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Georgetown Basketball: October 2004 News Archive

No National TV For 2004-05 Hoyas 10/30/04

For the first time in the cable television era, not a single Georgetown game will be nationally broadcast.

A television schedule released by the Big East conference details broadcast games on CBS, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and College Sports TV (CSTV). Georgetown is the only Big East school with no appearances on any of these five networks. St. John's, which finished 1-15 in Big East play last season, will have a national appearance on ABC.

Of the 62 appearances by Big East teams on national TV, 51 will be by just five teams: Connecticut (13), Pitt (12), Notre Dame (11), Syracuse (9), and Providence (6). Rutgers and Villanova have three each, BC two, with one each at Seton Hall, West Virginia and St. John's.

A link from the MSG Network has identified three road games on regional cable systems: BC (1/29 via Fox Sports/New York), Rutgers (2/5 via Fox Sports/New York), and Connecticut (3/2 via Fox Sports/New York).

Finally, the official Illinois site lists its December 9 game at Georgetown as "ESPN+/Local", which is usually available to satellite TV subscribers to the ESPN Full Court package. Additional Full Court games have not been announced.

Television dates have not been posted to the schedule at GUHoyas.com.

Media and Coaches Agree: Hoyas 11th 10/28/04

As was the case with a media poll conducted by the Syracuse Post Standard, the Big East coaches poll picked Georgetown near the bottom of the pre-season poll.

Georgetown was picked 11th of 12 Big East teams, with ten votes for 11th and one for last. The writers' poll had ten in 11th and two in picking the Hoyas for last place and ten others giving St. John's the cellar.

No Georgetown players were selected to the first or second team all-conference selections.

Here's the rundown of both polls, with first place votes in parentheses:

Coaches
1. Syracuse (9)
2. Connecticut (2)
3. Pittsburgh (1)
4. Notre Dame
5. Boston College
6. Providence
7. Villanova
8. Seton Hall
9. West Virginia
10. Rutgers
11. Georgetown
12. St. John's
 Media
1. Syracuse (9)
2. Connecticut (2)
3. Pittsburgh (1)
4. Notre Dame
5. Boston College
6. Providence
7. Villanova
8. Seton Hall
9. West Virginia
10. Rutgers
11. Georgetown
12. St. John's
 
Washington Times On 2004-05 Hoyas 10/28/04

Barker Davis of the Washington Times has a feature on Big East Media day and Georgetown's road ahead.

"The first week of practice has been ugly, ugly as hell, but productive," said coach John Thompson. "But the guys have been both intense and very receptive to a lot of new ideas and concepts. I definitely see some optimistic signs."

Additional stories from Media Day follow below:

Georgetown Near Top In Grad Rates 10/25/04

Georgetown University has again achieved one of the leading graduation rates for student-athletes in the nation, according to NCAA statistics.

The University graduated 92% of its student athletes in the class of 2001 compared with 93% of the student body as a whole.

According to the NCAA, "The graduation-rates report provides information about two groups of students at the college or university identified at the top of the form: (1) all undergraduate students who were enrolled in a full-time program of studies for a degree, and (2) student-athletes who received athletics aid from the college or university for any period of time during their entering year." The overall rate nationwide is 62% among all student athletes.

In men's basketball, where aggregate numbers are much smaller, GU graduated 67% in 2001. In women's basketball, GU graduated 50%.

Here's how Georgetown fared against the rest of the Big East conference, including the newcomers.

School All
Students		 Student-
Athletes		 Diff.
(%)
Georgetown 93% 92% -1
Notre Dame 95% 89% -6
Marquette 76% 87% +11
Villanova 85% 84% -1
Providence 85% 80% -5
Syracuse 81% 70% -11
Connecticut 70% 66% -4
Seton Hall 59% 66% +7
DePaul 64% 64% 0
Rutgers 72% 63% -9
St. John's 64% 62% -2
Cincinnati 48% 61% +13
S. Florida 56% 57% +1
W. Virginia 56% 55% -1
Pittsburgh 65% 51% -14
Louisville 35% 48% +13
 
Associated Press Story On Thompson 10/21/04

Joseph White of the Associated Press has an interview with coach Thompson that is posted on the AP Wire, providing additional coverage nationwide.

"Rebuilding year? We don't talk about it." said Thompson. "But we just have to come and work hard and get better. You're going to hear me say that a lot."

