The Georgetown Hoyas, surprise Big East tournament winners a season ago, open their season Saturday when they host Dartmouth in Washington, D.C.
The Hoyas (13-13 a season ago) will rely on new different faces as they look to repeat their success. The top four scorers from last season are gone, including Big East All-Tournament pick Qudus Wahab, who transferred to Maryland.
Help is on the way in form of a recruiting class that includes 7-foot-2 center Ryan Mutombo (son of former Hoya Dikembe Mutombo) and 6-foot-5 guard Aminu Mohammed, a McDonalds’s All-American who was named the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year.
“They’re talented, but they’re going to experience their ups and downs and growing pains,” coach Patrick Ewing said.
Georgetown will be led by guards Dante Harris (Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player) and Donald Carey, each of whom averaged eight points per game last season. Citadel transfer Kaiden Rice (17.6 points per game last season) could provide outside shooting.
“(We have) a lot of athleticism; it’s going to be a show,” Carey said. “We play fast up and down.”
Dartmouth, after not playing last season as the Ivy League canceled all winter sports due to COVID-19, lost its opener at Boston College on Tuesday, 73-57.
“Not playing competitive basketball for the past 20 months is going to show early in the year,” Big Green coach David McLaughlin said. “Guys are going to have to get their feet wet, learn how to play with each other, learn how to get the rhythm of the game back.”
Taurus Samuels and Brendan Barry led the Big Green (0-1) with 10 points each on Tuesday. Cam Krystkowiak — who was playing in his first collegiate game after missing his freshman season with an injury — added nine points.
Dartmouth finished 12-17 in 2019-20 and last finished above .500 in 1998-99.
The Big Green lost Chris Knight and his 14.8 points per game to Loyola-Chicago but welcomed back Barry, the team’s 2018-19 MVP who spent last season at Temple.
McLaughlin said Dartmouth wasn’t tough enough in the first half against Boston College while falling behind 42-19.
“We need to come out into games, especially when you’re on the road against a Division I opponent, a quality opponent, you have to be the tougher team,” he said.
–Field Level Media
