The doors of McDonough are always locked during practices, so the Georgetown community cannot see the Hoyas take shape in front of its very eyes. So far this season, the Hoyas have dominated creampuffs, as expected, while showing off their impressive first-year arsenal of guards and forwards and their new-look, faster-paced offense. Besides one inconsistent performance against Jim Harrick’s Georgia Bulldogs, the Hoyas have looked like the team everyone has made them out to be: potential Big East Champions and easily the top team in the West.
Things have changed, however, and the Syracuse Orangemen are having their way with opponents on courts all down the eastern seaboard, including capturing the (albeit less prestigious than previous years) Preseason NIT. The Hoyas’ battles with the Orangemen are still more than a month and a half away, but the upcoming stretch of the season for the Hoyas will show their fans a lot about what’s going on behind those locked doors every afternoon.
This evening, Georgetown collides with the South Carolina Gamecocks, a program only four years removed from an Elite Eight berth and riding the incredible success of guards Jamel Bradley (15.0 ppg) and Aaron Lucas (11.1 ppg, 5.7 apg). South Carolina was fodder for No. 1 Duke in the Maui Invitational, but as a result, they have competed against tougher competition than the Hoyas. The elite guard play of the Gamecocks this season, despite their lack of a national ranking, could be problematic for the Hoyas with Tony Bethel still suffering from mononucleois and Drew Hall also nursing an injury. The Gamecocks are light in the post, as evidenced by UCLA sophomore center T.J. Cummings shredding them for 25 points in a win last week. With the improved play of Wesley Wilson and Courtland Freeman this season, as well as the still-excellent but physically ailing Mike Sweetney, the Hoyas should have no problem controlling the paint and capturing a victory here. It will be an excellent morale boost following the loss to another unranked SEC team in their first nationally-televised game.
A confidence boost is a major gift for the Christmas 2001 version of the Hoyas, because after three pushover games against Morgan State (Dec. 10), Norfolk State (Dec. 15) and Howard (Dec. 17), Georgetown enters into one of its toughest three-game stretches of the season.
On Dec. 20 at MCI, as part of the John Thompson Classic, the blue and gray warriors collide with No. 8 Virginia, a rematch of the 2000 NIT first-round triple-overtime game which Georgetown won, despite having three players on intravenous fluids at its conclusion. This time, Virginia is far better; and despite the season-ending injury to point guard Majestic Mapp, the Cavaliers do have one of Division I’s best players in do-it-all guard Roger Mason Jr. (21.8 ppg, 5.3 apg, and 4.2 rpg). The Cavaliers also have forward Chris Williams, averaging 19.3 ppg and pulling down six boards a game on the young season.
Georgetown should be able to neutralize Williams, due to their continuous supply of low-post bodies. Braswell will probably start on Mason, and hopefully both Bethel and Hall are at full health to spell Braswell in the event of foul trouble or fatigue. Virginia likes to spread the floor, and taking away their passing lanes will be the key to a huge Georgetown upset.
Georgetown continues its run against nationally prominent teams with a CBS-televised game against UCLA in storied Pauley Pavillon on Dec. 29. UCLA is coming off two upset losses, to Ball State and Pepperdine, as well as the loss of superb first-year Cedric Bozeman for four to six weeks with a knee injury. Still, Esherick’s game plan will have to rival his best ever to capture this one, as the No. 20 Bruins have five players who are 6-foot-8 or taller, as well as Jason Kapono, one of the top shooting forwards in the nation. Their transition game, under Steve Lavin’s tutelage, is virtually unparalled. The Hoyas will have to contain low-post dominance, watch Kapono on the wings and constantly sub in and out to avoid fatigue, otherwise a long day in the former home of Tyus Edney awaits.
Regardless of the performance in those two games, Georgetown begins their Big East season on Jan. 2 against Miami at home. This is a potential letdown game, especially if the Hoyas capture one of two from the UVA-UCLA tandem. Miami has historically given Georgetown problems when they shouldn’t; and this year they have super sophomore swingman Darius Rice. A game against Rutgers follows on Jan. 5 before students return to campus.
When they do, they should have a better idea of the Hoyas’ national chances, as well as an early indication of Big East success. A sweep of the UVA and UCLA contests could mean a potential Elite Eight run, with some help from the lords of seeding; two losses could still mean Big East dominance. That mystery will begin to be unraveled at Georgetown’s first game once students return: a nationally-televised showdown with Boston College and Troy Bell on Jan. 12th in Boston.
