2013 College Basketball Team Preview: Georgetown Hoyas

by Mike John

There are so many moving parts in evidence for the Georgetown Hoyas that it's going to be particularly difficult for a NorthBet college basketball specialist to handicap this team for the coming season. It's true that Georgetown regularly flames out in the NCAA tournament, but one has to realize that the composition of this roster could be conducive to a deep tournament run. (Then again, it might not be.) The larger point is to keep an open mind when assessing the Hoyas, both now and as the season progresses.

Georgetown's Strengths:

The Hoyas reeled in a recruiting class that was considered to be one of the five best in the nation by many news outlets and recruiting-evaluation sites. This means the Hoyas will possess a lot of upside as the season goes along and their underclassmen develop under head coach John Thompson III. Georgetown has often been dismissed from the NCAA tournament on the first weekend, frequently by a double-digit seed.


Why has this happened? A basic answer is that the double-digit seeds have been highly athletic, enough to play above the rim and outperform the Hoyas on a purely physical level. Georgetown's success during the regular season in recent years has been based on an ability to play hard-nosed defense and not give away possessions. Georgetown wins with efficiency and discipline, but when teams with substantial skill levels face the Hoyas in March and don't wilt under the Hoyas' defensive pressure, GU has been outgunned and outclassed.

The talent in this recruiting class, combined with the presence of UCLA transfer Josh Smith, could change the complexion of the Georgetown roster in highly positive ways. This might not be the same Georgetown team you're used to seeing when March 2014 rolls around.

Georgetown's Weaknesses:

The Hoyas will be without one player who has left for the NBA and another who has torn his ACL. Otto Porter, the player who carried Georgetown throughout the past season, is now in the pros, and the absence of that proven go-to guy will certainly hurt the Hoyas in November and early December, when they're trying to learn how to play together. The other big loss is Greg Whittington, who tore his ACL and won't be able to fill in for Porter as a critical provider of point production late in games.

These two losses are going to place that much more of a burden on what is generally a very young team. Accumulated pressure is not what freshmen and other underclassmen need in the first months of a season. Georgetown should get to the NCAA tournament, but if it struggles in the first two months of the season, its seed in the Big Dance won't be high enough for a big run.

Odds AtNorthBet To Win National Championship: +5850
Are They Worth A Shot On The Odds At NorthBet To Win It All?

The Hoyas should get back to the NCAAs, but anything beyond one win in the Dance seems fairly unlikely at this point. There are too many points of uncertainty for this team. The 2014-2015 season is when the Hoyas might be ready to make a run for the whole enchilada.

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