The Hoya Basketball Preview 2013

BASKETBALL PREVIEW

2013-2014

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2 | The Hoya

table of contents MEN

4 ROSTER & SCHEDULE 6 FOX SPORTS 1 7 JOSH SMITH The 6-foot-10 junior transfer could give the Hoyas the Big East’s most fearsome frontcourt.

8 10 11 12 14 16

2012-2013 RECAP FRESHMEN GREG WHITTINGTON SOPHOMORE UPDATE SEASON PREVIEW LUBICK & STARKS

The pair of battle-tested seniors have seen it all in three years here — except postseason success.

20 BIG EAST ROUNDUP

WOMEN

ROSTER & SCHEDULE 5 2012-2013 RECAP 22 COACHING CHANGE 24

Keith Brown resigned in a verbal abuse scandal. Now, the reins belong to Jim Lewis.

SAMISHA POWELL 26

After missing the end of last season, the senior guard is eager to get back in action.

ANDREA WHITE 27

Without Sugar Rodgers around, White will likely take up the mantle of top scorer.

FRESHMEN 28 SEASON PREVIEW 29 BIG EAST ROUNDUP 30 PRODUCTION STAFF LAURA WAGNER DANNY FUNT HUNTER MAIN IAN TICE ALEXANDER BROWN DAVID CHARDACK CHRIS BIEN PAT CURRAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS & DESIGNERS Issue Editor Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Layout Editor Photography Editor Copy Chief Contributing Editor Contributing Editor

Peter Barston, Will Edman, Robert DePaolo, Ben Germano, Chris Grivas, Evan Hollander, Meagan Kelly, Carolyn Maguire, Jackie McCadden Rich Soens, Ashwin Wadekar, Michelle Xu Cover and poster photos: Chris Bien Cover and poster design: Alexander Brown The Hoya’s basketball preview is published annually in November. © 1920-2013. The Hoya, Georgetown University, twice weekly. No part of this publication may be used without the permission of The Hoya Board of Editors. All rights reserved. The Hoya’s basketball preview is available free of charge, one copy per reader, at distribution sites on and around the Georgetown University campus. Additional copies are $1 each.

BASKETBALL PREVIEW | 3

ROSTERS AND

men No. 34 NATE LUBICK

No. 5 MARKEL STARKS

6-FOOT-8, 219 POUNDS SENIOR FORWARD

6-FOOT-2, 175 POUNDS SENIOR GUARD

No. 12 DAVID ALLEN

No. 31 STEPHEN DOMINGO

No. 1 REGGIE CAMERON

No. 23 AARON BOWEN

No. 32 MOSES AYEGBA

No. 2 GREg WHITTINGTON

No. 24 JOSHUA SMITH

No. 42 BRADLEY HAYES

No. 3 MIKAEL HOPKINS

No. 25 JOHN CAPRIO

No. 55 JABRIL TRAWICK

6-FOOT-2, 185 POUNDS SOPHOMORE GUARD

6-FOOT-7, 225 POUNDS FRESHMAN FORWARD

oregon* wright state northeastern^ TBD^ TBD^ LIPSCOMB

HIGH POINT COLGATE ELON KANSAS FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL DEPAUL

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4 8 11 15 18 20 25 27

ST. JOHN’S providence butler xavier seton hall MARQUETTE CREIGHTON VILLANOVA

9 p.m. noon 7 p.m. noon noon 5 p.m.

1 3 8 10 16 20 22 27

michigan state+ depaul butler PROVIDENCE ST. JOHN’s SETON HALL XAVIER MARQUETTE

6-FOOT-5, 210 POUNDS junior GUARD

March 1 p.m.

7 p.m.

5 p.m.

7 p.m. noon 9 p.m.

8 p.m.

9 p.m.

February

December

7-FOOT, 251 POUNDS SOPHOMORE CENTER

6-FOOT-6, 220 POUNDS SENIOR GUARD

January 7 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

TBA tba noon

6-FOOT-9, 247 POUNDS SENIOR CENTER

6-FOOT-10, 350 POUNDS JUNIOR CENTER

6-FOOT-9, 223 POUNDS junior forward

November

6-FOOT-6, 206 POUNDS SOPHOMORE GUARD

6-FOOT-6, 208 POUNDS SENIOR FORWARD

6-FOOT-8, 205 POUNDS JUNIOR FORWARD

5 7 17 21 28 31

6-FOOT-3, 218 POUNDS SOPHOMORE GUARD

No. 0 tyler adams 6-FOOT-9, 254 POUNDS JUNIOR center

8 13 21 22 24 30

No. 4 D’VAUNTES SMITH-RIVERA

3 p.m.

9 p.m.

1 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

9 p.m.

11:30 a.m.

9 p.m.

4 8

* ^ +

Creighton villanova HOME AWAY ARMED FORCES CLASSIC PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF SUPER SATURDAY HOOPS

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

SCHEDULES

women

No. 11 ANDREA WHITE

No. 23 SAMISHa POWELL

6-FOOT SENIOR FORWARD

No. 1 KATIE MCCORMICK

No. 13 JADE MARTIN

No. 32 SHAYLA COOPER

No. 3 TYSHELL KING

No. 22 LOGAN BATTLE

No. 35 DOMINIQUE VITALIS

No. 10 KI-KE RAFIU

No. 24 FAITH WOODARD

No. 51 NATALIE BUTLER

5-FOOT-9 SOPHOMORE GUARD

5-FOOT-11 FRESHMAN GUARD

5-FOOT-11 FRESHMAN GUARD

November RICHMOND SOUTH DAKOTA STATE CALIFORNIA PRINCETON Nicholls state* TBD*

6-FOOT-2 SOPHOMORE FORWARD

6-FOOT-2 FRESHMAN FORWARD

DECEMBER 7 p.m.

8 p.m.

3 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

TBA

6-FOOT-2 FRESHMAN FORWARD

6-FOOT-2 SOPHOMORE FORWARD/GUARD

6-FOOT-2 SOPHOMORE FORWARD

8 15 17 23 26 27

5-FOOT-8 SENIOR GUARD

3 8 10 20 22 28

GEORGE WASHINGTON PENN STATE YALE MICHIGAN STATE^ WESTERN KENTUCKY^ FLORIDA

FEBRUARY 8 p.m.

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

JANUARY 1 4 8 11 15 18 22 26 29

CREIGHTON MARQUETTE XAVIER BUTLER PROVIDENCE SETON HALL DEPAUL ST. JOHN’S VILLANOVA

6-FOOT-5 FRESHMAN CENTER

4 p.m.

4 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

8 p.m.

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 5 8 12 15 18 23

MARQUETTE CREIGHTON XAVIER SETON HALL BUTLER ST. JOHN’S VILLANOVA

5 p.m.

8:05 p.m.

4 p.m.

8 p.m.

2 p.m.

8 p.m.

1 p.m.

MARCH 1 4

* ^

PROVIDENCE DEPAUL

3 p.m.

9 p.m.

home away CARRS/SAFEWAY GREAT ALASKAN SHOOTOUT PUERTO RICO CLASSIC

basketball preview | 5

BIG EAST FINDS NEW HOME THE NEW BASKETBALL CONFERENCE NEEDED A TV PARTNER. FOX SPORTS 1 NEEDED PROGRAMMING. A PERFECT MATCH?

ASHWIN WADEKAR Hoya Staff Writer

When longtime Big East mainstays such as West Virginia, Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolted for more financially stable conferences driven by bigger football markets, it was clear that the conference’s days were numbered.

At least as we knew it.

Not long after the Big East moved to add Tulane to replace Louisville, the seven basketball-only members of the Big East voted to disassociate themselves from the rest of the conference and added three more members — Creighton, Butler and Xavier — to form a new conference.

The schools also voted to keep the Big East name and rights to play their conference tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Still, questions remained: How would a basketball-only conference sustain itself in a football-first landscape? And how could this model be economically feasible?

At the time of its inception, the new format of the Big East did not have a solid contract with a television partner, because ESPN, which has dominated the sports coverage market for so long – seemed unwilling to pay big money to prop up an unprov-

en conference.

But the Big East had other plans.

“There were other new sports networks coming on at the time,” Dan O’Neil, Georgetown’s senior associate athletics director for external affairs, said. “NBC Sports was also meeting with universities, conferences and leagues for the past two years.”

In the end, the Big East decided to turn to a partner with more experience in the industry: Fox. “The group of presidents and athletic directors saw the landscape, and all of these universities are committed to winning in basketball and being global in basketball,” O’Neil said.

“And we could achieve that well with a partner like Fox.” Fox operates through 10 channels that range from news to entertainment. Previously, its foray into sports included select NFL games, the World Series and a smattering of college football games. With the launch of a new channel, Fox Sports 1, modeled after ESPN and its 24-hour coverage, Fox has been looking to expand into college basketball.

“Fox was creating this new channel and needed programming for that channel,” O’Neil said. “They also wanted to bolster FS1 with what they have existing.”

The most serious challenge for FS1 has been branding Fox as a legitimate carrier of college basketball. Until now, ESPN has been synonymous with college basketball games, and the Big East was well aware of this.

“Since it is new, we’ve had somewhat of a campaign going on, and FS1 has been leading that with all the schools in the Big East,” O’Neil said. “That’s been the key messaging: When you walk into a room, where do you turn? We want to help people turn to Fox Sports.”

Given Fox’s impressive track record of successfully breaking into competitive markets, Georgetown is confident in this newfound relationship.

“Fox has developed a lot of commercial programming,” O’Neil said.

“Even during NFL programming on Fox, we’ve seen Big East-tailored spots. And that’s fantastic; you can’t get a better platform than that in anything on television.”

But FS1 offers more than just a saving grace for a conference that lacked a reliable television partner.

ESPN’s current operating model calls for regionalized affiliates to carry games. For example, marquee game featuring Georgetown might not air in California.

FS1, conversely, allows for more

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Fox Sports 1 televised every Big East school’s Basketball Tip Off to kick off its college basketball coverage. Georgetown’s event featured hip hop artist B.o.B. (with microphone), who performed for a half hour and posed for pictures with players and fans.

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broad-based coverage. Georgetown will play on FS1 at least 20 times this upcoming season.

“Through the relationship, we’ll have more nationally televised games,” O’Neil said. “[ESPN’s model] had its own pluses and minuses, but for a university such as Georgetown, where the student body and alumni are displaced from Washington, having a broader partner like FS1 is good.”

In addition to increased exposure, the new contract with Fox makes good financial sense. While the form of revenue sharing is not immediately clear, an even sharing system would give Georgetown more than $4 million per year, more than twice what it made under ESPN’s contract with the Big East.

Fox has also begun to differentiate itself from ESPN in its content. Fox orchestrated the change from Midnight Madness to the Big East Tip Off Party and provided live coverage of the event at each school. Fox also put together a rather unusual out-of-conference game between Georgetown and Michigan State at Madison Square Garden just one day before the Super Bowl — well into conference play.

