wednesday, the program made a major change Thursday.

Georgetown has parted ways with head coach Patrick Ewing, ending his six-year tenure. The Hoyas finished with a 7-25 record this season following last year's 6-25 campaign.

CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein first reported the news.

"It was a rough year. It was not the year we thought we would have had," Ewing said after Wednesday's 80-48 loss. "We kept fighting. We didn't give up, and we're disappointed the season ended the way that it did."

Ewing exits with a record of 75-109. The highlight of his run with the team came two years ago when the Hoyas surprisingly won the Big East tournament as a No. 8 seed. The victory fittingly came at Madison Square Garden, where Ewing starred for so many years as a member of the New York Knicks.

Georgetown's lone NCAA tournament appearance during the 60-year-old's time at the helm came during that 2020-21 season, and the team fell in the round of 64. It only participated in one other postseason tournament under Ewing, falling in the NIT's first round in 2019. It was a far cry from the success Ewing enjoyed as a player.

The Basketball Hall of Famer starred for Georgetown for four years under head coach John Thompson, leading the team to the 1984 NCAA championship and two other title-game appearances. The Hoyas went 121-23 while Ewing was in uniform, including a 9-1 conference tournament record. He went on to become the No. 1 pick in the 1985 NBA draft.

Georgetown will now begin its search for the right person to lead a rebuild as the program hopes to return to prominence.

Marvel Allen, a 4-star point guard from the Calvary Christian Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, committed to Georgetown on Saturday.

Allen informed Joe Tipton of On3.com of his decision and said the following about why he chose Georgetown:

"I committed to Georgetown mainly on relationships. Georgetown called me every single day, came to every single game, and communicated with my family every day. Through my adversity, coach Pat [Ewing] and [Kevin] Nickelberry were there to encourage me and let me know what I'm capable of and that they're in my corner no matter what. I want to go somewhere where I feel comfortable and play under coaches who I can trust. This is why Georgetown is my choice."

It's a big get for the Hoyas. Allen is considered the No. 27 player in the Class of 2023, the No. 6 combo guard and the No. 3 player from the state of Florida, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

He had originally committed to LSU in January, citing head coach Will Wade's coaching style, the team's "guard-focused" playing approach and its "defensive intensity" as reasons for his choice.

"Coach Wade gets on his players and I like that," Allen added, per ESPN. "I am the type of player who needs to know what I need to do better. I am OK with constructive criticism. It helps me become a better player. I like the way Coach Wade keeps his composure in tough times during the game and how he supports his players."

But when Wade was fired in March, Allen reopened his recruitment:

So, what will Georgetown be getting in Allen?

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi:

"Allen's game is to score the ball with energy, especially on the fast break. He's capable from beyond the arc, but he is at his best in the mid-range and finishing his drives. He is a mismatch against small guards as he utilizes his size and strength to drive into the paint and draw contact."

At 6'4" and 190 pounds, Allen also brings solid size at the position. He should make an instant impact for the Hoyas, seriously bolstering their 2023 recruiting class.

Georgetown men's basketball coach Patrick Ewing said Friday his plan is to return to the team next season:

It comes after Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed released a statement Wednesday supporting Ewing as the coach.

"Coach Ewing's dedication as well as his success in last year's Big East tournament is a testament to his leadership," Reed said in the statement. "This gives us confidence that he can strengthen our program going forward."

It should end any speculation about changes at head coach despite the Hoyas struggling to a 6-23 record in 2021-22. The team is 0-18 in Big East play heading into Saturday's season finale at Xavier.

Ewing is in his fifth season with the program, accumulating a 68-82 record in this span. 

The lone bright spot during his tenure was last year's conference tournament, during which Georgetown won four games in four days to win the title after entering with a 9-12 record. The team suffered a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament against No. 5-seeded Colorado.

Despite the struggles, Ewing will seemingly get at least another year to turn things around.

The 59-year-old was one of the best players in school history, winning the Naismith award in 1984-85 while helping the team win the 1984 national championship. Georgetown went to the national title game three times in Ewing's four years with the program.   

Georgetown men's basketball coach Patrick Ewing received support from the athletics department Wednesday amid questions about his job status:

"Coach Ewing's dedication as well as his success in last year's Big East Tournament is a testament to his leadership," athletic director Lee Reed said in the statement. "This gives us confidence that he can strengthen our program going forward."

