12/22 at Memphis
It’s a match-up that’s on every expert’s top-10 games list, why not? The battle between the preseason No. 3 and No.5 is sure to be an amazing athletic affair. This game will be Georgetown’s first true test of the season; if Memphis gets past O.J. Mayo and No. 18 USC earlier in the month, each team could step onto the court at Fedex Forum undefeated. The teams mirror one another with a number of experienced players complemented by highly-touted diaper dandies. After spending the summer playing together on the U.S. PanAm team, Memphis forward Joey Dorsey and Roy Hibbert will be ready to bang down low on different sides of the ball this time. The match-up will be an intriguing one due to the two teams’ different styles of play. Last season the Tigers averaged 78.9 points per game while the Hoyas allowed their opponents only 58 points. Something’s gotta give.
1/21 vs. and 2/16 at Syracuse
The Orange have another snubbing to complain about after being left off both the AP Top-25 and ESPN/USA Today preseason rankings. The Big East coaches ranked Syracuse fifth in the conference, but the Orange will be ready to cement a spot at the top of the conference with their game against Villanova on January 19 and then their first match-up with Georgetown two days later. Bona-fide Hoya-killers, Syracuse handed Georgetown it’s only loss in the 12-1 run to end the regular season last year. Despite losing Demetris Nichols, Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins, Syracuse still has the tools to pull off an upset. Preseason All-Big East Team member Eric Devendorf has a plethora of young talent around him. Forward Donte’ Greene and guard Jonny Flynn are conference preseason Co-Rookies of the Year to go along with guard Paul Harris. Hibbert will be the key to the Hoyas’ success against Syrause, who will struggle to find an answer for the big man.
1/26 at WV
“There’s no way a Bob Huggins’s team is finishing 10th.” Those are the words of Marquette Coach Tom Crean, and the Big East had better take heed. Huggins has returned to coach his alma mater and is quickly instilling a culture of defense and rebounding, two qualities that will be important in matching the discipline of the Hoyas. The Mountaineers lost Frank Young, their top scorer, but are returning five solid players from a squad that won the NIT last year. There is no reason why they shouldn’t be better than 10th in the conference with that much production returning and a better defensive mindset. If West Virginia can get a little more out of seven-foot center Jamie Smalligan, they might be able to match Hibbert at least in size. The Mountaineers also benefit from playing at home in the fan-fueled Coliseum, voted by Sporting News as the top home court advantage in the conference.
3/1 at Marquette
The Big East will have to wait all season before seeing this marquee matchup when the No. 5 Hoyas take on the No. 11 Eagles in their second to last game. At lot will happen before then and the rankings will most likely be different, but one thing’s for sure—both teams are well-stocked for some early March madness. The game will feature two players who helped maintain the level of competition in the conference by passing on the NBA Draft to return to their respective campuses in Hibbert and Marquette’s Dominic James. While Georgetown lost Jeff Green, Marquette returns with their top six scorers. Jon Wallace and company in the backcourt will have their hands full with the Eagles’ terrific trio of guards in James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews. Conference implications will weigh heavily in the balance for both teams.
2/9 at and 3/8 vs. Louisville
If having to play Syracuse twice is tough, the Hoyas really got it bad when they pulled two games against Louisville. College basketball fans must be loving it, though. Georgetown and Louisville were picked as co-Big East favorites, while the Hoyas edged out the No. 6 Cardinals by one spot in the national polls. Why are these teams so closely ranked? Rick Pitino is one of the best coaches in the country and JTIII is at the doorstep of this elite fraternity. Both are stacked with returning talent. The preseason All-Big East Team features two players from both squads, with Hibbert and Wallace for the Hoyas and center David Padgett and forward Terrence Williams for the Cardinals. All signs may point to a split of the series; but if someone can take both, they will most likely grab a stranglehold on the Big East regular season title.