“I would expect that Fox will jump more into the college basketball space with specialized events and their commitment to college basketball,” O’Neil said.

In its entirety, the marriage between the Big East and Fox was one born of perfect timing and opportunity: Traditional basketball powerhouses needed a new home, and Fox, already looking to add programming for FS1, believed in the financial sustainability of college basketball in an uncertain college athletics landscape.

“I think Georgetown University has been committed to being good in basketball,” O’Neil said. “And part of that is finding a good television partner. It’s really good for Georgetown to be affiliated with them.”

Fox offered quality exposure and helped shelter schools like Georgetown from the brutal forces of conference realignment, but only time will tell if the arrangement will be as successful as predicted.

the return of big man u With Josh Smith cleared, the Hoyas’ frontcourt just got a lot scarier.

Pat curran Hoya Staff Writer

When Georgetown landed the services of troubled UCLA center Josh Smith in a transfer in January, it was widely understood as a long-term investment. Smith wasn’t anywhere near ideal playing shape — most estimates put him at close to 400 pounds — and NCAA regulations were expected to keep him off the court for at least a year.

Fast forward to November, and it looks like Head Coach John Thompson III’s investment may pay off sooner than expected.

In a surprise move last month, the NCAA cleared Smith to play for a full two years, effective immediately.

“I found out before practice and all I could say is that I was blessed,” Smith said. “Knowing that I can play was just a weight off my shoulders.”

Smith is down to 350 pounds — still not his target playing weight, but definitely acceptable for a 6-foot-10 center who relies on his bulk to score.

“He’s going to demand attention,” Thompson said.

The NCAA’s decision dramatically changes the outlook for this year’s Hoyas, particularly on offense.

Georgetown was expected to rely on its explosive backcourt for buckets; forwards Nate Lubick and Mikael Hopkins and center Moses Ayegba have never proven themselves to be reliable scoring options. The addition of a potentially dominant low-block scorer gives the Hoyas one of the most fearsome frontcourts in the Big East.

Just how good is Smith? It’s hard to say, as he never lived up to his potential through two and a half years in a dysfunctional UCLA system. He was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, once projected to be the next great Bruin center. He’s heavier now — his listed playing weight upon arrival in Westwood was 310 pounds — but his scoring touch around the basket hasn’t gone anywhere.

“He gets it down there, and he knows what to do with it,” Thompson said of his new center. “He’s a very good basketball player. … Quite honestly, I didn’t realize until he got here last year how much of a feel for the game he has.”

Reports from the summer indicate that Thompson isn’t just bluffing.

The Hoya’s Evan Hollander reported that Smith was dominant in Kenner League play, scoring nearly at will and posing a huge matchup problem for opponents. He’ll obviously have a tougher time in the Big East than in a summer league, but few of Georgetown’s opponents have the size to match up with him down low.

Most accounts indicate Smith is also a near-perfect fit for Thompson’s offense, though it’s been a steep learning curve for him.

“When I first got here I was really confused, to be honest,” Smith said of the Princeton scheme. “The thing with Coach Thompson’s offense — with the bigs especially — you have to be able to handle the ball and make passes, so that’s something we’ve been working on since I’ve been here.”

If Smith can stay on the court — a legitimate concern, as conditioning issues have been his biggest limitation in the past — he could vie with senior guard Markel Starks and sophomore guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera for the Hoyas’ leading scorer title.

“I’ve been here for a year, so even though I haven’t been on the court, I’ve been at every practice with them, every conditioning, lift workout, playing — I’ve been doing all of it,” Smith said. “I’ve noticed a really, really big change with being able to go [for] a little bit of practice to being able to go [for] a full practice and feeling better running up and down the floor.”

What’s still uncertain is how Smith will fit into the Hoyas’ rotation. Lubick and Hopkins were the presumptive frontcourt starters entering the year, with Ayegba playing big minutes off the bench when either got into foul trouble. It’s unclear whether Thompson will elect to start Smith immediately — pushing Hopkins to the bench — or wait until the transfer sees some game experience with his new team.

If his conditioning is up to par, Smith will likely earn a starting spot at some point this season.

While Hopkins’ minutes will likely decline with Smith’s presence, his court time may be much more productive. A lean 6-foot-9 forward, Hopkins played out of position at center for most of last season. The addition of Smith gives Thompson two true centers (the other being Ayegba), which will allow Hopkins to spend less time

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Smith showed off a soft touch around the basket in Kenner League action. His skill and 6-foot-10, 350-pound frame make him a difficult matchup for Big East opponents. struggling with larger players down low and more time operating out of his preferred spot in the high post.

With all the potential benefits of his arrival, it’s easy to forget that Smith has never been more than just that: A “potential” guy. He’s never averaged more than 11 points per game, and a lack of weight control prevented him from starring at UCLA. There’s no guarantee that won’t happen here.

“It’s a work in progress,” Thompson said of Smith’s physical development.

“He has to stay diligent about it, and he has to care about it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

But Thompson has a proven track record of turning physically gifted

centers into true stars — Roy Hibbert and Henry Sims come to mind — and Hoya fans can be sure he’ll take the same approach with his newest project. In fact, Smith has already gotten a couple pointers from notable former Hoya big men.

“I’ve been able to talk to Roy a few times ... Roy’s been showing me pointers. I’ve worked out a few times with him. Dikemebe [Mutombo] was able to talk with us, I met him. I’ve talked to Patrick [Ewing] a few times, so it’s a pretty elite class, and I’m just ready to go out there and play,” Smith said.

If he’s successful, Georgetown has a chance to once again remind the world why it’s called “Big Man U.”

basketball preview | 7

STORYBOOK SEASON

Entering the season unranked, Georgetown exceeded expectations by No. 2 seed in the Big Dance. But a first-round loss to 15th-seeded FGCU ASHWIN WADEKAR Hoya Staff Writer

After losing stars Jason Clark, Henry Sims and Hollis Thompson to graduation and hopes of the NBA Draft, Georgetown entered its final season in the old Big East unranked and unheralded. With no seniors and little experience, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year.

Nobody told the Hoyas.

The young team would go on to win a share of the Big East regular season title and earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, only to fall to No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast in the first round.

Though the final result was depressingly familiar for Georgetown fans, the ride was as entertaining as any they’ve ever seen.

Legends Classic: Barclays Center, Nov. 19 to 20 Georgetown entered the Legends Classic as an unranked team with no real scoring threat. Two close games against supposed pushovers Duquesne and Liberty cast even more doubt on the Hoyas, who won each by single digits.

With little fanfare, Georgetown came to battle star freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad and No. 11 UCLA under the lights of Brooklyn’s brand-new Barclays Center. Unfortunately for Muhammad, sophomore forward Otto Porter and junior guard Markel Starks spoiled his first appearance, and Georgetown gutted out a 78-70 victory.

The Hoyas jumped out to a 4139 halftime lead to the surprise of everyone in Brooklyn — except for the boys in gray. Georgetown increased its lead in the second half and held on to win a closer game than the eight-point difference would indicate.

Despite a solid win over a legitimate top-15 team, Georgetown showed some flaws in the process that would plague the team throughout the year. Head Coach John Thompson III gave only seven players serious minutes and re-

8 | The Hoya

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Then-sophomore forward Otto Porter was nothing short of dominant in the Hoyas’ final game at the Carrier Dome, scoring 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting. However, he struggled in the final Syracuse showdown at Madison Square Garden less than a month later. ceived poor play from Mikael Hopkins, whose six points and three rebounds were largely offset by five fouls and four turnovers.

Still, Porter began his bid as an All-American, and Starks showed the potential to be a go-to scoring option on a team that desperately needed one.

With all the confidence in the world, the Hoyas took on No. 1 Indiana the following day. Playing from behind all game, Georgetown closed a seven-point deficit with just over a minute to play, tying the game in the final seconds.

In the final two minutes, Starks hit two clutch threes and Porter added one of his own in addition to the game-tying layup.

Overtime, however, was all

Hoosiers: Senior guard Jordan Hulls and senior forward Christian Watford did damage from beyond the arc, and eventual AllAmerican Victor Oladipo put the finishing touches on an 82-72 Indiana victory.

The message was clear: These young Hoyas were ready to play.

The Final Stand: Georgetown vs. Syracuse, Feb. 23, March 9 and March 16 After fumbling to start conference play with embarrassing losses to Pittsburgh and South Florida, Georgetown regained its footing en route to an 11-game win streak. A dominant defense and a blooming star in Porter had the Hoyas rising into the na-

tional spotlight.

After crushing DePaul, Georgetown traveled north for its final game in the Carrier Dome as Syracuse’s conference rival. In a battle of terrific defenses, Georgetown entered the halftime break down two points on the road in front of the largest on-campus basketball crowd in history.

Despite the hostile environment, Porter dominated the game in the second half. He finished with 33 points and carried the Hoyas to a 57-46 victory. It was the lowest point total Syracuse has ever posted in the Carrier Dome.

On March 9, Syracuse came to Verizon Center to end regular season play against Georgetown. Remarkably, Georgetown elevated

ENDS PREMATURELY

winning a share of the Big East title and earning a further cemented the Hoyas’ pattern of early exits. its defensive game to limit Syracuse to just 39 points, its lowest total ever under Head Coach Jim Boeheim. Syracuse was obviously focused on limiting Porter’s shots — and the plan worked, as Porter finished with just 10 points. But Porter consistently found open guards for easy looks from his spot in the middle of the zone, finishing with seven assists on the day. The backcourt, led by Starks and freshman D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, took on the bulk of the scoring. With the win, the Blue and Gray won the Big East regular season title and swept the Orange.

But the rivalry wasn’t yet over.

As fate would have it, Syracuse and Georgetown met as conference opponents for one final time in the semifinals of the Big East tournament. Only a stage as renowned as Madison Square Garden could play host to the end of such an illustrious rivalry, and only an overtime period could decide the fate of the two teams.

In the end, the Orange snuck out a 58-55 overtime win and denied the Hoyas a chance to beat Syracuse three times in one year — a feat that Georgetown has not accomplished since 1986 — and a shot at the Big East tournament title.

Deja vu: Georgetown vs. Florida Gulf Coast, March 22 Another year, another lackluster postseason.

Since a Final Four appearance in 2007, each Georgetown team to make the NCAA tournament has met its end against an unheralded double-digit seed. This year, the honor went to little-known Florida Gulf Coast, a high-flying No. 15 seed that shocked the world with a 78-68 win over Georgetown. FGCU went on to the Sweet 16 and garnered national attention before losing to Florida in a bid for the Elite Eight. The Eagles joined the ranks of Ohio, Davidson, Virginia Commonwealth and North Carolina State in an increasingly embarrassing list of low seeds to knock off Georgetown in March.

The game seemed in control early on, but Starks and Porter got into early foul trouble. Thompson pulled them both, which allowed FGCU a chance to prey on the Hoyas’ weak bench with spectacular dunks and lights-out three-point shooting.

