Yet another schedule stuffed with difficult road games awaits the young Georgetown men’s basketball squad this winter as it attempts to navigate the minefield that is the Big East.
Although perennial powerhouses Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Syracuse will appear only once apiece on the schedule, the Hoyas are lined up to play Marquette and St. John’s — two squads expected to significantly improve on last year’s performance — twice in the 2011-12 season. The Golden Eagles return all but one player from last year’s surprising Sweet 16 squad, while the Red Storm have one of the best recruiting classes in the nation.
Notably absent from the schedule is a home date with rival Syracuse. The Blue and Gray split a home-and-home with the Orange last season, with each team winning on the other’s home floor.
While Hoyas fans will have to watch the team play its biggest rival from their couches, the Verizon Center shouldn’t lack for crowds: Home matchups with Connecticut, Notre Dame and Villanova will undoubtedly pack the arena.
A difficult road schedule will test a Georgetown squad that features four freshman and five sophomores. Louisville and West Virginia won’t go down without a fight on their home floors, and it has proven nearly impossible to beat St. John’s at Madison Square Garden under Steve Lavin.
Trips to Providence, Seton Hall and DePaul should be easier, but any college basketball fan will be sure to point out that there are no “gimmes” in the Big East — especially for a young, rebuilding team.
Where the Blue and Gray finish in the toughest conference in America will depend largely on the performance of their young players. Guard Jason Clark and center Henry Sims, the sole rising seniors, have seen major minutes over the last few years and will likely put up strong numbers, but the 2011-12 squad will depend on major contributions from junior forward Hollis Thompson, sophomore forward Nate Lubick and sophomore guard Markel Starks.
The rising sophomores showed some promise when they got court time last season, and they should hold their own this year. Ultimately, though, at least one of this year’s freshmen will have to step up in a big way for the Blue and Gray to expect an above-average season.
After shockingly early NCAA tournament exits in the past two seasons, Head Coach John Thompson III desperately needs a good year. With the Big East matchups out and precious few easy wins on the schedule, his job just got a little bit harder.
