Big East Basketball: Key storylines emerging early in 2023-24 season
By John Makuch
3. Ed Cooley’s start at Georgetown
In terms of just this year, Georgetown and Ed Cooley did not have anywhere near the first-year expectations Rick Pitino had at St. John’s, but this has not been an ideal beginning for the new head coach of this program. While yes, the Hoyas also have a 4-2 record, a loss to Holy Cross is not what was expected, this team had a very winnable path to 5-1 with the Rutgers game being the loss.
The Rutgers loss is what stings here, with the Hoyas not competing with the Scarlet Knights, losing 71-60. Ed Cooley also found himself catching some heat after calling out young reporters for the overall demeanor of the post-game presser, “If I could say something to all you young writers: when you have the opportunity and you’re sitting in a room like this, the only way you’re going to get better is by having the courage to ask a question in these type of situations,” Cooley said. This comment stemmed from the overall frustration surrounding Georgetown at the moment, and it is unsure whether or not that frustration will be alleviated anytime soon.
The Hoyas took care of business against St. Mary’s and against American, but they only beat American by five points, which is not the expectation for this team. Struggle and frustration are a part of the growing process for a new regime, but it is up to Cooley to bring back the composure to this program, we will see if they can get it done.