FGCU went into halftime up 2422, then shocked the Hoyas with a 54-point second half, nearly matching the season average for Georgetown’s opponents. The Eagles played a full-court game and beat Georgetown in transition, taking the Hoyas out of their customary half-court,

methodical offense. It was a tactic employed by NC State in the previous year’s tourney to the same effect.

In the end, the season followed a similar trajectory as in years past: An unranked preseason Hoya team fares well out-of-conference and gains national attention, falters to start Big East play, strings together an impressive win streak heading into the postseason and ultimately falls early in the national tournament.

This year’s Hoyas have a decidedly different feel than any recent Georgetown squad, with a veteranheavy roster, a seasoned backcourt and a potentially dominant big man in UCLA transfer Josh Smith.

Fans can only hope that the new look results in a new ending.

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Head Coach John Thompson III was named the Big East coach of the year.

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Then-junior guard Markel Starks’ outside shooting carried the Hoyas when Porter wasn’t hitting. He scored a career-high 23 points against UCLA in the Legends Classic.

basketball preview | 9

fresh faces

FRESHMAN REGGIE CAMERON AND SOPHOMORE WALK-ON RIYAN WILLIAMS MAY NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT, BUT THEY’RE ALREADY GENERATING BUZZ. Evan Hollander Hoya Staff Writer

For the first time in at least two years, Georgetown can no longer be described as “young.” Still, the two rookies who join the Hoyas this fall — junior transfer junior center Josh Smith, having played one and a half seasons at UCLA, doesn’t quite count — have generated excitement even before taking the court.

Power forward Reggie Cameron was a recruiting triumph for Head Coach John Thompson III in the class of 2013. Ranked by ESPN as the 63rd best player in the class and 16th among power forwards, Cameron made waves at this summer’s Kenner League for his impressive shooting.

A solid perimeter shooter is a necessity for the Blue and Gray this season, with sharpshooters Otto Porter and junior forward Greg Whittington departed for the NBA and out with a torn ACL, respec-

tively.

The 6-foot-7, 210-pound Cameron will also provide more useful length for the Hoyas, especially on the wing. In particular, he will likely be able to force defenders in the post out onto the perimeter, potentially opening up the lane. “[Cameron’s] a fantastic shooter, as we all probably know,” senior guard Markel Starks said. “He’s getting there … and honestly, he’s caught on faster than I did my freshman year.”

A native of Paterson, N.J., Cameron transferred to Hudson Catholic for his final three years of high school, when he averaged 22 points and seven rebounds per game as a senior. Given the hype, it’s not surprising that Thompson is tamping down expectations.

“He’s a freshman. He’s trying to find his way right now,” Thompson said. “But he’s got a pretty good feel for the game.”

However, if Cameron can im-

prove his rebounding and become better at creating open shots, he could quickly become part of the rotation. And if he can knock down some of his trademark long treys, he’ll surely have Verizon Center on its feet.

Amid all the hype about Cameron, the addition of a walk-on could easily get lost in the mix. But sophomore guard Riyan Williams is no ordinary walk-on.

The son of Georgetown legend Reggie Williams, the younger Williams was a late addition to the roster; in fact, he wasn’t even on the roster handed out to reporters at the Hoyas’ media day. Rumors that he was preparing to join the team, however, had been spreading since the summer, when Williams turned in several weekends of solid performances at the Kenner League.

In an interview with 247Sports over the summer, Williams said that he had wanted to walk on for Georgetown since he played for his

father at local Archbishop Carroll High School. Faced with a squeezed roster, Thompson III reportedly advised Williams to work on his grades in preparation for a potential spot on the team as a sophomore.

The younger Williams certainly has big shoes to fill. His father dropped 19 points in the 1984 national championship his freshman season and was honored as the Big East player of the year after leading the Hoyas to the Elite Eight in 1987.

He went on to a 10-year career in the NBA. Fans shouldn’t expect much playing time for the sophomore, who won’t be travelling with the team, but his arrival is an intriguing next chapter for a family already steeped in Georgetown lore.

On a team full of experienced players, Cameron and Williams won’t grab the spotlight. But hopefully, they can at least grab a few rebounds.

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Freshman Reggie Cameron (left) is adjusting well to Georgetown, according to Thompson. Sophomore walk-on Riyan Williams (right) will likely see little playing time.

10 | The Hoya

stuck on the sideline GREG WHITTINGTON UNDERWENT ACL SURGERY IN JUNE, BUT THE PROGRESS OF HIS RECOVERY REMAINS A MYSTERY. LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

The most pressing question of the season for the Georgetown men’s basketball team is the one that no one will answer.

Characteristically tight-lipped, Head Coach John Thompson III and his players have divulged no clues as to the status of junior forward Greg Whittington, who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in early July.

“Only God knows when Greg is going to be able to play,” Thompson said. “I have no idea when he will get back on the court. I know he will not step foot on the court one second before he is 100 percent physically and mentally ready to go.”

Georgetown announced in June that Whittington had torn his ACL. But since then, mum’s been the word on the subject, save for occasional references on Whittington’s Twitter feed (@GregHoya2: July 3 surgery day!!).

When asked about his teammate’s status at the team’s first media availability in late October, traditionally outspoken senior guard Markel Starks shied away from even discussing Whittington’s recovery process.

“I can’t give out that informa-

tion,” he said.

Whittington, a 6-foot-8 forward who is widely considered the Hoyas’ top defender and among their best scorers, played in 13 games last year before academic troubles sidelined him in January.

In those games, the then-sophomore recorded 17 steals and 11 blocks while averaging more than 12 points per game.

Whittington’s potential return to action remains the biggest question mark hanging over the Hoyas this season. The standard recovery period is six months, but the time frame can vary from four or five months to nearly a year based on the severity of the injury, success of the rehabilitation process and urgency of the player’s return.

A six-month recovery period would put Whittington back on the floor in January, near the beginning of Big East play. But the team’s first open practice confirmed that he was still prohibited from full participation in drills — standard for this point in rehabilitation — and many teams have erred on the side of caution lately regarding mid-season returns from the surgery.

“He is standing still shooting, without jumping,” Thompson explained when asked about the forward’s activity on the court. “Not

MEAGAN KELLY/THE HOYA

Junior forward Greg Whittington has been kept off the court since January by academic problems and a major knee injury. even drills.”

However, Thompson noted that Whittington was contributing to practice in other ways. “[Whittington]’s here every day,” he said. “He’s part of the team, observing, commenting and helping out however he can.”

While Whittington’s talent is evident, it’s worth noting that the late-season surge that earned the Hoyas a Big East regular season title and No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament occurred without him in the lineup — something Starks was quick to point out.

“Greg didn’t play the whole sec-

ond half of the season,” he said.

Still, the departure of Big East Player of the Year Otto Porter for the NBA leaves a gaping hole on the wing of Thompson’s rotation, one a healthy Whittington would have filled perfectly.

The absence of either star swingman was a popular topic of questioning at the year’s first media day. And for once, Thompson had an answer when Starks refused.

The coach said he’s been asked a lot lately, “How are you going to replace Otto?”

“As a collective unit,” Thompson answered.

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA AND MEAGAN KELLY/THE HOYA

Whittington was the Hoyas’ leading scorer through 13 games last season before being placed on academic suspension at the beginning of the second semester.

basketball preview | 11

dsr lEADS sOPHOMORE Laura Wagner Hoya Staff Writer

O

f the five players who came to the Hilltop as freshmen last year, four remain on the roster, as 6-foot-10 forward Brandon Bolden transferred to Kansas State after a season in which he logged only five minutes of playing time. Though he will be ineligible to play for the Wildcats this season due to NCAA transfer rules (making junior center Josh Smith’s eligibility seem that much more incredible), his departure from Georgetown will barely affect the team, especially considering the progression of his former teammates.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera will likely be the only member of the Class of 2016 to see meaningful playing time, and his classmates have spent the offseason working to ensure the Hoyas are as complete a team as possible.

BRADLEY HAYES

STEPHEN DOMINGO

DAVID ALLEN

Standing a towering 7 feet, Hayes appeared in nine games last season for a total of 14 minutes. His height alone gives him an advantage when playing down low, but Hayes will not likely see significant playing time, especially now that junior center Josh Smith is eligible to play. Hayes knows where he stands on the team — behind both Smith and senior center Moses Ayegba — and is going into the season with the mentality of doing whatever he can to contribute to the team.

“I’m working on my rebounding and defensive skills,” Hayes said. “With Otto leaving, one of coach’s points of emphasis has been rebounding. I want to be that factor. More rebounding means more playing time.”

The 6-foot-6 guard from California played in 20 games last season, scoring a career-high seven points in Georgetown’s win over Longwood. After Smith-Rivera, Domingo saw the most court time of the then-freshmen, clocking 112 minutes on the season. Though he had a minimal impact on the team last season, Domingo will be called upon more this year, especially considering that there is no timetable for the return of junior forward Greg Whittington.

“Obviously, Greg and I play the same position, so there is a void that needs to be filled, but I’m just doing whatever I can to contribute to the team,” Domingo said.

The offseason has been busy for Domingo, who after leaving high school after his junior year, is a year younger than his fellow sophomores. “[I’ve worked on] getting my shot more consistent, rebounding — we’re losing a lot of Otto’s rebounding — [and] just knowing the plays down pat, working on my defense so there’s no drop-off when I come in.”

The walk-on guard from Texas appeared in only four games last season for a total of five minutes and will likely see similar game action this season. Despite his limited playing time, Allen spent much of the offseason in the weight room — and it shows. The 6-foot-2 guard is noticeably bigger; according to the roster, he has gained 10 pounds since last season. Still, this won’t be enough to earn him a spot in the regular rotation.

“I try and consider my role the same as anyone else’s. I come out to practice and work as hard as I can and do everything I can to help us win games, whether [I’m] on the court or not,” Allen said.

12 | The Hoya

ORE cLASS D’VAUNTES SMITH-RIVERA Evan Hollander Hoya Staff Writer

Making the transition from a highly touted rookie to a sophomore contributor is no easy task.

When you have to fill in for an NBA lottery pick and an injured leading scorer, it’s even harder.

For a Georgetown squad without Otto Porter and Greg Whittington, there’s a lot riding on the shoulders of sophomore guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera.

Smith-Rivera, often known by his initials, DSR, arrived at Georgetown as a promising Oak Hill Academy product. After a successful summer at the Kenner League, he lived up to the hype from the get-go. He proved one of the Hoyas’ best shooters from beyond the arc, and his ballhandling skills helped take pressure off then-junior point guard Markel Starts.

Though Head Coach John Thompson III tends to ease freshmen into the rotation, Smith-Rivera made an immediate impact last season.

In the home opener against Duquesne, he was called upon to play 32 minutes when sophomore forward Otto Porter sat out with a concussion. The Indianapolis native showed off his sharpshooting skills, going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and leading the team with 19 points.

Thompson, typically cryptic and understated in his post-game press conferences, practically raved about DSR’s abilities after the Duquesne game.

