Strength of Schedule
From Blogging the Bracket, a comprehensive look at strength of schedules across the Big East."What a difference a year makes for the Hoyas, who have a top 60 non-conference schedule [in 2019-20], just 12 months after clocking in well outside of the top 300 nationally in what turned out to be an NIT season," it writes. "This slate clearly has a different tournament, the four letter one, in mind."Second Recruit Signs For 2020
Dante Harris, a guard from Alcoa, TN, announced a commitment to Georgetown yesterday to join the College class of 2024.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
The 5-11 Harris, who is not ranked in the national recruiting services, played at Lakeway Christian Academy in Morristown, TN, which is not affiliated with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. Harris averaged 32 points against smaller schools in the state. Lakeway is moving to the TSSAA as an affiliate school this season."I am so proud of Dante," said Lakeway coach Curtis Staples. "Playing for Coach Ewing at Georgetown and moving closer to family will be a great opportunity for Dante. He can now put this behind him and focus on a great senior season." Harris selected Georgetown over offers from East Tennessee State, Toledo, Georgia State, and South Alabama. Harris joins Terrence Williams (#81, ESPN.com) as the two recruits for the Hoyas in this recruiting cycle. Georgetown could have one scholarship remaining if senior Omer Yurtseven elects not to use a final year of eligibility in 2020-21 following his transfer from NC State.
Syracuse Tickets Available
Tickets for home games are now available, so the Syracuse Post-Standard is doing its part by promoting that tickets for the Dec. 14 game with Georgetown are available."Syracuse fans hoping to see this year's version of the Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry game can take action now," writes Chris Carlson. "Tickets to the Orange's game at Georgetown on Dec. 14 have gone on sale on Ticketmaster. The tickets listed on Ticketmaster start at $35."The Dec. 14 game figures to be the best attended game of the 2019-20 season. The last visit of the Orangemen to Washington on Dec. 16, 2017 drew 15,418 to the former Verizon Center. Without a marquee opponent on the 2018-19 home slate, Georgetown averaged just 7,212 per game last season, ninth of 10 among Big East schools and GU's lowest average since moving off campus in 1981. Georgetown Roster Finalized
It took a while, but the basketball office has confirmed the roster numbers for the 2019-20 varsity.The basketball office maintained the 2018-19 roster on GUHoyas.com until late last week. The listings and bios are now up to date.The eight new additions to the roster are the most in any season since 1998-99, when the Hoyas welcomed junior college transfer Lee Scruggs, sophomore Anthony Perry, and freshmen Jason Burns, Courtland Freeman, Trenton Hillier, Demetrius Hunter, Victor Samnick, and Wesley Wilson. Additional information on current and former players can be found at the Georgetown Basketball History Project. 2019-20 Depth Chart
Ewing Returns To Sirius XM
Head coach Patrick Ewing will reprise his weekly radio show on satellite radio this season.The "Center Court" show returns Monday evening at 8 pm ET and will be heard Mondays on SiriusXM channel 84 (ESPNU).Associated Press Top 25
Three Big East schools were named to the inaugural 2019-20 Associated Press Top 25 poll announced Monday.Villanova (#10), Seton Hall (#12) and Xavier (#19) were named to the poll. Four Big East schools received some votes in the poll, including Marquette, Georgetown, Creighton, and Providence; surprisingly, Georgetown has not been ranked in a pre-season poll since October 28, 2010.Is this the year Georgetown returns to the Top 25? The Hoyas currently have the longest streak outside the AP Top 25 of any Big East team not named DePaul.
