Big East Basketball: Reactions to 2018-19 all-conference teams

Georgetown Hoyas: the team of 2020-21?

When Hoya legend Patrick Ewing took over the Georgetown job last summer, a cloud of uncertainty still hung over the program. But after a feisty campaign in 2017-18, followed up by continued growth during the Hoyas’ bubblicious season this year, Georgetown is primed for a Big East breakout.

With first-year guards Akinjo and McClung, as well as forward LeBlanc, earning all-conference honors, Georgetown is just the second team to land three players on the all-Big East Freshman team in one season (1987-88 Pittsburgh). Five Hoyas have now earned all-freshman team honors in the last two years after Jamorko Pickett and Jahvon Blair accomplished such feats last year.

Marquette is likely the team to beat next year, with Utah State transfer guard Koby McEwen, medical redshirt sophomore guard Greg Elliott, and three-star guard recruit Dexter Akanno set to join nearly the same rotation Steve Wojciechowski is trotting out this season (the only two MU scholarship players slated to depart are point guard Joseph Chartouny and center Matt Heldt, who have contributed 3.8 points per game combined). However, Georgetown is still set up well to pursue a single-digit seed in the NCAA tourney, even with the departure of the graduating Govan.

As Al McGuire once said, “The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.” The Hoyas are loaded with plenty of young talent that should take another step forward in 2019-20 (especially with three recruits and NC State transfer Omer Yurtseven joining the party), but the year where Georgetown actually reigns supreme could be the 2020-21 campaign. Not only will Marquette likely take a step backward following the exits of Howard, Hauser, and others, but Georgetown’s key crop of players – Akinjo, McClung, LeBlanc, Yurtseven, Pickett, and whomever else Ewing adds to the mix – will all have the perfect mix of star power plus experience.

The Hoyas don’t have to wait another two seasons to make noise in the Big East – heck, a couple wins in New York this week and they could be back in the NCAA tournament – but Ewing has his program in ideal shape going forward.

And Georgetown isn’t the only team that can look ahead to the future. Marquette will be the favorite next season. Villanova isn’t going anywhere. Creighton’s six best players will all be back in Omaha. Xavier is surrounding its core with a bevy of quality prospects in Travis Steele’s second season. DePaul will pair a couple of four-star recruits with double-double machine Paul Reed. Butler will still possess a stellar perimeter rotation. Providence’s young guards will only get better. St. John’s has legitimate high-level talent with or without Ponds. Seton Hall will be even better so long as Powell sticks around in South Orange.

Development is not always linear for young teams, but after a thrilling conference season where each team will finish .500 or better for the year, all 10 programs can still picture bigger things to come on the horizon. The future is certainly bright for the always interesting Big East.