“He can shoot, and he can score, and he’s a very good passer,” Thompson said.

Smith-Rivera saw less playing time as Porter recovered, although he continued to turn in solid efforts in non-conference play, including an 11-point performance against Liberty.

When sophomore forward Greg Whittington was suspended for academic reasons for the second half of the season, though, Smith-Rivera got another chance to shine. He took full advantage.

DSR scored in double figures

in nine Big East games, including dumping an astonishing 33 points — including five treys — on a hapless DePaul squad.

As Smith-Rivera became a bona fide threat from beyond the arc, his presence made other defenses slide to the perimeter, creating more space in the paint. SmithRivera also showed an impressive ability to muscle his way to the basket on the inside, making him a versatile threat all over the court.

In recognition of his wellrounded game, and thanks to his 15 points and five rebounds in Georgetown’s signature win over Syracuse, Smith-Rivera was named to the Big East all-rookie team.

The honor put the 6-foot-3, 218-pound guard in the same company as a host of Blue and Gray stars who became mainstays of the NBA, including Greg Monroe and Jeff Green.

Whether Smith-Rivera can live up to those lofty expectations will help define Georgetown’s chances of winning the Big East this season. It’s something that his teammates have already realized.

“Without [Whittington], obviously myself and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera will have to step up,” senior guard Markel Starks said.

Already a prolific rebounder for his 6-foot-3 frame, Smith-Rivera is preparing to focus on how he can rebound to create shots and set up his teammates to score.

“Last year, I rebounded the ball pretty well,” Smith-Rivera said.

“This year, I’m focused on doing that and being better as an allaround athlete.”

To realize this goal, DSR spent much of the offseason in the gym working out and improving his stamina. He dropped 10 pounds and looks leaner and meaner than last season. With a full year of experience under his belt, he is more confident and self-assured.

“We have a lot of shooters this year,” Smith-Rivera said. “If we’re able to defend, we’ll win a lot of games.”

BASKETBALL PREVIEW | 13

EXPERIENCE ON THEIR SIDE

Loaded with veterans, the Hoyas face a tough slate of out-ofconference games, including Oregon, Kansas and Michigan State.

PETER BARSTON Hoya Staff Writer

The Hoya faithful have heard it before: After another stellar regular season, another heartbreaking postseason exit and another offseason of key departures, Georgetown has to restock the shelves and mesh as a team once more.

As in years past, it will start yet again with Head Coach John Thompson III. Entering his 10th year at the helm, Thompson’s record speaks for itself: 209 wins — including 99 in conference — seven NCAA tournament berths and a Final Four appearance. Year after year, with roster upheaval threatening his

squad, Thompson keeps the Georgetown ship straight. His patented “Georgetown offense” may not pop off the screen, but his coaching effectiveness is undeniable.

So, too, is his propensity for taking on all challengers in non-conference play, regardless of locale.

“Our out-of-conference schedule is the hardest we’ve had since I’ve been coaching here,” Thompson said.

At least three ranked teams are on the docket for the Blue and Gray outside conference play. Georgetown opens against No. 18 Oregon in South Korea on Nov. 8, then take on freshman phenom Andrew Wiggins and No. 6 Kansas. Midway through conference

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Sophomore guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera will likely be the only sophomore in the starting rotation. As a freshman last season, he appeared in all 32 games, averaged 8.9 points per game and was named to the Big East all-rookie team.

14 | the hoya

play, Georgetown will travel to Madison Square Garden for a February showdown with preseason No. 2 Michigan State.

Throw in the possibility of facing No. 9 Michigan and No. 15 VCU in Puerto Rico, and it’s a whirlwind non-conference schedule that affords the Hoyas a short, pressure-filled window to become a cohesive unit.

Conference play, for the first time in recent memory, may actually prove to be the smallest of reprieves for the Blue and Gray, though it will still be highly competitive.

“Over time … those same feelings and emotions toward the opposition, toward the new teams, is going to be created, because it’s a terrific league,” Thompson said.

The home-and-home format of the new Big East means two dates against conference lightweights DePaul and Butler. That also means a double-dip against consensus conference favorite Marquette as well as Creighton, home of likely conference player of the year Doug McDermott. While the new Big East won’t have the same clout as the 16team behemoth of old, the Hoyas will once more have to navigate a conference chock full of nationally regarded programs.

With tons of experience and talent returning from last year’s regular-season Big East championship squad, however, the Hoyas are up for the challenge.

The senior leaders this year are battle-tested Markel Starks and Nate Lubick, the top returning scorer and rebounder on the team, respectively. Starting point guard Starks — a preseason Big East first-teamer — inherits the big man on campus role this year and is ready to run with it. His numbers in all facets of the game have steadily improved every year he has been on the Hilltop.

“As a freshman, [Markel] played very few minutes … all of the sudden, sophomore year, he’s starting, has an up-and-down year, has a very good junior year, and I think he’s poised to take that next step as a senior,” Thompson said.

Longtime starting power forward Lubick is pigeonholed as the prototypical senior glue guy, but he’ll be counted on this year to anchor the Hoyas’ frontcourt on both ends of the court.

“We are going to depend on Nate for a lot more scoring punch on the blocks,” Thompson said. “This year we are going to go to him, and he’s going to have to produce.”

Who will join Lubick up front is less clear.

Junior Mikael Hopkins, last year’s starting center, returns, as does senior enforcer Moses Ayegba. Looming large as well is newly eligible UCLA transfer Josh Smith, the former McDonald’s All-American center who’s looking to revitalize his career in Washington, D.C. Progression will be the name of the game for these three in 2013-14. Can Ayegba develop a reliable offensive game to match his defensive post presence? Can Hopkins channel his inner Henry Sims and assume a more involved role? Can Smith improve his stamina and bring his havoc-wreaking low-post game for significant minutes per game? All three players are mysterious commodities entering the campaign, and finding the appropriate rotation for the entire group will be paramount to the Hoyas’ success this year.

Starting alongside Starks will be electric scorer D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and bulldog defender Jabril Trawick.

“I think that, as a group, our backcourt is as good as any around,” Thompson said.

Sophomore Smith-Rivera came into his own last year when playing time opened up

during the second half of the year, showing off a sweet stroke on his way to averaging 11 points per game in conference play. The most dynamic offensive weapon the Hoyas have, look for Smith-Rivera to establish himself as one of the Big East’s most feared players in his second year. Trawick, meanwhile, is already in that company. If the junior, the best on-ball defender on the team, can get his three-pointers to drop more often, he’ll be the best two-way player to don the Kente this year.

The biggest question, though, comes in replacing reigning Big East Player of the Year Otto Porter. Filling the void left by the lottery pick was a tall task even before Greg Whittington injured his ACL this offseason and looks nearly certain to be out for the year. While Trawick will likely see his fair share of time at small forward, a sizeable portion of the minutes on the wing should fall to a group of three talented yet untested players: sharpshooting sophomore guard Stephen Domingo, high-flying senior forward Aaron Bowen, and freshman guard Reggie Cameron.

“We have a team where each and every person needs to be ready when your number is called,” Thompson said regarding the opening. “Your number may be called today, and then not be called for two days, and then you may be called three days in a row.”

By the sound of it, the Hoyas will look to rotate on the wing early and often until a dependable option emerges.

Asking for a repeat of last season’s regular-

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Junior forward Mikael Hopkins, who started at center in all 32 games as a sophomore, may see less playing time. season success for this year’s Hoyas is a little too ambitious for a team that just lost its doeverything superstar and moves into a new conference full of unknowns.

But if we know anything about the Hoyas under JTIII, it’s that they don’t rebuild. They reload. Thompson put it best at the team’s first media availability day in late October.

“I’m more excited about the future than I am worried about the past.”

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Junior guard Jabril Trawick stepped into the starting lineup when classmate Greg Whittington was placed on academic suspension last year. With Whittington sidelined once again — this time due to an ACL tear — Trawick is expected to see big minutes. Trawick polished his jump shot over the summer in anticipation of a larger scoring role.

basketball preview | 15

THE LAST ACT pat curran

12 | thehoya

Hoya Staff Writer

I

f you ask Markel Starks, there’s something missing in McDonough Arena.

It’s not something picked off the typical laundry list of complaints about the 52-year-old gymnasium nestled in the southwest corner of campus. The senior point guard isn’t talking about the lack of a proper practice facility, or even about the tiny seating area that forces the Hoyas to play home games at Verizon Center. No, Starks is looking for a simple change in decor.

basketballpreview | 13

“I’m sick of looking up at those banners,” he said before a mid-October practice session while gesturing at the gym’s south wall, where the youngest of four NCAA Final Four banners dates back to 2007. “Every day when I come in here, I look up, and there’s nothing there. For me, as a leader of this team, that’s heartbreaking.”

Heartbreak was the theme of March basketball on the Hilltop long before Starks arrived here from Georgetown Prep, but the last three years’ effect on the senior is palpable. He’s as charismatic as ever while holding court for the press, but after three years of great expectations and early exits, the grins are smaller and the jokes fewer and farther between.

Nowadays, he’ll even call out himself — and his team — for “lack of mental toughness” late in the season.

“I think the lack of mental toughness is somewhat about dedication,” Starks said.

“You can’t just wake up one morning and say, ‘I don’t want to play basketball.’ It can’t be a day-in, day-out type of thing. ... Everybody has to be willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team.”

Much of the responsibility for setting this tone will fall on Starks, both the starting point guard and presumptive top scoring

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Starks was the Hoyas’ top scorer from beyond the arc last year, hitting 63 three-pointers at a 41.7 percent clip.

18 | The Hoya

option. But on the most experienced squad Georgetown has seen in years, Starks will be sharing the mantle of senior leadership.

----------------------------------------------

for the remainder of the season.

The Hoyas continued to impress even their most ardent doubters en route to a 24-9 record and No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. But March would end prematurely, this time with a 66-63 loss to North Carolina State in the Round of 32, a game in which neither Starks nor Lubick made any major contributions.

Senior forward Nate Lubick has earned quite the collection of cliche titles among reporters and fans. As a freshman with a penchant for ---------------------------------------------thunderous dunks, he was an “energy guy.” As a sophomore who struggled to find his role in the On its own, the 2012 graduation of Jason Clark system, he was an “intangibles guy.” As a junior who played big minutes and racked up plenty of and Henry Sims would’ve sparked Starks and Lubick to take on rebounds, more responsibilassists and ity. But another c h a r ge s , decision made he was a their growth a ne“glue guy.” cessity.

There’s Would-be one title, senior Hollis however, Thompson, the that has secondremained NATE LUBICK team’s year afon the Hoyas’ loss to Florida Gulf Coast leading scorer in 2011-12, declared ter year: for the NBA Draft soon after Georgetown’s tour“coach’s son.”

Whether this is due to Lubick’s high basketball nament loss. Suddenly, two juniors — neither of IQ, his status as an actual coach’s son or simply a whom had ever approached a double-figure scorlack of creativity on announcers’ parts is up for ing average — were called on to become the elder debate. It’s certain, however, that his impressive statesmen of a team featuring 10 underclassmen.