Two Georgetown Players On 2019-20 NBA Rosters
With weekend waivers on Marcus Derrickson and Hollis Thompson, Otto Porter and Jeff Green are the remaining Georgetown representatives on NBA rosters opening the 2019-20 season.Porter, 26, is in the third year of a four year deal acquired by the Chicago Bulls in 2018, paying him $27.2 million. He averaged 17.5 points per game in 15 games with the Bulls in 2018-19.On the other side of the salary range is Green, now 33, who was traded to Utah, his ninth different club in a career dating back to 2008. Green averaged 12.3 points per game with the Washington Wizards last season and his $2.5 million contract makes him the 290th highest paid player this upcoming season. 2019 graduate Jessie Govan was not invited to a pre-season roster and opted to play in Japan. Georgetown A "Darkhorse" In SI Preview
Selected 5th of 10 in its Big East preview, Sports Illustrated considers the Georgetown Hoyas a team to watch.SI's Picks
2. Seton Hall 3. Xavier 4. Marquette 5. Georgetown 6. Creighton 7. Providence 8. Butler 9. St. John's 10. DePaul "If Ewing's rising stars continue their chemistry and improve on their freshman starts, and its defense starts to match the power of its offense, Georgetown can be poised to put pressure on the Big East's best." Georgetown GSR Sets School Record
Georgetown University announced a record 98 percent graduation rate for its student athletes in the latest NCAA study."Our graduation success rate exemplifies our student-athletes' commitment to excellence in both athletics and academics," said athletic director Lee Reed in a news release. "The student-athlete journey is not traveled alone, and I am grateful for the support we have received from our faculty and administration, coaches and staff. Our student-athletes compete at the highest level every single day, while also receiving an incredibly valuable education. These elements will set them up for future success in their chosen fields as well as their communities as they embark on their postgraduate lives beyond the Hilltop."The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) tracks freshmen and inbound transfers for a percentage of graduation from the freshman classes of 2009 through 2012 (senior classes of 2013 through 2016). It does not penalize a school for an outbound transfer who left in good standing. The Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) is more strict, in that it does not count inbound transfers in its calculation and counts an outbound transfer as a non-graduate. Graduation rates by sport are below:
Men's basketball scored an 80 in the GSR for 14 recruits in the dates specified above. Here is the long term GSR by Big East school:
For the FGR, men's basketball scored an 57. This rating was much more severe across Big East schools:
Big East Pre-Season Poll
Despite returning four starters, the Georgetown Hoyas finished sixth in the 2019-20 pre-season Big East poll announced Thursday at the conference's annual Media Day.The Rundown
2. Villanova 3. Xavier 4. Marquette 5. Providence 6. Georgetown 7. Creighton 8. Butler 9. St. John's 10. DePaul ADDITIONAL COVERAGE Seton Hall finished first in the poll, ending a run of five consecutive years for Villanova to open the top spot heading into the season. Here's the overall list: Player of the Year Myles Powell, Seton Hall, G Freshman of the Year Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova F First Team Kamar Baldwin, Butler, G Ty-Shon Alexander, Creighton, G Markus Howard, Marquette, G Alpha Diallo, Providence, G Naji Marshall, Xavier, F Second Team Mustapha Heron, St. John's, G Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G James Akinjo, Georgetown, G L.J. Figueroa, St. John's, G-F Paul Reed, DePaul, F Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F Honorable Mention Omer Yurtseven, Georgetown, C Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G So how has Georgetown fared in pre-season polls versus the real season? Here's a view of the predicted vs. actual finishes since 2013:
Not So Fab:
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ESPN Big East Picks
From ESPN.com, its Big East roundtable, asking "Villanova, or the field?".
It's ESPN, after all, so we'll take the field. Their picks place Georgetown sixth, same as 2018-19.Andy Katz's Big East Preview
Deep Run Potential in the @BIGEAST:
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) September 30, 2019
1. @SetonHallMBB
2. @NovaMBB #MarchMadness Bound:
3. @MarquetteMBB
4. @GeorgetownHoops
5. @XavierMBB
6. @PCFriarsmbb
Bubble:
7. @BluejayMBB
Full @BIGEASTMBB preview from @TheAndyKatz! ?? pic.twitter.com/JLx5JSZ4L2
Ackerman Discusses Big East, UConn
The University of Connecticut's return to the Big East is 10 months away but it won't be soon enough for many UConn fans. A feature in the Hartford Courant introduces its readers to commissioner Val Ackerman.
"When I took this position in 2013, we really didn't know for sure what was going to happen but the fact is, things turned out pretty well," Ackerman said. "Our presidents were, I think, courageous in making the decision to pull away from the old league. They actually left a lot on the table to walk away from the old Big East with the name, and [pursue] the relationship with the Garden.""My vision is to keep continually bringing to life what our presidents set out to do in 2013 which was, return to our basketball roots and play for national titles in the sport of basketball most of all. What would be great, in three or four years: winning another national title...It could be Villanova again, could be any number of other schools, and certainly UConn has it in their mind's eye. Women's basketball, having UConn back will elevate our fortunes for sure."