Tagliabue Nominated For NFL Hall Of Fame 10/21/04

Georgetown basketball alumnus Paul Tagliabue (C'62) is one of a number of nominees announced for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as posted at the hall's web site.

Tagliabue has served as NFL commissioner since 1989.

Wrist Band Orders Online Updated 10/20/04

A story in Tuesday's HOYA discusses two students' efforts to raise spirit for Hoya athletics by selling wristbands in advance of the upcoming season. Proceeds will go the Hoyas Unlimited general fund.

The site has added a web site for online orders--visit www.hoyabands.com

Knapp Talks About Move To Penn 10/20/04

Former Georgetown women's basketball coach Patrick Knapp talks about his move from the Hilltop to Penn in this link to the Daily Pennsylvanian.

Knapp, who had expressed concern with facilities and other issues surrounding the women's program, abruptly left Georgetown this summer after 18 seasons as head coach.

Third Recruit For 2005 10/19/04

Two online recruiting web sites are reporting a verbal commitment to Georgetown from 6-5 forward Marc Egerson, from Newark, DE. A story on Egerson follows in this link to the Wilmington News Journal.

Georgetown officials cannot comment on any recruits until a letter of intent has been signed, which takes place no sooner than early November.

Hoyas "Home" For A Day 10/16/04

San Jose State has signed a home and home deal with Georgetown, with a Dec. 11 game at McDonough Gymnasium, according to the SJSU web site.

The Spartans will meet the Hoyas at 5:00 pm on the 11th, following the women's game with Lafayette. Such doubleheaders are common at many schools but unknown at Georgetown, where games have not been regularly played on campus since 1981. According to the Washington Times link above, Coach Thompson said if the event goes well, there may be more opportunities for such games in the future.

MCI Center was booked with an NHL game that evening. A return game in San Jose has not been announced.

Additional news on the Spartans follows in this link to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Media Day 10/15/04

The basketball office hosted a media day on Friday in advance of the opening of practice. Some initial thoughts on the season follow in a link to the Washington Post.

Coach Thompson In Georgetown Magazine 10/15/04

Coach Thompson, who was interviewed for the fall issue of Georgetown Magazine, is featured on the front of the Georgetown.edu site.

"We're not going to all of a sudden walk into the MCI Center and its 1984 in the Capital Centre," he says. "It's going to take time as we grow this program."

Jersey Change For Hibbert 10/15/04

The official site at GUHoyas.com has changed freshman Roy Hibbert's jersey from #33 to #55. The 7-2 Hibbert was issued #33 on the roster posted online last week.

Contrary to those who thought the number had been retired, Georgetown does not retire jersey numbers. Six players have worn #33, most recently Jahidi White in the 1996-97 season; three other Hoyas wore #33 during the era when GU had alternating numbers for home and away jerseys: Paul Tagliabue (1960-62), Chuck Devlin (1962-64) and Frank Hollendoner (1964-67).

Hoyas In The NBA 10/15/04

Entering training camp, here's the current list of Hoyas in the NBA:

Player Last Year (PPG) Traded To
Othella Harrington '96 New York (8.1) Chicago
Jerome Williams '96 New York (6.2)  
Allen Iverson ex '98 Philadelphia (26.4)  
Jahidi White '98 Phoenix (4.3) Charlotte
Dikembe Mutombo '91 New York (5.6) Houston
Alonzo Mourning '92 New Jersey (8.0)  
Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje '01 Portland (0.4) San Antonio
Mike Sweetney ex '04 New York (4.3)  
 
2004-05 Roster Announced 10/8/04

GUHoyas.com has posted a fact sheet and roster on the 2004-05 Hoyas, including the confirmation of a fourth walk-on, Jonathan Wallace, a 6-1 guard from Harvest, AL.

Mourning Talks About Nets 10/6/04

The New York Post talked to Alonzo Mourning, who is in the midst of a comeback following kidney surgery last year. The New Jersey Nets team he saw at the opening of training camp is not the team he remembers.

"When you have people above you making decisions that aren't even related to winning, I mean, it's disheartening," said Mourning. "It takes a little wind out of your sails, especially when you're trying to win for an organization that hadn't made the right decisions to want to move on and get to that next level."

"Is this the best situation for me right now, considering where this team was? I don't know," Mourning said.

 

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