Gulp. court awareness has earned him high regard in Starks and Lubick trained all summer to grow Thompson’s office. In three years here, the 6-foot8 Massachusetts native has started more games into their new roles. Lubick entered training camp noticeably slimmer, and Starks studied exthan any other active player.

Perhaps even more than Starks, Lubick will be tensively in an effort to become the floor general charged with ensuring this season doesn’t follow the Hoyas needed.

“He worked extremely hard. If you look at him, the tired old path to March disappointment. Like you can see his body’s changed,” Thompson said Starks, he’s taking the job seriously.

“I don’t think I or Markel will completely get of Lubick last fall.

“I’ve worked on my game, I’ve worked on my over [last season’s ending] until we set foot on the body, I’ve studied a lot of film, I’ve watched other court,” Lubick said. players, I’ve watched myself, [and] I’ve studied NBA players,” Starks said. “I’ve done my home---------------------------------------------work, so to say.”

The basketball establishment didn’t buy their Because Lubick and Starks have been rotation players for so long, it’s easy to forget that their status assurances. Despite near-universal recognition of as the core of the Class of 2014 wasn’t always obvi- Porter as a star, few analysts and coaches picked ous. As recently as the spring of 2012, the future of the Hoyas as serious contenders for the Big East title, let alone an NCAA tournament run. Even the two then-sophomores looked uncertain.

After a promising freshman campaign, Lubick when analysts did turn an eye to Georgetown, the appeared poised to evolve from a raw big man to two de facto seniors were largely forgotten in the a crucial cog in the offense. Georgetown was re- hype around Porter.

That wouldn’t last long. turning no proven post players and featured only In the nationally televised Legends Classic, three upperclassmen, seemingly setting the stage Starks racked up 43 points on 57 percent shootfor the skilled sophomore to break out.

Instead, Lubick found himself battling for ing over two games against No. 11 UCLA (a win) court time with a couple of upstart freshman for- and No. 1 Indiana (an overtime loss). “[Starks] really hurt us,” UCLA Head Coach Ben wards named Otto Porter and Greg Whittington.

He started every night, but the freshmen slowly Howland said after the game. “Any time we failed ate away at his minutes as Thompson gravitated to trail him, he exploited it.”

Starks’ lights-out performance in Brooklyn toward a longer, quicker lineup. In Georgetown’s double-overtime loss to Cincinnati in the Big East solidified his position as the Hoyas’ No. 2 scorer. tournament semifinal, Lubick was the only start- He showed a flair for the dramatic throughout er to play fewer than 45 minutes. Far fewer, in fact the season, consistently making clutch plays and coming up big in high-profile games.

— he played just six.

Lubick’s improvement was less obvious to the Starks, meanwhile, was facing more dramatic issues. Near the end of an embarrassing loss at casual fan but no less important to the team’s forSeton Hall in February, Thompson and his point tunes. His low-post play was noticeably smoother, man got into a heated argument courtside. Starks his passing as sharp as ever and his defensive rotations nearly flawless. was benched for the next game.

The longtime role player even made a few forThompson, when asked for his reasoning behind the benching, said only, “I just wanted to ays into uncharted territory: double-digit scoring.

After one such performance — 16 points, 10 start [Porter] and not play Starks.” But deeper issues were evident, as Starks lost his starting spot rebounds and four assists on 80 percent shooting

“

I don’t think I or Markel will completely get over it until we set foot on the court.

”

in a win over St. John’s — Thompson indicated that big plays had become the norm for his longest-tenured starter.

“Nate gave us quality stats, not quantity stats,” he said. “When we need something done, he gets a rebound, makes an assist, gets a basket. He’s been doing that consistently, and tonight was no exception.”

Starks and Lubick weren’t the only ones to step into important roles within Porter’s supporting cast. Less-experienced then-juniors like center Moses Ayegba and forward Aaron Bowen came through in several big games, and the underclassmen showed resolve beyond their years. But on the rare occasion when either of the two veterans was off his game or unable to play, his value was thrown into stark relief — especially near the end of the season, when Porter finally began showing signs of fatigue.

No game illustrated this better — or more painfully — than Georgetown’s first-round NCAA tournament game against Florida Gulf Coast.

Starks was seemingly the only Hoya with an eye on the basket that night in Philadelphia.

Or he was, until two early fouls sent him to the bench just as the Eagles were hitting their stride.

The absence of their veteran point guard, combined with an above-the-rim assault from FGCU then-junior forward Chase Fieler — a nightmare matchup for Lubick — had Georgetown staring down the barrel of yet another early exit.

Starks rallied the Hoyas with a series of threepointers late in the second half, but the damage was done: Once again, Georgetown found itself on the wrong side of the tournament’s biggest upset.

“We were too patient,” Starks said last month when asked to reflect on the loss. “We dug ourselves in a hole we couldn’t get out of.”

---------------------------------------------A lot has changed since the Hoyas left Philadelphia.

Georgetown is still playing in the Big East, but it’s a whole new conference. Gone are Syracuse, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Louisville, replaced by Creighton, Butler and Xavier.

Starks doesn’t have to face the Cardinals’ dynamic, high-scoring guard Russ Smith anymore; Lubick has a new challenge in another coach’s son, Bluejays senior forward Doug McDermott.

They’ll have to do it all without Porter, who now suits up for the NBA’s Washington Wizards, or Whittington, who tore his ACL over the summer. They’ll have the added services of Josh Smith, a junior center transfer from UCLA built like former Hoya star Mike Sweetney.

All that said, this year somehow features the most continuity Starks and Lubick have ever seen.

“In years past, we’ve been really young. That’s not the case this year,” Lubick said. “We’re a veteran team, and our younger guys are guys that are experienced.”

Indeed, the duo is surrounded by more experience than any Georgetown seniors in recent memory. But even as the players and coaches harp on how balanced the team is — how they’ll score and win “as a unit,” how everyone will contribute — no one doubts who really runs this show.

For the Hoyas to match the regular-season success of the last three years, Starks will need to live up to his preseason all-Big East honors

CHRIS BIEN/THE HOYA

Lubick led the Hoyas in field goal percentage as a junior — hitting nearly 60 percent of his shots — but averaged only 7.1 points per game. Head Coach John Thompson III expects that figure to go up this season. and learn to balance No. 1 scorer duties with his role as a point guard.

“Markel and I are at a point where he knows exactly what I want — not only what I need of him, but what I need him to help everyone else do,” Thompson said.

As for Lubick, the coaching staff has high expectations for a “glue guy” who’s never averaged more than 7.1 points per game.

“We’re going to depend on Nate for a lot more scoring punch on the block,” Thompson said. “I think you’re going to see Nate as an even better player this year than in the previous three years.”

He’s done his part to prepare for the job.

“I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in a long time. … I really didn’t lose weight, I’m just in really good shape,” Lubick said. “I’ve worked on my shot a little bit, being able to score in the post. I’ve got to be somebody who you can throw it down to — somebody who can score.”

---------------------------------------------Starks and Lubick begin their final cam-

paign when the Hoyas open, for the second straight season, on a faraway military base.

They’ve been the only constants in a tumultuous period on the Hilltop: As teammates have fallen to injury, stars have left early and the conference’s landscape has shifted, Starks and Lubick remain fixtures on the court. This year, they move from supporting roles squarely into the spotlight, where they’ll have one last chance to secure a spot on McDonough’s wall of banners.

Of course, most factors that will determine that result lie outside their control. But Starks and Lubick are approaching this year with the deadly focus only two weary seniors could possess, driven by the still-fresh memories of disappointments past and the notion that the last act of their college careers might follow the same sad, tired narrative.

“We still have a sour taste in our mouths,” Lubick said.

“We just have to get out of this hole,” Starks added.

The stage is set. Now let’s see if they can write a twist ending.

basketball preview | 19

BACK TO BASICS: BIG EAST P

T

EVAN HOLLANDE

he Big East has a new look this sea necticut, Louisville and Syracuse de stants to cheer the up Hoya faithful? top of the conference — the league’s c season — and the championship will stil of Madison Square Garden.

4. VILLANOVA The Wildcats were a menace at home last season, knocking off Louisville, Syracuse, Georgetown and Marquette. Although center Mouphtaou Yarou graduated, the team should be tougher this year than last.

Sophomore point guard Ryan Arcidiacono is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc. Junior forward JayVaughn Pinkston, who was particularly effective against the Hoyas last season, joins him on the roster and the preseason all-Big East second team.

1. MARQUETTE The Golden Eagles were voted the league’s best team for a reason: Returning senior forwards Davante Gardner and Jamil Wilson lead a squad that went to the Elite Eight last season. Although Head Coach Buzz Williams will likely jazz up his offense with help from a trio of perimeter-playing rookies, the real battle when the Golden Eagles face the Hoyas will be down low; seeing Gardner and junior center Josh Smith go at it should be a real treat.

2. GEORGETOWN SEE PAGE 14

3. CREIGHTON Although Marquette was picked as the league’s preseason No. 1, the Bluejays are certainly the best addition to the Big East and perhaps the best squad, period. Head Coach Greg McDermott has another year to coach his son, senior forward Doug, a lethal shooter who was named a first team All-American last year. Add in senior guard Grant Gibbs, an excellent ball distributor who was given an extra year of eligibility, and Creighton is in the running for league champ.

20 | The Hoya

5. ST. JOHN’S The Red Storm have had a perennially cloudy future, and the team limped to a 17-16 record last season. However, the return of the prodigal son — in this case, graduate student forward God’sgift Achiuwa — and prodigious scorer D’Angelo Harrison, a junior guard, should help Head Coach Steve Lavin have a stronger roster this season. Lavin has also finally lived up to his recruiting record by netting freshman guard Rysheed Jordan, who could contend for Big East rookie of the year, an honor that sophomore forward Jakarr Sampson claimed last season.

PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

ER

Hoya Staff Writer

ason, with perennial heavyweights Coneparted for different leagues. Two con? Georgetown will still be tabbed near the coaches rank them second to start the ll be decided on the hallowed hardwood

6. PROVIDENCE Last season was an improvement for the Friars, but the team still ended up in the middle of the Big East pack, even though touted prospect and current Dallas Mavericks rookie Ricky Ledo didn’t play a single minute. While some would expect Head Coach Ed Cooley to find relief in a smaller, weaker league, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Without graduated guard Vincent Council and Ledo, it seems unlikely that a pair of seniors — forward Kadeem Batts and guard Bryce Cotton — can lift Providence to the top of the conference.

8. SETON HALL Seton Hall was miserable when facing halfway-decent teams last season, and little improvement is expected going into 2013-14. One wild card is Texas transfer and sophomore guard Sterling Gibbs, the brother of former Pitt standout Ashton Gibbs. If he can contribute alongside senior swingman Fuquan Edwin, a member of last year’s all-Big East second team, the Pirates could up their position in the rankings.

