Georgetown Basketball

Location: Washington, DC
Nickname: Hoyas
Conference: Big East
Last Year’s Record: 16-15

Key Returners: Greg Monroe (12.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Chris Wright (12.5 ppg), Austin Freeman (11.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

Top Newcomers: Vee Sanford, Hollis Thompson

Strengths

With three McDonald’s All-Americans returning, there’s no reason why the Hoyas shouldn’t be expected to have a drastic improvement over last season.

With Big East Player of the Year candidate Greg Monroe and Chris Wright having full Big East seasons under their belts, and a trimmed Austin Freeman moving back to shooting guard, coach John Thompson III seems to have his team in the image he wants.

Add in four-star prospect Hollis Thompson, who’s been on campus since last winter, and the Hoyas appear to have the talent to challenge in the Big East.

Weakness

If this team didn’t do any maturing over the offseason, then it is in big trouble again. Bouts of inconsistency marred Georgetown’s season, taking a team that, at one point, was ranked in the top 10 to a team that lost in the first round of the NIT. This team beat UConn and Villanova on the road, yet was swept by St. John’s.

If the Hoyas haven’t learned from the mistakes they made last season, they may be doomed to repeat the past.

Outlook

With seven players who saw significant minutes returning, expect the Hoyas to be able to overcome the youthful mistakes they made last season. This team belongs to the junior backcourt of Chris Wright and Austin Freeman. They’ll take ownership and get Georgetown back into the NCAA tournament.

Universities in the Washington, D.C., area are generally not known for their football prowess.  So next week when much of the country fires up pigskin-themed barbecues, fans inside the Beltway may be tuning in to other sports. 

Soccer will surely be among them, with three schools in the city ranking in Soccer America Magazine's NCAA men’s preseason top 25. One is George Mason, which will host the annual DC College Cup from September 2-5. 

The round-robin style tournament pits the Patriots against American, George Washington, and Howard, setting up matches between some of the better teams in college soccer and raising the profile of the sport in the city. It also builds regional pride and rivalries among local schools.

But the city’s biggest draw in collegiate sports is undoubtedly basketball.  This begs the question: why does Washington not have a showcase for hoops like the DC College Cup? 

Over more than 50 years, Philadelphia has perfected this concept with its round-robin style Big 5 tournament. The Big 5 schools (Villanova, Temple, LaSalle, St. Joseph’s, and the University of Pennsylvania) play three games each during the out-of-conference portion of the basketball schedule, most at Penn’s Palestra, and the format has even extended to other sports.

At the risk of offending the infamously rabid fans in Philadelphia, a similar tournament in D.C. would be even better, with higher quality teams overall and a larger venue. 

I am far from the first person to suggest this, but I have not yet heard a good explanation for why it cannot be done.  The tournament could even incorporate the best of D.C.’s save-the-world comportment by donating proceeds to a worthy cause, like the city’s public schools, for example.

Washington is home to several intriguing and talented teams: of course Georgetown and Maryland would be the biggest draws, plus George Mason (a Final Four team in 2006), George Washington (ranked in the top ten during the 2005-2006 season), and American (a Cinderella in last year’s March Madness).  Howard could also be included, with consideration going to surrounding schools like Navy, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth, and Virginia Tech.

For teams like American, George Washington, and George Mason that have a hard time enticing big name schools to play on their home floors, the chance to face perennial top 25 opponents close to home would be a blessing. 

GW used to get that chance through the BB&T Classic, which is played in December and in the past drew teams like Stanford, Illinois, UConn, and Michigan State.  Since 2005, however, the BB&T has become a shred of its former self because, according to the tournament’s website, it could no longer draw such quality teams.

The BB&T eliminated the tournament format altogether and shortened the event from two days to one.  Coincidentally or not, these changes followed two years in a row when GW beat Maryland.  It should be noted that the BB&T does raise money for the Children’s Charities Foundation; perhaps the Classic can be a launching point for a larger citywide effort.

