As Jason Clark’s jumper fell short of the rim, Hoya hopes were again dashed in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament as the 2011-2012 squad fell to underdog NC State 63-66. Tournament time has not been kind to the Georgetown teams of the past few years, as the Hoyas have failed to reach the Sweet 16 every year since the magical run to the Final Four in 2007.
“I can talk about the tough losses to VCU, NC State,” said junior guard Markel Starks. “Those hurt. You sit in those locker rooms, and you’re saying, ‘For the seniors, this is their last chance of being able to be in this situation.’ And then you look back and you say to yourself, ‘I don’t want to be in this situation come my senior year.’”
In 2008, a highly regarded team that included Roy Hibbert and Jonathan Wallace was slain by sharpshooter Stephen Curry of Davidson. This marked the beginning of postseason disappointments for the Hoyas. After missing the tournament in 2009, Georgetown returned as a 3 seed, only to be blown out by Ohio University in their first game. The next year, the Hoyas were seeded sixth, but were upset by VCU.
Starks said, ”I want to have a smile on my face, going deep in the tournament, constantly having people talk about Georgetown basketball. So, having those losses, it puts an extra chip on your shoulder.”
The Hoyas have been placed in the South region of the tournament, the Kansas Jayhawks’ section of the draw. In the “second round,” so called because of the “First Four” play-in games that take place the two days before the main field, the Hoyas play Florida Gulf Coast, a school that only opened in 1997, and moved to Division I two years ago.
But don’t write off the 15-seed ed Eagles because of their age. FGCU played a surprisingly strong schedule, facing Duke, VCU, and Iowa State, while defeating the ACC regular season and tournament champion Miami Hurricanes. The South region features a host of big names. The Hoyas and the Jayhawks are joined by 3 and 4 seeds Florida and Michigan. North Carolina and Villanova, both having off years, will meet as the 8 and 9 seeds. UCLA and Minnesota will meet in the first round as well. VCU, having another successful season under Shaka Smart, is the 5 seed in the region.
If the Hoyas defeat FGCU on Friday, they will play the winner of the matchup between 7-seeded San Diego State and 10-seeded Oklahoma. In the Sweet Sixteen, the Blue and Gray could very well face Florida, with whom they played a tight half of basketball in the intended season opener on the USS Bataan. The Gators, despite their loss in the SEC championship game to Ole Miss, are the favorite to advance from the South region.
Looking to the Elite Eight, the Hoyas could meet a number of dangerous opponents. Kansas is the favorite in the top half of the draw, and rightfully so. The Jayhawks won a share of the Big 12 conference title and won the Big 12 tournament. They also sport the country’s top freshman in Ben McLemore and one of the nation’s top defensive players in Jeff Withey.
Also lurking in the draw is Michigan, who finished the season cold, losing two of their last three games, albeit to Indiana and Wisconsin. However, it would be unwise to count the Wolverines out. With a trio of NBA draft picks, including leading Player of the Year candidate Trey Burke, Michigan could make a run at the title this year. VCU, after their Final Four run in 2011 that included defeating the Hoyas, is tough to call a dark horse, but will have an outside shot at winning the region.
In the grand scheme of things, Louisville is the overall number one seed and Vegas’s favorite to win the tournament. Indiana, the top seed in the East region, is not far behind. Regardless, this year’s field is wide open. Any number of teams could cut down the nets in Atlanta, providing for the most intriguing tournament and most frustrating bracket challenge in years.
Starks said, “When you get to the tournament, it’s about everybody playing their best basketball. Nobody can have an off-night. There’s no off-nights come tournament time. This is the playoffs. You win, you stay, you lose, you go home.”
The Hoyas have overachieved all season. Projected to finish fifth in the Big East, the Blue and Gray won the regular season title and cracked the top-five in both the AP and Coaches polls. Sophomore forward Otto Porter Jr., who was expected to be the focal point of the team, emerged as a strong contender for the Wooden Award. The loss of sophomore forward Greg Whittington due to academic suspension didn’t start a slump, but sparked an 11-game winning streak. While nothing in March is guaranteed, this Hoya squad is poised to make some noise over the next few weeks. With a bit of luck, this just might be the year the postseason heartbreakers come to an end. Said Head Coach John Thompson III, “We’re planning on being around for a while.”