9. BUTLER Although Butler has been known for its Cinderella stories in recent years, no one expects one this year. Not only is the team deprived of much of the talent from last year’s roster, it was also deserted by tactical mastermind Head Coach Brad Stevens, who left to take the helm of the Boston Celtics. Expect that to be a common storyline this year, because there isn’t a whole lot to talk about for the Bulldogs.

7. XAVIER One of three new arrivals to the Big East, the Musketeers face middling expectations in their debut season. The team finished 17-14 last season, although the arrival of 6-foot-10 junior center Matt Stainbrook, a transfer from Western Michigan, could help matters.

Sophomore guard Semaj Christon is one of the best players in the league, but he’s swimming in the deep end without many other scoring threats.

10. DEPAUL The new, softer Big East won’t be any easier for the Blue Demons.

Miserable for all of recent memory, DePaul still boasts a strong duo in senior guard Brandon Young and senior forward Cleveland Melvin. That’s about all Head Coach Oliver Purnell has to work with, though, and it will take more than Purdue transfer and senior forward Sandi Marcius to fix that.

BASKETBALL PREVIEW | 21

HOYAS FALL FLAT IN RO Despite the efforts of Sugar Rodgers — one of the country’s best pure scorers — the Hoyas missed the NCAA tournament.

Carolyn Maguire Hoya Staff Writer

With eight players gone and beloved Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy off to Auburn, the 2012-2013 women’s basketball team struggled to adapt to the personnel changes.

Georgetown finished the season 15-16 while sputtering to an 11th-place finish in the Big East with a 5-11 conference record. It was the first time since the 20062007 season that the Hoyas finished with a losing record and marked the first time in five years that the Blue and Gray did not reach the NCAA tournament.

“It was kind of a slap in the face,” senior guard Samisha Powell said of the team’s failure to reach the postseason.

Injuries also contributed to the team’s disappointing record, de-

pleting the already small 10-player roster. At season’s end, the Blue and Gray had just eight players dressing for games. Powell, then-freshman Katie McCormick and then-junior Andrea White all missed time throughout the season, Powell and McCormick due to season-ending knee injuries.

“We didn’t have a lot of bodies and not everyone was 100 percent healthy,” Powell said. “I think down the stretch, it affected [us] because we had no energy.”

The situation, however, wasn’t dire from the beginning. The Hoyas started the season strong, advancing to the semifinals of the preseason NIT after wins against Sacred Heart and No. 11 Delaware. In Georgetown’s preseason opener against Sacred Heart, the Hoyas dismantled the Pioneers 90-63. The Blue and Gray were led by White, who scored a

career-high 24 points, and Rodgers, who posted 22 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.

With the win, the Hoyas advanced to play Delaware, outscoring the Blue Hens by eight in the second half en route to a 62-56 win. Georgetown took advantage of the Delaware team that was without All-American Elena Delle Donne, with Rodgers exploding for 35 points in the win.

The victory propelled Georgetown into its first-ever preseason NIT semifinal appearance, where it took on North Carolina. The Tar Heels handed the Blue and Gray their first loss of the young season, cruising to a 63-48 victory.

The Hoyas continued to build off the momentum in their nonconference schedule, finishing with a 9-4 out-of-conference record, with their losses coming at

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Then-freshman Katie McCormick averaged 4.5 points per game last season. McCormick and the rest of the underclassmen will see more playing time this semester with the graduations of seniors Sugar Rodgers, Sydney Wilson and Vanessa Moore.

22 | The Hoya

the hands of North Carolina (in the preseason WNIT), California, Penn State and South Dakota State. The Nittany Lions, ranked 10th in the nation at the time, roundly defeated the Hoyas 97-74.

“Any time you’re a defensive team and you give up 97 points, you’re not supposed to win,” then-Head Coach Keith Brown said following the game.

Georgetown’s non-conference wins came against programs including an energetic La Salle squad, D.C. rival George Washington and a tough Temple team.

Georgetown showed their grit in all three games, recovering from a 12-point deficit en route to victory over La Salle, keeping the pressure on GW from the first whistle to the last to win 70-54 and holding off several late runs from a tenacious Temple team in their last regular season game of the season In Big East play, however, the Hoyas were unable to find the same success. The Blue and Gray were unable to keep up with the high-powered offenses of the Big East and were outscored by an average of more than nine points a game.

Georgetown especially struggled against the top Big East teams. Against Connecticut and Notre Dame, the top two teams in the conference, the Hoyas lost by an average of 21 points.

On Feb. 12, Georgetown and No. 23 Syracuse faced off in their final Big East meeting. One month earlier, the Orange embarrassed the Hoyas 86-56 at the Carrier Dome, and the Hoyas were eager for revenge.

Georgetown fell behind early, but led by strong post play from then-senior center Sydney Wilson and then-freshman forward Dominique Vitalis, the Hoyas clawed their way back to tie the game at 25 to enter the half. The Hoyas built an eight-point advantage early in the second half, but aided by Georgetown turnovers, the Orange responded with a 15-point run to take the lead.

RODGERS’ FINAL YEAR

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Sophomore forward Dominique Vitalis is one of nine underclassmen on the 11-player roster. Most of the other basketball teams in the Big East boast 14- or 15-player rosters.

Because the team is short in numbers, every player must be ready to have her number called, and Vitalis — and the other sophomores — will likely see significant playing time.

Syracuse’s tough defense and timely shooting down the stretch prevented the Hoyas from making a run to pull off the upset, and the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry ended with a 69-60 Orange victory.

The Hoyas earned the 11th seed in the Big East Tournament and a first-round matchup with 14thseeded Providence. The Blue and Gray dominated the Friars inside

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

Senior forward Andrea White was the second leading scorer for the Hoyas last year.

and exploded for 44 second-half points.

With the convincing 81-61 win over Providence, Georgetown advanced to play Villanova. Against the Hoyas, the Wildcats sunk a staggering 17 three-pointers en route to an 89-58 win over the Hoyas. In the loss, which would turn out to be Rodgers’ last game, the star guard had a recordbreaking performance. Like she had done so many times in her career, Rodgers put on a show, scoring 42 points — a Big East Championship record — on 15-of30 shooting.

Rodgers finished her career among the all-time Georgetown leaders in nearly every statistic.

She is the program-leading scorer, with 2,518 career points, and has the most career steals, with 326. Rodgers also ranks eighth in rebounding and assists.

“It was great playing with Sugar,” White said. “She is very talented and worked hard. On the court, you know she was going to make the top play. She did anything to help the team win.”

In a season with few bright moments, Rodger’s success gave Hoya fans something to cheer abouto. This year, however, the team will have to rely on a more balanced approach to get back on the winning path.

basketball preview | 23

RIGHTING THE SHIP: LEWIS TAKES

former head coach keith brown resigned amid a verbal ab coaching veteran jim lewis is now charged with stabilizng th LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

It’s hard to believe that only two years ago, the Georgetown women’s basketball team was one of the hottest programs in the country.

The graduation of a stacked senior class in 2012 and star guard Sugar Rodgers in 2013 left the Hoyas searching for scoring and leadership on the court. This fall, they’ve run into more serious issues off of it: Head Coach Keith Brown resigned last month after a WJLA report revealed that he had verbally abused his players, and Interim Head Coach Jim Lewis has been tasked with leading the program back to its former glory.

The Accusations On Oct. 1, the university released a statement announcing that Head Coach Keith Brown and Assistant Coach Tim Valentine had been placed on paid administrative leave while the univer-

sity investigated the accusations of “unprofessional conduct” and “the use of inappropriate language.”

According to the statement, the complaints were made two weeks before the coaches were placed on leave.

The night that the coaches were placed on leave, five basketball players spoke out in defense of Brown. Sophomore guard Katie McCormick, freshman guard Tyshell King, freshman forward Shayla Cooper, freshman forward Faith Woodard and freshman guard Jade Martin emphasized that Brown was tough but never directed profanities toward any of the players. Though McCormick was the only player to play a game under Brown, the freshman players were recruited by him.

Rodgers, a four-year star at Georgetown who now plays in the WNBA, also supported Brown.

She told The Hoya that his coaching style was typical of any college coach.

“Coaches are going to yell and coaches may

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Former Head Coach Keith Brown was accused of verbal abuse in September. The subsequent investigation by the university — and audio recordings documenting his inappropriate language — led to his resignation.

24 | The Hoya

curse, but what’s in basketball, players should be able to take whatever they say,” Rodgers said in an Oct. 3 interview. “Once you hit college, you’re basically grown — you should be able to take what people say.”

The university denied The Hoya’s requests for interviews with Athletic Director Lee Reed and the players.

The Recordings and Resignation Nine days after the coaches were placed on leave, WJLA released audio that an unidentified player recorded of Brown after a Sept. 6 training session.

In the recordings, Brown can be heard berating his players in profanity-laced tirades, at one point telling an unidentified player, “You’re a dumb f - - -.”

Brown resigned hours before this recording became public.

In another recording, Brown yells at an unidentified player saying, “[You’re] f - - -ing with me just to f - - - with me. Is that what it is? If you’re being defiant just to be defiant, you’re f - - -ing with me.”

Three unnamed former players told WJLA that such language was common for Brown.

“Yeah, I’ve been called like a ‘dumb F’ or ‘dumb M-F’er’ … It’s a completely destructive and harmful environment with what these girls are experiencing now,” one former player was quoted saying. “It’s upsetting and brings me back to places I don’t like to rethink.”

University spokesperson Stacy Kerr told The Hoya that the investigation into the allegations was “nearing completion” when Brown tendered his resignation and that Valentine had been reinstated.

The team was left without a head coach with less than a month to go before its season opener.

The New Beginning Georgetown named Jim Lewis the team’s interim head coach Oct. 25. Lewis, a coaching veteran who has been at the helm of high school, college and WNBA teams, draws many similarities to Brown. Both are local products who came with the recommendation of former men’s basketball Coach John Thompson Jr. and bring a high-energy approach to the sideline.

They’re similar, but not the same.

“I’m an extremely enthusiastic, upbeat, positive-reinforcing teacher,” Lewis said last week of his coaching style. “I really feel like my role is that of a teacher.”

Lewis, who had moved back to the area to be near his adult children, contacted Reed after learning of Brown’s resignation. He’s qualified for the job, but an old friendship with Thompson certainly didn’t hurt his chances.

“I mentioned, because I ain’t as dumb as I

TAKES OVER

buse scandal. Local he program. look, in the first conversation with Lee that certainly I know Coach Thompson. ... [Thompson] obviously went down the hall and spoke to him — you know there are always connections.”

With 44 years of coaching experience, Lewis could be just the stabilizing presence the Hoyas need to lead the team to a winning season. Taking the reins so late in the game comes with its own set of challenges, but Lewis isn’t intimdated. “[I will] just be myself,” Lewis said. “I’m going to treat them with great respect and keep the expectations high and let them know that I care. If they realize that I care, then they’ll accept the ‘no’ part better. But if you come like, ‘Well I’ve been here and here,’ that’s not going to get you anywhere.”