One disclaimer before I continue: I am a GW alumna and former season ticket holder.  But I am not a blind loyalist, and I in no way speak for the team or the university.

Plus, the big guys (Maryland and Georgetown) stand to gain something, too.  The event would draw huge crowds at the Verizon Center, where Georgetown plays its home games (as do the Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics).  The tournament would bring positive attention to basketball programs throughout the city, attracting recruits from D.C. and beyond.  The schools would also be able to further build goodwill with the city and its residents.

Maryland has shown hints that it would consider such a tournament.  The Terps have participated in the BB&T since its inception in 1995, although the only team it will play in this year’s version is Villanova.  However Maryland consistently exposes itself to playing “mid-major” teams like Charlotte, VCU, and Winthrop.  Likewise Georgetown played American last year, in addition to Wichita State and Drexel.

Rumors abound as to why Georgetown never participated in the BB&T when it was still an interesting tournament.  Some say Gary Williams and Maryland are not willing to play if Georgetown is in it.  Others say Georgetown is afraid to play the local “mid-major” teams because John Thompson III’s squad would have more to lose than it would have to gain from such match-ups. 

I cannot say whether any of that is founded, whether it is paranoid speculation, or some combination of the two. 

What I do know is that from this fan’s perspective there is little downside to a competitive, inclusive tournament in D.C. in the mold of the Big 5. 

After all, if Philadelphia, which rarely lives up to its “brotherly love” moniker at sporting events, can make it work, why not Washington, D.C.–the capital of diplomacy?

Being young in the Big East was pretty much a death sentence last season. The Big East was the most brutal conference last season filled with bodies on the floor and games resembling UFC fights.

A senior dominated conference with monsters like Dejuan Blair and Jeff Adrein bulldozing towards the basket and tearing down rebounds and ripping off arms in the process.

And then there was Georgetown. A team who has been given the fineness tag. Their starting lineup consisted of two sophomores and a fish. They were one of only three Big East teams with only one starting senior. They were getting wrecked on and pushed around night after night.

But now with many top Big East teams like Louisville, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Syracuse losing their top players the conference has become up for grabs.

Early last season Georgetown looked like they would be a threat for the Big East crown.

They started off 9-1 handling Maryland and beat Memphis in a hard fought OT battle. And then in their first conference game and their first road game they traveled to the XL center for a match with the number two ranked Uconn Huskies.

They showed no fear repeatedly attacking Hasheem Thabeet and out fought Uconn for a 74-63 win. The Hoyas had the lead for the entire game and Hasheem had four points on only four shots. Life was good for John Thompson III.

After that nothing seemed to go right as they finished the season 16-15 with a 7-11 conference record and losing in the first round of the NIT. They lacked needed experience, depth, and were last in Big East in rebounds. Then to top it off their leading scorer Dajuan Summers bolted for the NBA skipping his senior season only to be a second round pick.

But this is a new season. Their backcourt consists of great scoring juniors Chris Wright and Austin Freeman, backup Jason Clark looks like he could take over the hustling duties of departing starter Jessie Sapp, and sophomore gym rat Henry Sims and a nice recruiting class add depth.

Top 100 player Hollis Thompson leads the recruiting class. He is a high energy guy and great rebounder at the small forward position.

He is a slasher who fits in well with Georgetown’s Princeton style offense utilizing the back door cut. He has a lot of upside and will be a complete monster if he can develop a consistent jump shot but will compete for a starting spot immediately nonetheless.

Vee Sanford is an outstanding three point shooter who can also handle the ball and is a good passer. If he can bulk up he could become a starter down the road. Add some more rebounding and a great athlete with Jerrelle Benimon and you have depth and a bright future.

They already have great guards with Austin Freeman and Chris Wright. They fearlessly attack the basket and both have a nice jumper. If center Henry Sims continues to develop Greg Monroe and him could become an unstoppable frontcourt.

