Georgetown women’s basketball had a rough year on the whole; no need to sugarcoat it. There have been great moments for sure—like every time graduate guard Kelsey Ransom touches a basketball, the senior year leap of center Ariel Jenkins, and the breakthrough of freshman guard Khadee Hession. However, finishing the year at 12-19 (4-14 BIG EAST), 10th in the conference standings, and losing in the second round of the BIG EAST tournament, these results are hardly Darnell Haney’s vision for his first full season as head coach.
After starting the year with an auspicious preseason projection of fifth in the conference in the coaches’ poll, the Hoyas got off to a mediocre start in their challenging non-conference slate. They started at 2-3 before rattling off four successive victories, including upsetting Richmond on the road. Even with a respectable 6-3 record, though, the Hoyas had already suffered a major setback, losing graduate forward and starter Chetanna Nweke for the season. Without Nweke, and with a roster light on experience outside of their top trio of Ransom, Jenkins, and junior guard Victoria Rivera, the Hoyas had an uphill battle.
Led primarily by Ransom’s play, who was spectacular all season and finished with game averages of 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists, the Hoyas had a stronger offensive identity than a year ago. They moved from 150th in the nation to 83rd in opponent-adjusted offensive efficiency per Barttorvik.com. Ransom was not alone, though. While her 20 points per game led the BIG EAST, Jenkins and Rivera joined her in double figures, with Hession putting up a respectable eight points per game of her own. Still, the Hoyas had issues on the defensive side of the court.
After starting 1-1 in conference play, the Hoyas allowed their opponents to score over 70 points per game in four straight losses. Then they held their opponents to less than 70 points on three occasions as they tumbled down the stretch to a 1-8 finish in their last nine games. Their performance shocked fans coming off of last year, when Haney’s crew allowed only nine teams to reach that mark in 35 games.
While nobody wanted to send Ransom off on a year like this, her accomplishments set her apart as a key figure in Georgetown women’s basketball history. In a Jan. 29 loss to Creighton, Ransom became the first member of the program to finish with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists. In a first round win over Providence in the BIG EAST tournament, she finished with 36 points in a close win for the Hoyas. Beyond that, Ransom also needs to be remembered for her leadership, not only during this past season but also a year ago. She served as a key figure for the program after the tragic passing of former coach Tasha Butts just before the season.
“My goal now is to make these freshmen who don’t know anything and haven’t proven themselves in the least, make sure they know their value,” Ransom said at Georgetown’s media day. “And as, especially women, you’re not told that, right? So it’s important for me to vocalize to them every single day that they are meant to be here, and that they prove to themselves they belong in the room and belong on this team.”
“And that’s essential, not just as basketball players, but as women and minority women, as well,” Ransom added.
No matter the heights this program reaches, the leadership, toughness, and on-court impact of Ransom should never be forgotten.
Georgetown still has things to celebrate about this season beyond the accolades of Ransom. After going from a small-bit role player as an underclassman, Jenkins truly broke out as a senior. She averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds per game, making her presence felt in every game. Hession’s play was also a bright spot, going from an unranked recruit to a key figure of the Hoyas offense, averaging nine points, four rebounds, and two assists in conference play while shooting an impressive 40% from three in that time frame. Fellow freshman Jayden McBride, among others, also had her moments, like when she put up 18 points against Boston University in November.
This was a bittersweet season for the Hoyas. It was bitter because of the ending, bitter because of the injuries, and bitter to see such a meaningful player like Ransom leave. But it was also sweet, sweet because of the moments like their wins, sweet because of individual accomplishments, but above all else, sweet because of the love that exists within this program.
That love is something showcased in the way Ransom talks about her team but also in the staff and the other people in the building. That is where the hope for the post-Ransom future lies. After all, a player like Ransom or Rivera or others could have left but didn’t, and that credit goes to the staff.
As Ransom put it: “ Having a staff that has the same values as me, who has the same aspirations for me as a player and as a woman, is something that I don’t know if I’d get at many other places.”
Coach Haney and staff have the belief and love of the people in the building, now what it will come down to is whether that trust and belief translates to development and, more importantly, more wins.