Lewis says that the transition has been smooth, but a coaching switch this close to the start of the season can be difficult to overcome. When the Hoyas tip off against Richmond in their season opener Nov. 8, Lewis’ presence on the sideline will be as much in the spotlight as his players’ on the court.

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

A veteran who has coached at both the collegiate level and in the WNBA, Interim Head Coach Jim Lewis brings 44 years of experience to the top job and says the transition to Georgetown has been smooth.

basketball preview | 25

Back and better than ever Powell missed the last nine games of the 2012-13 season. Now she’s ready to make up for lost time.

WILL EDMAN

Hoya Staff Writer

During the second half of a Feb. 2 Big East game at Louisville last season, Georgetown junior point guard Samisha Powell passed the ball upcourt after a Hoya defensive rebound. After reaching halfcourt, Powell called for the ball from a teammate. She bent her torso to retrieve the low bounce pass without bending her knees, and at the same time, a Louisville player dove for the ball, colliding with Powell’s knee. The knee buckled, and just like that, Powell’s season was over.

“I remember falling and rolling, and I knew in the back of my head that I usually get back up from little injuries, but I couldn’t get back up from that one,” Powell said. “Our old trainer sat me down … and told me that it was an MCL, ACL and a meniscus injury. I just remember crying.”

The path between Powell’s junior and senior seasons has been filled with adversity. Between the partial tear in her MCL that sidelined her for two months, the graduation of former star shooting guard Sugar Rodgers, the infusion of youth into a team with only two seniors, and perhaps most shockingly, the controversial resignation of former head coach Keith Brown, Powell has had more than her fair share of challenges as the team’s starting point guard and one of two senior co-captains. Despite it all, Powell expects this to be the season in which Georgetown regains its place as an elite Big East squad and NCAA Tournament participant.

In February, the outlook was far from rosy. Powell’s partial tear of her MCL sparked a slump that saw the Blue and Gray lost seven of their final eight regular season games and crashed out of NCAA tournament contention for the first time since 2009.

“Samisha was our starting point guard,” senior power forward and co-captain Andrea White said.

“When she got injured, we had to have young point guards come in and play a role that they weren’t used to, so we didn’t have that experience on the court.”

While her team sputtered, Powell languished on the bench, even though team doctors cleared her to play at the end of the season. Brown, concerned with Powell’s long-term health, decided that she would undergo rehab instead of putting her knee at further risk.

“It was a frustrating process. I hate rehab, and it took so long. I was in the training room for hours just trying to get better,” Powell said, rubbing her knee.

Although Powell is nearly fully recovered from her injury, she still feels soreness at times. But the injury didn’t prevent her from using the offseason to improve her game and to embrace her new role as a team leader. For the past four years, Georgetown’s offense has been dominated by the talismanic Sugar Rodgers, now a WNBA champion with the Minnesota Lynx. With Rodgers’ graduation, Georgetown has a chance to build a more balanced offense, and one of the players who figures to play a more integral role is Powell, the team’s fourth-leading scorer, with 6.2 points per game last season.

“The point position is traditionally a position of leadership,” interim Head Coach Jim Lewis said.

“You have the ball in your hands. She is the extension of the coach, if you will. She is a really dedicated, hard-nosed basketball player who sounds, looks and acts like a senior at Georgetown.”

Powell maintains that her main role on the team is that of floor general, and she hopes to build on her 3.1 assists per game last season by providing scoring opportunities for White, sophomore shoot-

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Before suffering a season-ending MCL tear during a conference game in early February, then-junior Samisha Powell was the Hoyas’ starting point guard. She called the rehab process “frustrating” and is eager to get back on the court.

26 | The Hoya

chris GRIVAS/THE HOYA

As point guard and co-captain, senior Samisha Powell will lead the team both on and off the court. ing guard Katie McCormick and freshman center Natalie Butler, among others.

“My job is to distribute the ball and to create shots for other people,” Powell said. “I’ve worked hard on my three-point shot. If my shot’s open then my shot’s open, but as a point guard, I think my role is just distributing the ball, the same as last year.”

In addition to her normal on-court duties, Powell, along with White, has assumed the responsibility of integrating five freshmen into the team. After graduating three seniors last year, this year’s Hoyas have just two seniors and no juniors.

This challenge was only amplified by the unexpected resignation of former coach Brown and the appointment of interim Head Coach Jim Lewis.

“It was a rough period for us, because we had new players coming in who were recruited under this specific coach, so it was hard when he left,” Powell said. “Because Andrea and I are seniors, throughout the whole process, we just tried to keep the team together, doing a lot of team-oriented activities.”

Despite the negative attention and uncertainty as a result of the coaching change, the Hoyas have appeared to turn the corner thanks to the seniors’ leadership and the new coach. “[Lewis] is not coming in here trying to change everything that we’ve been working on,” Powell said.

“And with our assistant coaches still here, they can tell him what they’ve been doing.”

If Powell’s handling of the obstacles that she has faced this offseason is any indication, it appears that the Hoyas will have no trouble adjusting to Lewis’ coaching. After watching from the sidelines at the end of last season and maintaining cohesiveness within a young team in the midst of a coaching controversy in the offseason, Powell is primed to lead the Hoyas to its third NCAA Tournament in her four seasons.

“As the [healing] process continues and we’re practicing more … I feel like I’m getting better at a lot of things,” Powell said.

In addition to reaching the tournament, the Hoyas’ lofty goals include winning the Big East regular season title. With Powell at the helm as point guard, leader, captain and senior on this team, such a goal seems within reach.

dominating the boards She’s not a flashy player, but White’s rebounding ability sets her apart.

Carolyn Maguire Hoya Staff Writer

Going into her junior season, forward Andrea White was relatively unknown. In her first two seasons, she averaged less than 10 minutes of playing time and two points per game, failing to ever make the starting five. She was a role player on a team filled with stars such as current WNBA player Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown’s all-time leading scorer.

All this changed after a breakout junior season.

In addition to starting all but two games for the Hoyas, she averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 points per game. This year, White enters the season surrounded by high expectations. As co-captain and one of 10 players named to the preseason all-Big East team, she is expected to lead a Georgetown team looking to rebound from the disappointment of last season.

“I am really impressed with Andrea,” interim Head Coach Jim Lewis said. “She is preseason all-Big East. She has committed four years of her life and hard work, so the program owes her as much as it can give her.”

At the beginning of last season, White established herself as a threat. In the Blue and Gray’s season opener last year against Sacred Heart — White’s first career start — she led all scorers with 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting. She dominated the Pioneers on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds — six of which were offensive.

White continued to put up strong numbers throughout the rest of the Blue and Gray’s season, and her performances throughout the season earned her two mentions on Big East Weekly Honor Roll.

“Seven seniors graduated, [so] I needed to step up and be a big part of the team. I just wanted to do anything I could to help the team out,” White said.

Despite last season’s impressive numbers, White’s performances and contributions often went over-

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA

As the only seniors on a young Georgetown squad, guard Samisha Powell (left) and forward Andrea White (right) will be co-captains and team leaders. Last season, Powell and White averaged 6.2 and 10.4 points per game, respectively. looked. White was the second-leading scorer on last year’s team, but the leading scorer, the WNBAbound Rodgers, was the name on everyone’s lips.

But Lewis, a WNBA scout for the Los Angeles Sparks at the time, was impressed by White’s grindit-out style of play.

“I actually saw [Andrea] play last year because I was scouting … for the Sparks,” Lewis said. “Where Sugar was obvious to everyone, I remembered Andrea.”

This season, White and senior point guard Samisha Powell will both take on a bigger role in Georgetown’s offense. White, especially, will likely see an increase in her offense production, as she plans to get more opportunities in the lane.

“As a point guard … I have to get the ball into [Andrea],” point guard Samisha Powell said.

White is less motivated by individual statistics and more by the possibility of playing her way to the Big Dance.

“My personal goal is to make it back to the NCAA tournament,” White said. “Not making the tourna-

ment made reality set in. We have to work harder to get back. … I want to make it this year.”

White’s goals are reflected in her style of play. A fundamentally strong player who thrives on the glass, White eschews flashy moves for consistency. “[On the court,] I just try to help in any way that I can,” White said. “I know I have to be a big rebounder, so if there are any loose balls, I have to go after them. I have to play great defense. I want to be a hustle player just to be a role model for the younger players.”

This bulldog mentality is partly why White is such an impactful player, earning her the Kenneth Klein award last year, given to the team member who demonstrated the most hustle throughout the season.

According to Lewis, White has what it takes to lead the team both on and off the court.

“She truly looks like, sounds like and acts like what everyone should expect from a senior at Georgetown,” Lewis said. “Not a senior athlete, but a senior at Georgetown.”

CHRIS GRIVAS/THE HOYA AND ALEXANDEr brown/THE HOYA

With 189 boards, White was second on the team in rebounding behind Sugar Rodgers. She especially excels in pulling down offensive boards, racking up 92 last season.

basketball preview | 27

new kids on the block

LAURA WAGNER Hoya Staff Writer

The five freshmen on the Georgetown women’s basketball team this season comprise one of the most talented and highly touted recruiting classes in program history. According to Blue Star Basketball report, which uses a formula to evaluate and rank recruiting classes across the country, the Hoyas’ 2013 recruiting

class was the ninth best in the nation.

Interim Head Coach Jim Lewis declined to speak specifically about the players, saying, “The freshmen are going to fit in terrifically well. They are highly recruited and deservingly so. They have the chance to really make an impact immediately. I don’t want to single one of the five out. … We’re not separating them and lifting them up as the ‘fab five’ — don’t say ‘fab five.’”

While the freshmen may not have earned that coveted nickname yet, Lewis is strategizing on how best to incorporate the rookies into the team.

“I am really excited to see their growth.

Because very often a freshman can play a significant role, but if five play significant roles and they grow together, by the time we reach conference play … they could be extremely impactful.”

NATALIE BUTLER

JADE MARTIN

FAITH WOODARD

The 6-foot-5 center from Fairfax Station, Va., was a two-time Washington Post all-Met honoree, and as a senior, she was named to the all-Met first team. In her senior season, Butler averaged a triple-double with 26.3 points, 17.8 rebounds and 10.1 blocks per game.

With the graduation of Sydney Wilson (the team’s starting center last season), Butler will likely see significant playing time beneath the basket as the only center on the roster.

Hailing from Bloomington, Minn., the 5-foot-11 guard scored 1,908 points during her high school playing days at John F. Kennedy High School. As a senior, she averaged 17.7 and 7.4 rebounds per game and also played in the Minnesota all-star game. Though senior guard Samisha Powell will likely get the starting nod, don’t be surprised to see Martin getting court time sooner rather than later.

ESPN ranked the 6-foot-2 forward from Brandon, Fla. No. 89 recruit in the nation for her quick first step and ability to score from the perimeter. Woodard led her team in scoring, averaging 22.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during her senior season en route to racking up 2,077 career points and 1,107 career rebounds. Her athleticism and speed will likely make her an immediate contributor for the Hoyas.