But none of that will matter if there is no Greg Monroe. He is what will make or break next season.

Here is a 6-10 250 man with a 7-2 wingspan who is big enough to back you down and drop in a nice little hook shot, fast enough and a good enough dribbler to blow by you and finish at the rim, or he can just pull up and drain a jumper in your face.

He is the second coming of Chris Webber.

An outstanding basketball mind, Monroe had few freshman mistakes last season. He is the best passing big man in the nation and one of the best passers for any position.

All of this makes him the perfect player to run the Princeton offense and after a year of learning he has a chance to lead the team in assists.

He needs to become a tougher rebounder if he wants to make his team a true contender. He seemed to shy away from contact down low opting to instead immediately turn to offense after an opposing team put up a shot.

They are one of the top free throw shooting teams in the country with an offense always attacking the basket. They already have two top hundred players for the 2010 recruiting class but this season is key.

If Georgetown struggles again this year questions will begin to come up.

“Is the dynasty over?”

“Should JT3 be out as coach?”

Only time will tell. But until, let the debates begin.

The Maryland Terrapins and Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball teams are going to be good in 2009-10. Really good.

Both the Terps and the Hoyas are going to have something next season that they haven’t in the last three or four seasons, even with Final Four runs and scrambles into the NCAA Tournament: experience and depth.

College Park will welcome back Greivis Vasquez, who should pair with an offensive-minded Eric Hayes and a motivated Cliff Tucker to form a deadly perimeter threat in the ACC. Dino Gregory figures to get more meaningful time with Braxton Dupree wasting away his talent at Towson.

If Backboard Enemy No. 1 Jordan Williams has just an ounce of heart more than Nik Caner-Medley, balance will be the Terps’ ticket to a successful ACC season.

In the District, the Hoyas return a more mature backcourt in Chris Wright and Austin Freeman. Both have the potential to shoot the Hoyas to a top-four standing in the Big East.

Greg Monroe will likely be the best post player in the country next year, and Hollis Thompson should be good enough to stop the bloodletting from DaJuan Summers’ departure.

Both teams will be confident knowing they will be much improved from last year. With good coaching in Gary Williams and John Thompson III and college basketball voters granting the star power of these team some favorable looks, you could be looking at a heavy Mid-Atlantic presence in the 2010 Sweet 16.

Technorati Tags: Cliff Tucker, Dino Gregory, Eric Hayes, Gary Williams, Georgetown Hoyas, Greg Monroe, Greivis Vasquez, Hollis Thompson, John Thompson III, Maryland Terrapins

DC Landing Strip's Georgetown Hoyas expert Marion's Crackpipe checks in with his early season preview.

I don’t really get this move. DaJuan Summers wasn’t dominant in a Big East Conference known for dominance. He was a solid player, capable of flashes of brilliance, but luminary was certainly not his middle name.

Perhaps someone told the Baltimore native that with hard work, his size and versatility would allow him to shine in pre-Draft camps and leave scouts believing him to be the second coming of Carmelo Anthony. And maybe that’s true, but I believe that he might foresee another down year for the Hoyas next season, and it may be a case of Summers getting out and getting the money while its available.

Either that, or his agent told him there is better money now than later.

And who could blame him? The words ‘Terrence Morris’ ring a mighty bell in these parts, and I’m not disparaging the move if its truly what is best for him. It is a light draft, and there may be a place for Summers for after camps and invitationals that may position him for a guaranteed contract.

But considering the light work he put in over his cumulative career, disparaging and understanding are two different things when it comes to DaJuan Summers and his NBA prospects.

Share and Enjoy:

While we're on the cusp of Selection Sunday, one DC area team will be notably absent from the field of 65. 

It's amazing, given the disparity of the teams in the Washington region, that one team that clearly should've been in the tournament will not hear their name called tonight while another program that originally had no business being in there somehow managed to find a way.

The Georgetown Hoyas, who had reached the Final Four just two years ago, will be left out of this year's NCAA Tournament after compiling a 16-14 record and 7-11 in the Big East Conference.

