{"id":26856,"date":"2019-11-04T07:00:21","date_gmt":"2019-11-04T12:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=26856"},"modified":"2019-11-03T22:09:10","modified_gmt":"2019-11-04T03:09:10","slug":"georgetown-basketball-season-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2019\/11\/04\/georgetown-basketball-season-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgetown Basketball Season Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Under the watchful eye of Georgetown basketball legend Patrick Ewing<\/a><\/strong>, the Hoyas recorded a winning season last season for the first time in four years. The second-year coach squeezed a lot out of a mostly young squad.<\/p>\n

Previewing the Georgetown Hoyas 2019-20 Season<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Recapping the 2018-19 season<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While the Hoyas did not make the NCAA Tournament, last year had to be viewed as a success. Georgetown finished with a 19-14 overall record (9-9 in the Big East) while the team earned a bid to the NIT.<\/p>\n

Georgetown opened the season admirably by posting a 10-3 record in the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Hoyas remained competitive by going .500 in conference play while beating each of the conference teams (Villanova, Marquette, Seton Hall, and St. John\u2019s) that reached the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n

The Hoyas\u2019 season concluded with a first-round loss in the NIT to Harvard.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year you want to improve,\u201d Ewing said at Big East media day about what last season taught him. \u201cIn order to improve we have to continue to develop the guys that\u00a0we have and the new guys that can help us. It\u2019s always a learning process. The day you stop learning is the day you die.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI continue to learn and continue to try to be good at my craft,” Ewing added.<\/p>\n

Senior center Jessie Govan<\/a><\/strong> went out with a bang. He was named to the All-Big East first team after averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.<\/p>\n

It was also a banner year for Ewing\u2019s freshmen class as James Akinjo<\/a><\/strong>, Mac McClung<\/a><\/strong> and Josh LeBlanc<\/a><\/strong> were all named to the Big East All-Freshmen Team. Akinjo took home Big East Freshman of the Year<\/a> after averaging 13.4 points and 5.2 assists per game.<\/p>\n

Who’s Back<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Back for the Georgetown basketball program will be the aforementioned now sophomore trio of Akinjo, McClung, and LeBlanc.<\/p>\n

Ewing will undoubtedly build around this promising nucleus.<\/p>\n

Akinjo is the engine that makes the Hoyas bark. McClung is an athletic freak who is a highlight reel and a fan favorite on Twitter. Meanwhile, LeBlanc (9.1 points ad 7.3 rebounds per game) flies under the radar but is one of the Big East\u2019s better forwards.<\/p>\n