SHAYLA COOPER

TYSHELL KING

The 6-foot-2 forward from Norcross, Ga. has yet to play a single minute of an official collegiate basketball game, but she is already drawing attention.

Cooper, known for her physical presence in the lane and rebounding ability, was named the Big East preseason rookie of the year. She was an All-American nominee and led her high school to the state championship. Ranked the No. 35 prospect in the nation, Cooper is the crown jewel in this impressive recruiting class.

Expected to see significant playing time from the start, all eyes will be on Cooper to see if she can live up to the hype when she dons the blue and gray.

Ranked the No. 44 recruit in the nation by ESPN, the 5-foot11 guard brings speed and craftiness to the court. King is from Baltimore and attended St. Frances Academy, where, in her senior season, she was the leading scorer and was named team MVP. Additionally, she was named Metro All-Star player of the year in 2013. As the defensive player of the year for the Maryland state champions in her sophomore season, King showed that she has the skill, the athleticism and the quickness to make an impact on both ends of the court.

28 | The HOYA

starting FROM SCRATCH After losing its star scorer and head coach, Georgetown enters the 2013-14 season with more question marks than ever before. They’ll start looking for answers Nov. 8.

Carolyn Maguire Hoya Staff Writer

The 2013-2014 season is a time of new beginnings for the Georgetown women’s basketball team, which is coming off a disappointing 15-16 campaign. Last year, the Blue and Gray were hampered by injuries and struggled in the Big East, sputtering to a 5-11 conference record.

But this year’s team is markedly different that last year’s squad. For now, interim Head Coach Jim Lewis is at the helm as head coach, after Keith Brown resigned last month following allegations of verbal harassment of players. Perhaps an even more important loss is All-American guard Sugar Rodgers, a four-year starter and the team’s all-time leading scorer, who now plays with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. The Hoyas lost three additional players from last year, as two more graduated and a third transferred.

The Blue & Gray look to begin a new era in the reformatted Big East, but these losses may make starting strong a little more difficult than in years past. In the preseason coaches’ poll, Georgetown was predicted to finish sixth in the 10-team Big East.

“Expectations are always going to be high, but we will talk about the concepts of competitive excellence and keeping our standards high and not putting a number on us in terms of games we want to win,” Lewis said.

In order to be successful this season, Georgetown must make a quick adjustment to the new coach-

ing style of Lewis. The coach was hired Oct. 24, fewer than three weeks before the season starts.

“I feel like it really has been a seamless transition — certainly for me — because it is basketball,” Lewis said. “I am here to teach them. I can teach them and help make them better because they are competitive athletes. We are seeing that already.”

But the biggest challenge for the Blue and Gray will be difficult for any coach, old or new, to handle: replacing the offensive production of Rodgers. The 14th pick in the WNBA draft this past April, Rodgers graduated with 2,518 points, the most in Georgetown history. She averaged 19 points per game over the course of her career; last season she averaged just under 23 points per game.

Senior forward Andrea White and senior guard Samisha Powell will likely help fill the void that Rodgers leaves behind. White and Powell are both coming off breakout seasons and will see their roles increase this season both on and off the court. Powell and White, the team’s only seniors, were named co-captains for the 2013-2014 season.

“We have to lead the underclassmen by both being vocal and by example,” White said.

Last season, White was the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging just over 10 points per game. Meanwhile, Powell chipped in just under seven points per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Louisville on Feb. 2.

This season, sophomore guard Katie McCormick is also expected to have a bigger impact. McCormick missed the start of last season recovering from a

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

After missing the first 11 games of last season due to a knee injury, then-freshman guard Katie McCormick played in 13 games, averaging 4.5 points per game. She led the team from the free throws, shooting 83 percent from the line.

ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

Sophomore forward Dominique Vitalis played in 30 games last season, averaging 3.4 points per game. torn ACL. She returned midseason, playing in 11 games only to suffer yet another knee injury, which ultimately ended her season.

But in those 11 games, McCormick showed that she was a sharpshooter — exactly what the Hoyas need this season. In the same Louisville game when Powell was injured, McCormick exploded for 21 points, including 18 in the second half on 7-of-13 shooting.

Although the Hoyas return four players who started multiple games and received significant playing time last season, the team is by and large inexperienced. The 11-person team is one of the youngest in the Big East, comprised of two seniors, four sophomores and five freshmen.

With such a small roster, Georgetown’s health will be key this year, especially at guard. The Blue and Gray have only four true guards, meaning even one injury could put the team out of commission. With both McCormick and Powell returning after season-ending injuries, Georgetown’s success hinges on the ability to stay healthy.

Because of the dearth of upperclassmen, Lewis believes the freshmen will be capable of having an immediate impact.

“As a group, they will all play because we are short in numbers,” Lewis said. “Very often, a freshman can play a significant role, but if five play significant roles and they grow together, by the time we reach conference play … they could be extremely impactful.”

Freshman forward Shayla Cooper leads this highly touted class. Cooper was named preseason Big East rookie of the year after a successful high school career.

“Shayla has been doing great,” White said. “She is a great player, just outstanding … Everyone has high expectations for her, and I think she’ll fulfill them.”

The Hoyas have all the pieces to improve upon their losing record from a year ago. Now, they just have to put them together.

“It’ll be gratifying to see [the team’s] growth because I know they want to do well,” Lewis said.

The Hoyas have the will to win. Only time will tell if they can find the way.

basketball preview | 29

MIDDLE OF THE PACK: BIG EAS

A

WILL EDMAN

After earning a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament last year, the Blue Demons return most of the firepower and look primed to make a run in March after failing to get past the first round last year. Junior guard Brittany Hrynko, the preseason Big East player of the year, will have plenty of help, as seven DePaul players and three starters return from last year’s team, including preseason all-league pick senior forward Jasmine Penny. At the helm for the Blue Demons is Head Coach Doug Bruno, who has led DePaul to 11 consecutive NCAA tournaments, including two Sweet 16 berths. After returning so much of their talent, the Blue Demons will consider another first-round exit a disappointment.

lthough the revamped Big East lo and Connecticut and contains no Coaches’ Poll, the new conferenc last year’s NCAA tournament . The Big the conference title this year, but thi much more parity than the old Big Eas teams — including Georgetown — have the title.

2. CREIGHTON

4. VILLANOVA

Of all the teams in the new Big East, Creighton did the best in postseason play, reaching the second round of March Madness as a No. 10 seed and beating Georgetown’s archrival Syracuse to get there. Although the Hoyas may have cheered for the Bluejays from their couches last March, they certainly won’t be looking forward to the daunting matchups against the pride of Omaha this year. The preseason allconference duo of sophomore guard Marissa Janning and senior forward Sarah Nelson will hope to lead the Big East’s westernmost school to a conference championship in its first season.

Among all teams in the new Big East, Villanova received the highest seed in the last season’s NCAA tournament, but the ninth-seeded Wildcats couldn’t stave off Michigan to reach the second round (missing the opportunity to get clobbered by Stanford). To add insult to the injury of its disappointing showing in the tournament, Villanova graduated its two leading scorers, forward Laura Sweeney and guard Rachel Roberts. However, the Wildcats hope that sophomore guard Caroline Coyer, a preseason all-conference selection, can fill the star role for the team. Coyer’s twin sister, Katherine, will also play a prominent role for Villanova, inevitably leading to confusion for the defenders assigned to guard the Coyer-Coyer backcourt.

1. DEPAUL

3. ST. JOHN’S Like DePaul and Creighton, St. John’s earned itself a No. 10 seed in last year‘s tournament, falling to Dayton in the first round. The team’s tournament failure was tempered somewhat by a dynamite in-conference season last year, and it looks likely to again finish in the league’s upper echelon. The Johnnies graduated a pair of high-scoring guards in Shenneika Smith and Nadirah McKenith, the only players to average points in the double digits. They will return three starters, however, including a preseason all-conference pick in sophomore guard Aliyyah Handford.

After leading the team to a relatively successful season in his first year, Head Coach Joe Tartamella hopes that his Red Storm can repeat last year’s result by outperforming expectations during conference play.

30 | the hoya

5. MARQUETTE After falling short of the NCAA Tournament and playing in the WNIT last season, the Golden Eagles will hope to improve this season and book their tickets to March Madness. Marquette is led by 18th-year Head Coach Terri Mitchell, who has led the team to a 310-188 overall record during her tenure. Additionally, the Golden Eagles return two of their star players from last year, senior forward Katherine Plouffe and junior guard Arlesia Morse. Both players are tabbed as preseason all-Big East picks.

Although these Golden Eagles aren’t expected to make as much noise on the national scale as their male counterparts, they could ruffle some feathers within the Big East if Plouffe and Morse produce.

EAST PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

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Hoya Staff Writer

ost its two powerhouses in Notre Dame teams in the top 25 of the Preseason ce includes four teams that made it to East’s coaches backed DePaul to take is version of the conference features st, and more than half of the league’s a legitimate chance to make a run at

9. XAVIER The Musketeers are the final newcomer to the Big East. They are led by 5-foot-3 senior point guard Shatyra Hawkes and senior shooting guard Ashley Wanninger. Led by new Head Coach Brian Neal, Xavier replaces Cincinnati as the Big East’s token Cincinnati-based team, but unfortunately, like last year’s Cincinnati squad (4-12 Big East), Xavier is likely to be a bottom-feeder in its first year in the conference.

6. GEORGETOWN SEE PAGE 29

7. BUTLER No matter how Butler performs this season, the Bulldog’s opponents will likely appreciate the new addition to the Big East because of the opportunity to play at the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse. However, Butler is much more than an arena; the team will be returning nine players from last year’s WNIT team, including senior forward and leading scorer Daress McClung, a preseason all-conference pick. The Bulldog roster also boasts an exciting newcomer in 6-foot-4 freshman center Zoe Reichman. It will be interesting, however, to see if the team can handle the tougher competition of the Big East.

8. PROVIDENCE The Friars lead a group of three teams that will likely make up the Big East’s cellar this season. Providence is led by last year’s second-leading scorer, junior guard Tori Rule, a preseason all-Big East player, but there is not much depth, as the other two leading scorers for Providence last season, Symone Roberts and Brianna Edwards, have graduated.

It will be another rebuilding year for secondyear head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl, but at least it is unlikely the Friars will end the season with a record as bad as last year’s.

10. SETON HALL After three seasons at the helm for the Pirates, former Seton Hall head coach Anne Donovan left to coach for the WNBA’s Connecticut Suns. Donovan was replaced by Tony Bozzella, a Seton Hall alumnus and former Iona women’s basketball head coach. Junior point guard Ka-Deidre Simmons figures to lead the way, and the Pirates will be bolstered by redshirt freshman forward Sidney Cook, a highly ranked recruit who missed all of last season due to injury. Although they are unlikely to compete, the Pirates will hope to cause a few upsets during the conference season.

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