How in the world did this happen?  It wasn't long ago that Georgetown was ranked one of the top teams in the country, climbing as high as No. 8 in the Coaches Poll.

The team, which has been very successful in recruiting talent in the DC area, was comprised of highly touted recruits and was able to gain a commitment from the country's top power forward prospect last year, Greg Monroe.

Georgetown started out the gate strongly and won 10 out of their 11 games early in the season.  The Hoyas routed local rival Maryland in the Old Spice Classic by nearly 30 points and defeated Memphis in an overtime thriller.  Wins over Big East rivals UConn and Syracuse convinced Hoya Nation that they'd be dancing deeply into the tournament when March rolled around.

Unfortunately, no one could've predicted how poorly January and February would treat the Hoyas.

Beginning with a road loss at Duke, Georgetown managed to lose 10 out of its last 13 games in the regular season, three of which were decided in overtime.  While some losses were against tourney-bound teams, a fair portion of them were to programs Georgetown had no business losing to.

None hurt more than their regular season finale road loss at St. John's, which clearly ended any hope for the Hoyas returning the dance sans winning the Big East title.

Prior to the crushing defeat at St. John's, the Hoyas barely managed to stay on the bubble because they played the nation's hardest schedule.  That proved to be an invalid argument after Georgetown fell once again to the Red Storm just one week later in the opening round of the Big East Tournament.

Throughout all of this, the blame clearly lays on Head Coach John Thompson III.  They're one of the most talented teams in the Big East, but players can only take you so far; just ask Roy Williams.

While many thought a storm was brewing in nearby College Park, it's now the Hilltop that should head to the observatory.  One recruit has already decommitted from the Hoyas and team chemistry isn't great at the moment.

Georgetown will now have to wait until next year to return to the Dance while they ruminate how a season that started off so well ended so poorly.

NEW YORK— The Big East Media Poll picked St. John's to finish 15th and Georgetown eighth. But after the Johnnies knocked off the Hoyas 64-59 in the first round of the Big East Championship, it's the Johnnies that look like the eighth-best team in the league while the Hoyas are looking like one of the worst. 

St. John's kept its season alive with the school's first Big East Tournament victory since 2003, the same year former coach Mike Jarvis led the team to an NIT Championship. But this year, if and when St. John's loses in the Big East Tournament, there won't be an NIT bid waiting for them.

What will be waiting for St. John's and coach Norm Roberts is a team full of budding underclassman that embraced Roberts' advice.

"I said to them that the bottom line is, here's the momentum," Roberts said. "You're going to either define your moment or let the moment define you, and I've been telling [my players] that for the last three weeks: do not let the moment define you."

St. John's defined its moment when it came back to take a lead at half despite an early seven-point deficit.

St. John's defined its moment when it clamped down on defense and prevented Georgetown from scoring a field goal for over four minutes early in the second half.

St. John's defined its moment when it blew a 10-point lead, but reached back for a little bit more and outscored Georgetown 11-3 over a three-minute stretch late in the second half.

St. John's defined its moment by winning four of its last six games despite all of the team's problems.

"We weren't dealt some very good cards throughout the year with [Anthony] Mason going down, losing our guard [Malik Boothe] for nine games, then Justin Burrell having to wear a mask the whole year," Roberts said.

John Thompson III received a similar deck of cards filled with hardship, but his Hoyas are headed in a different direction. Despite losing four key seniors and two transfers from last year, Georgetown excelled early beating Memphis and Connecticut.

But attitude problems with Jessie Sapp, a lack of defensive intensity from DaJuan Summers, and a bench thinner than Paris Hilton have the Hoyas in reverse.

But Georgetown's second loss to St. John's in a week still doesn't mean the Hoyas' season is over. Georgetown will likely be headed to the NIT despite losing 11 of its last 15 games and being one and done in the Big East Championship.

