Record: 6-4
KenPom Rank: 111
NET Ranking: 174 (Q1: 0-0, Q2: 0-2, Q3: 2-1, Q4: 4-1)
Best non-conference win(s): vs Syracuse
Bad loss(es): vs Dartmouth, Saint Joseph’s (neutral)
I was higher than most on the Hoyas to start the season. Maybe I just want them to be good again. You know it’s bad when a UConn fan feels bad for Georgetown.
The Hoyas had to replace a lot of production and the loss of Tre King prior to the season hurt. However, the Hoyas are now winners of 3 straight, including a nice comeback win over Syracuse.
Maybe they are starting to figure things out? Is this the start of another run for the Hoyas, or the start of another disappointing season of Big East play?
The team has four players averaging double figures and the freshmen are starting to contribute. The fate of this team seems to lie in the freshmen, which is less than ideal.
Dante Harris (12.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.3 apg) and Donald Carey (12.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 48% from three) are the lone holdovers seeing real action for the Hoyas. Harris needs to improve his shooting from distance, but Georgetown has other people to handle that.
Georgetown ranks 11th in the country in 3 point percentage, that’s got to count for something right? Freshman sensation Aminu Mohamed (14.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 40% from three) and Kaiden Rice (14.6 ppg, 43.3% from three) have helped out there.
After that, where does Georgetown go for answers? The young players all seemed to have breakout games against Howard. Collin Holloway (8.7 ppg scored 15 against Howard and may be starting to emerge as an option. Tyler Beard chipped in a career-high 23 and looks like a real option for the Hoyas moving forward. Malcolm Wilson put up 13 points and 8 rebounds. Ryan Mutumbo and Jordan Riley provide more options, but the Hoyas need answers, not options. It may be a lot to ask, but Georgetown needs more from these guys if they’re going to compete in the Big East.
Each year under Ewing feels like the start of a rebuild. That’s not a good place to be for a program that should be nationally relevant most years. Blame the coaching, blame the administration, blame whoever you want. The point is the Big East and college basketball are better when Georgetown is a factor, so the Hoyas need to figure it out. I’m having a hard time convincing myself they will be a factor this season.