Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: Building each program’s Mount Rushmore

By Brian Foley

KEYSTONE, SD - OCTOBER 01: Mount Rushmore National Memorial towers over the South Dakota landscape on October 1, 2013 near Keystone, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore and all other national parks were closed today after congress failed to pass a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job. A bulletin issued by the Department of Interior states, 'Effective immediately upon a lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service will take all necessary steps to close and secure national park facilities and grounds in order to suspend all activities ...Day use visitors will be instructed to leave the park immediately...' (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
KEYSTONE, SD - OCTOBER 01: Mount Rushmore National Memorial towers over the South Dakota landscape on October 1, 2013 near Keystone, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore and all other national parks were closed today after congress failed to pass a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job. A bulletin issued by the Department of Interior states, 'Effective immediately upon a lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service will take all necessary steps to close and secure national park facilities and grounds in order to suspend all activities ...Day use visitors will be instructed to leave the park immediately...' (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /
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24 Jan 1995: ALLEN IVERSON OF GEORGETOWN ON COURT DURING THE 88-71 WIN OVER ST. JOHN’S IN THE BIG-EAST CONFERENCE GAME AT THE USAIR ARENA IN WASHINGTON DC.
24 Jan 1995: ALLEN IVERSON OF GEORGETOWN ON COURT DURING THE 88-71 WIN OVER ST. JOHN’S IN THE BIG-EAST CONFERENCE GAME AT THE USAIR ARENA IN WASHINGTON DC. /

Mount Hoya

Georgetown History: 1984 National Champions, 4 Final Fours, 4 Elite Eights, 3 Sweet 16’s

C Patrick Ewing (1981-85), HC (2017-)
Stats: 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 1.2 steals
Record: 15-15 (.500 winning percentage), 0 NCAA Tournament appearances

Ewing, who would probably make the Mount Rushmore for the entire Big East conference, led Georgetown to three Final Four appearances and one National Championship in four years with the program. He was also named a two-time Big East Player of the Year, a three-time consensus first-team All-American, and the National Player of the Year in 1985. Ewing, an 11-time NBA All-Star, is now entering his second season as the Hoyas’ head coach.

G Allen Iverson (1994-96)
Stats: 23.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.2 steals

Iverson owned the Big East from the first day he walked onto Georgetown’s campus. In just two seasons, Iverson led the Hoyas to 50 total wins, a Sweet 16, and an Elite Eight. He was also a consensus first-team All-American as a sophomore before the Philadelphia 76ers took him first overall in the 1996 draft. Iverson’s sophomore year is still the single-season record for points in Georgetown history (926).

C Alonzo Mourning (1988-92)
Stats: 16.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.8 blocks

If Ewing is at the forefront of Georgetown’s long line of great big men, then Mourning is right behind him. Mourning’s teams did not have as much tournament success – an Elite Eight appearance as a freshman and second round exits in each of the next three years – but the big man more than held his own individually. Mourning won the Big East Player of the Year award as a senior, and was named both a first and second-team All-American during his career. Mourning is second only to Ewing in career blocks in the Hoya record books.

HC John Thompson (1972-99)
Record: 596-239 (.714 winning percentage), 20 NCAA Tournament appearances

For better or for worse, Thompson has held a firm grip over the Georgetown program since he was hired in 1972. In 27 seasons as a head coach, Thompson advanced to 20 NCAA Tournaments, won 7 regular season conference titles, and captured the 1984 National Championship. Since Thompson stepped aside in 1999, Georgetown’s three head coaches have been Thompson’s top assistant (Craig Esherick), Thompson’s son (John Thompson III), and Thompson’s best player (Ewing).

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