The vote of confidence comes amid a miserable 6-22 season for the Hoyas, including an 0-17 mark in the Big East. Georgetown has two regular-season games remaining, but it hasn't won a game since beating Howard on Dec. 15.

Ewing is 68-81 overall in five years as Georgetown's head coach, with only one season better than .500. The Hoyas' lone NCAA tournament appearance under Ewing came last year after a shocking run to win the Big East tournament, securing the conference's automatic bid. 

Georgetown was 9-12 last year before winning four games in four days in the conference tournament. The squad proceeded to lose to Colorado by 23 in the first round in the NCAA tournament. 

Georgetown has two commits for the 2022 recruiting class, including 4-star guard Denver Anglin, but it will take a lot for the struggling program to turn things around.

Georgetown hired Ewing in 2017 even though he had no head coaching experience. He spent more than a decade as an assistant coach in the NBA.

The 59-year-old should get extra leeway as one of the best players in program history. The Basketball Hall of Famer led Georgetown to three Final Four appearances and one NCAA title, and he won the Naismith Award as the national player of the year in 1985.

The No. 1 pick of the 1985 NBA draft went on to earn 11 All-Star selections with the New York Knicks.

Despite his struggles as Georgetown's head coach, Ewing will seemingly get at least another year to prove himself.    

The Georgetown men's basketball team lost its 18th straight game Sunday, a school record. After the contest, head coach Patrick Ewing expressed a desire to return next season and right the ship.

"Of course, I want to be back here," he told reporters. "But in this position and this job, whatever happens will happen. I'm hoping that I'll be back and doing something that I love at a place that I love and getting us back to being the king of the hill."

Outside of Ewing's importance to the school as a legendary former player and NBA Hall of Famer, however, it's hard to formulate a strong argument for Georgetown bringing him back. 

The Hoyas are just 6-22 this season with two games remaining and haven't won a single Big East game, a shocking outcome for a proud program that developed the likes of Ewing, Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Sleepy Floyd, among others. 

To put this season in perspective, the Hoyas have never finished in last place in the Big East since the league was formed in 1979. They've already clinched last place in the conference for the year.

Ewing is now 68-81 in his five seasons at the helm, with only one winning season to his name in 2018-19. Even the high of last season, when the Hoyas went on a miracle run through the Big East tournament by beating Marquette, Villanova, Seton Hall and Creighton to claim the conference championship, ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

"Last year was a much better season for us," Ewing said Sunday.

Georgetown has struggled to regain its former place among the elites in college basketball during the John Thompson days of the 70s, 80s and 90s, when the school reached the NCAA tournament 17 times, won a championship in the 1983-84 season, reached three Final Fours and seven Elite Eights. 

Under the watch of Craig Esherick (1999-00 to 2003-04) and John Thompson III (2004-05 to 2016-17), the Hoyas had a respectable 15 winning seasons but qualified for the NCAA tournament just nine times, reached the Sweet 16 three times and the Final Four in 2006-07. 

Replacing a legend like John Thompson is always a tall task. That another school legend in Ewing has struggled to return Georgetown to prominence has been a tough pill to swallow for Hoyas supporters. 

Making the NCAA tournament last season earned Georgetown men's basketball head coach Patrick Ewing a contract extension. 

Per FanDuel's Jon Rothstein, Ewing signed his new deal at some point after the tournament. 

Terms of the extension are unknown.

Ewing is currently in his fifth season as Hoyas head coach. He was hired by the program in April 2017 to replace John Thompson III. The 59-year-old has done a solid job of recruiting at the school. 

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, the Hoyas had the 16th-ranked recruiting class for the 2021-22 season with five commits, including 5-star standout Aminu Mohammed. 

Before returning to his alma mater, Ewing spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach in the NBA with the Washington Wizards (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2003-07), Orlando Magic (2007-12) and Charlotte Hornets (2013-17). 

Ewing played for the Hoyas from 1981 to 1985. He won four consecutive Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards, was a three-time All-American, two-time Big East Player of the Year and was named NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1984. 

Georgetown has a 68-79 record under Ewing. The program has had just one winning season (19-14 in 2018-19), but it made the NCAA tournament last season as an automatic qualifier after winning the Big East tournament. 

It was the Hoyas' first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2014-15. They were a No. 12 seed and lost to Colorado 96-73 in the round of 64. They also made the NIT in 2019 but lost to Harvard in the first round. 

Georgetown is in last place in the Big East this season with a 6-20 overall record (0-15 in conference play).