Following a tumultuous offseason that involved the team’s fourth coaching change in as many years and the loss of two key players to transfers, Georgetown’s women’s basketball team will begin to rebrand and rebuild the team when it hosts the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks tonight for its season opener.

The game will mark Natasha Adair’s first game as head coach of the team and will showcase the Hoyas’ emphasis on defensive play.

“Defense is first and foremost how we’re going to play — that fuels our team,” Adair said. “Not too many people get excited about defense — they just want to score points — but we’ve changed that mindset. Good defensive teams win championships and that’s our goal.”

The renewed focus on defense and rebounding will be a significant change in how the Hoyas play. Although the Hoyas were one of the top teams in the Big East last season in rebounding, their success was largely helped by two players who are no longer at Georgetown. Center Natalie Butler, who was a top-five rebounder in the Big East, transferred to the University of Connecticut after her earning honors as Big East Freshman Player of the Year at Georgetown, while forward Andrea White, a top-six rebounder in the Big East, and Georgetown’s leading scorer at 15.2 points per game, graduated in the spring.

Georgetown also lost Shayla Cooper, the 2013 Big East Preseason Rookie of the Year after she had played just two games for the Hoyas. After averaging 16 points per game, Cooper transferred to Ohio State.

Even with Butler and White on the team, Georgetown was just eighth in scoring defense among Big East teams last year. The Hoyas allowed opposing teams to score an average of 69.7 points a game.

Although the team may find some difficulties as they switch their priorities on the court, the Hoyas welcome the change, especially under the leadership of Adair.

“Defense was something that was hard for us last year — we didn’t really do a lot with defense last year,” junior forward Logan Battle said. “But this year, [Adair is] really emphasizing defense and emphasizing how we’re running.”

Beyond their training and increased emphasis on defense in practices, the Hoyas also have the height to improve their defensive play. Georgetown, which boasts a roster with seven players who are 6-foot-1-inch or taller, expects to utilize its significant height advantages and be creative with its defensive strategies.

“The good thing is that we have interchangeable parts, so we don’t really identify our players by numbers or positions — we put them in places where they’re going to excel and they’re going to succeed,” Adair said. “You’ll see us do a lot of different things — we may switch, we may man, we may two-three zone, we may trap.”

Freshman center Yazmine Belk is the only player officially listed as a center on the team’s roster, but her flexibility and talent will allow the Hoyas to execute varying defensive plans on a game-by-game basis.

“Yaz is going to be the mobile big so she’s able to defend in and out of her area,” Adair said. “She’s able to keep up with the changing defenses because of her ability to move well.”

Both Adair and her players expect success in the team’s future as long as the team plays with the energy and vigor needed to outwork itsopponents.

“[We just need] a lot of energy, focus,” sophomore forward Faith Woodward said. “If we’re being focused, we know the rest will come.”

The season opening game for both the Hoyas and the Hawks will tip off at 7 p.m. in McDonough Arena. Attendees will receive commemorative tickets.