Game 1: LeMoyne College (0-0)
November 7, 7:00 pm (EST)
Washington, DC
Capital One Arena (20,600)
Tickets: Available
Media:
Video: Fox Sports 2
GU Radio: WJFK-106.7
LC Radio: WOLF-1490
About the Dolphins:
Location: Dewitt, NY
Enrollment: 2,801
Conference: Northeast
2022-23 Record: 15-15
Record vs. Georgetown: 0-1
Meet The Coach:
Nate Champion
(LeMoyne '14)
4th season, 46-39
Career: Same
|
|
Expected Starters |
Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
Isaiah Salter |
6-0 |
11.7 |
Darrick Jones |
6-4 |
6.5 |
Nate McClure |
6-4 |
6.4 |
Luke Southerland |
6-7 |
11.2 |
Jamel Melvin |
6-11 |
1.9 |
|
2022-23 Team Stats: |
Points/Game: |
72.3 |
Points Allowed: |
70.8 |
FG Shooting: |
43.2 |
FG Defense |
44.6 |
3FG Shooting: |
34.9 |
FT Shooting: |
69.0 |
Rebounds/Game |
34.9 |
Assists/Game |
14.1 |
Turnovers/Game |
12.4 |
|
|
Preview
On November 27, 1972, 31 year old John Thompson made his coaching debut for the Georgetown Hoyas, and an era had begun. On Tuesday, 1,626 games later, a new era dawns at Capital One Arena.
With a two year record of 15-50, Georgetown University had no choice but to start over. Just four players remain from a team which lost 18 of its final 20 games of the 2022-23 season, with a 40 point loss in the regular season finale to Creighton and a 32 point loss to Villanova in the Big East tournament.
Those days are gone.
Head coach Ed Cooley is preaching patience, and fans may expecting some turbulence this season as the team takes flight; many would expect the opener versus LeMoyne to be the textbook definition of a soft launch. After 74 years in the small college ranks, LeMoyne College makes its Division I debut, with its first major college opponent since an 85-51 loss to Syracuse in 2008.
LeMoyne returns four starters from a 15-15 team last season, and despite being ranked 358th of 362 teams in the Division I rankings to open the season, they know the power of a good first impression.
As befits a 15-15 team, LeMoyne won and lost games up and down the stat sheets last season: shooting as well as 52 percent and losing to Winston-Salem State, while defeating Pace despite shooting 9 for 31 from two point range. For LeMoyne to excel, it needs consistent play from a veteran backcourt which includes grad student Isaiah Salter (11.7 ppg) and junior Darrick Jones (6.4 ppg), the only two returnees with consistent outside shooting on a Dolphins team that shot just 34 percent from three last season. In a three guard set, 6-4 Nate McClure was inconsistent down the stretch but is capable of better shooting than his 29 percent mark from three would indicate.
Up front, the Dolphins are undersized as befits a Division I newcomer. At forward, 6-7 Luke Southerland struggled down the stretch at the end of last season but will be counted upon to contribute on the boards, an area where LeMoyne struggled last season.
With no LeMoyne media notes published as of Monday evening, its starting center position remains speculative, with 6-11 Northern Colorado transfer Jamel Melvin the likely entrant. Melvin played sparingly at Northern Colorado over three seasons but the Upper Marlboro, MD native should see time before home town friends and family, and is the only player taller than 6-8 on the LeMoyne roster. Center play is a point of emphasis for LeMoyne as the Dolphins ranked just 166th in Division II field goal defense and 215th in rebound margin. Without a stronger effort up front, the Dolphins will inevitably struggle against more experienced Division I teams.
As for Georgetown, well, it's a open question who takes the floor Tuesday night. With eight scholarship players available, all should see some rotation in this game, with guards Jayden Epps and Rowan Brumbaugh needing to establish offensive sets that open the lanes inside and the perimeter outside. The 2022-23 Hoyas were awful in balancing the two and three point lines when shooting, with Georgetown attempting 25 percent of its shots last season from the mid range versus 13 percent nationally (thanks to SFHoya99 at the HoyaTalk board for the stat). Getting Jayden Epps the ball will be one step in that regard, while small forwards Wayne Bristol and Dontrez Styles should have a step on its defenders all evening.
Some keys to the game:
1. Teamwork: Georgetown's first game together could be a little uneven, whole LeMoyne has, for the most part, been playing together as a team.
2. Defense: Visibly lacking in the Ewing era, it's a hallmark of Ed Cooley coached teams and this game introduces the fans to how he sees this positioning going forward.
2. Inside Play: With Ismael Massoud injured, fans will watch to see what combination of Supreme Cook and Ryan Mutombo can settle into the pivot against an outsized LeMoyne lineup.