Syracuse Basketball: 5 toughest non-conference opponents for 2018-19

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Oshae Brissett #11 of the Syracuse Orange battles for the ball with Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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OMAHA, NE – MARCH 23: Tyus Battle #25 of the Syracuse Orange attempts a jump shot against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at CenturyLink Center on March 23, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

5. Georgetown, Home, December 8th

Georgetown is one of the hardest teams to evaluate in the entire country. The Hoyas finished last season with a 5-13 Big East record and a 15-15 overall record which was inflated by an unbelievably soft non-conference schedule. While these records are not encouraging, Georgetown genuinely played well towards the end of the season and returns most of their team.

The most notable loss is PF Marcus Derrickson who left with a year of eligibility remaining. Derrickson is going to training camp with the Golden State Warriors and averaged 15.9 ppg and 8.1 rpg last season.

The Hoyas return one of the best big men in the country Jessie Govan. Govan is a skilled offensive player who can score with his back to the basket and shoot from the perimeter, making him an extremely difficult assignment. He averaged 17.9 ppg and 10.0 rpg last season.

They also return Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett who were two of the best freshmen in the Big East and are poised for even bigger roles as sophomores. Both players can really shoot the ball and should improve their efficiency with another year under their belts. Veterans Kaleb Johnson and Jagan Mosely, as well as freshman PF Josh LeBlanc, round out a strong group of players at the 2-4 spots.

However, Georgetown’s postseason aspirations hinge upon the play of freshmen guards James Akinjo and Mac McClung. Both players will need to make meaningful contributions at PG and outperform the expectations associated with their recruiting rankings. If the Hoyas get competent PG play then they could easily return to the Big Dance and offer a quality win opportunity for Syracuse.

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