"[The loss] is extremely disappointing," Thompson said. "They all are. I can't think of any loss [as] 'Oh, that's a good, happy loss.' This is the Big East Tournament. When you lose in this tournament, it's tough."

Through this rough stretch, Thompson claimed his team's mental psyche hasn't been shaken.

"We still struggled, but I don't think we've ever shown up not confident that we can go out and play well and get a win," Thompson said, "We haven't executed as we should have, but I don't think confidence is part of the equation."

Georgetown needs to figure out its execution problems quickly. The Hoyas cannot afford to take a nose-dive in the NIT (assuming they play in it) and end the season losing the way this team has.

Only Jessie Sapp graduates so this core of players will return together. A culture of losing can develop quickly if a coach doesn't prevent it.

It will be on John Thompson's shoulders to ensure his Hoyas learn how to win again.

I will be live-blogging the entire Big East Tournament from MSG on my blog Ballin is a Habit. Come by and join in the conversation!!

I have the utmost respect for John Thompson III.

He is a fantastic coach that has been able to win by recruiting kids that are true student-athletes and benefit the Georgetown community through more than just points per game.

But this season was not his finest at the helm.

The Hoyas disappointing run ended today at the hands of an upstart St. John's squad. The Johnnies won their first Big East tournament game on the strength of 23 points from Paris Horne. It was his three-point play with 3:42 left in the game that gave the Red Storm the lead for good at 53-52.

Georgetown's two biggest flaws were exposed this afternoon—their weakness on the offensive glass and their lack of a go-to scorer in crunch time.

When St. John's was making their final push, it was spurred on by a number of offensive boards on consecutive possessions. And it is a shame when your leading scorer, in this case DaJuan Summers, fails to show up for your last chance at making a run at the NCAA tournament.

Summers played just 28 foul plagued minutes, finishing with nine points on 2-8 shooting.

Never was the lack of a leader more evident than on the Hoya's last possession. JT3 drew something up in the huddle, but the play clearly did not work as time ticked away and Chris Wright was left alone to dribble the clock out at the top of the key.

What did he resort too?

Finding Nikita Mescheriakov, a guy who didn't even play at the start of the season, for a desperation three from the corner. As the shot ricocheted off the top of the back board and eight rows deep in the crowd, the ball carried with it the hopes of a team that was at one point ranked eighth in the country.

It was a fitting end for this Georgetown team. During their rigorous Big East schedule, when the Hoyas needed someone to step and lead their team, not a soul was too be found.

When the Hoyas need someone to step up and hit a big shot when they were down three in the closing seconds, no one wanted the ball.

Free NCAA Betting Pick: St John’s +6.0 (-110)

Tue. March 10, 2009, 2:20p—Courtesy of LT Profits

Visit Touthouse.com for more NCAA Basketball Betting Picks.

The St. John's Red Storm exceeded expectations in the Big East this season while the Georgetown Hoyas underperformed badly, and we look for both of those trends to continue today.

The Red Storm finished at 15-16 overall and 6-12 in the conference, and while that may not seem like much, consider that they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference before the season, when a nearly .500 season overall would have been considered a surprise.

More importantly, the Johnnies beat Georgetown 59-56 in overtime at Carnesecca Arena just last week, and they ended the regular season on a 5-2 run against the spread. They now get to face the Hoyas in their second home at Madison Square Garden, and the last time the Red Storm played here, they came within seven points of upsetting Duke.

Georgetown was nationally ranked at the start of the year, but they were one of the biggest disappointments in the entire country at 16-13, and they may not have many supporters left after going a money-burning 8-16-1 ATS. In fact, after upsetting Connecticut in their Big East opener back on Dec. 29, the Hoyas went a horrendous 3-14 ATS over the rest of their conference schedule.

We do not expect Georgetown to suddenly rise up now in a virtual road game, so do not be shocked if they lose this game outright to seal their NIT fate.

College Basketball Free Pick: St. John's +6 (-110)