| Georgetown Hoyas | |||||||||||||||
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| University | Georgetown University | ||||||||||||||
| First season | 1906–07 | ||||||||||||||
| All-time record | 1,739–1,167 (.598) | ||||||||||||||
| Athletic director | Lee Reed | ||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Ed Cooley (3rd season) | ||||||||||||||
| Conference | Big East | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Washington, D.C. | ||||||||||||||
| Arena | Capital One Arena (capacity: 20,356) | ||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Hoyas | ||||||||||||||
| Colors | Blue and gray[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||||||||
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| NCAA tournament champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1984 | |||||||||||||||
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| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 2007, 2021 | |||||||||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1939, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1992, 2007, 2008, 2013 | |||||||||||||||
| Conference division regular-season champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1996, 1997 | |||||||||||||||
TheGeorgetown Hoyas men's basketball program representsGeorgetown University inNCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball and theBig East Conference. Georgetown has competed in men's college basketball since 1907. The current head coach of the program isEd Cooley.
Georgetown won the national championshipin 1984 and has made the Final Four on five occasions. They have won theBig East Conference tournament a record eight times, and have also won or shared the Big East regular season title ten times.[2] They have appeared in theNCAA tournament 31 times and in theNational Invitation Tournament 13 times.
The Hoyas historically have been well regarded not only for their team success, but also for generating players that have succeeded both on and off the court, producing NBA legends such asPatrick Ewing,Dikembe Mutombo,Alonzo Mourning, andAllen Iverson, as well as United States CongressmanHenry Hyde and former NFL CommissionerPaul Tagliabue. Seven former Hoya players or coaches are members of theBasketball Hall of Fame.
Founded in the fall of1906, the Georgetown men's basketball team played its first game on February 9, 1907, defeating theUniversity of Virginia by a score of 22–11. In its first 60-some years, the program displayed only sporadic success.[3] UntilMcDonough Gymnasium opened on campus for the1950–51 season, the team changed home courts frequently, playing on campus at Ryan Gymnasium and off campus atMcKinley Technology High School,Uline Arena, and theNational Guard Armory, as well as playing individual home games at theUniversity of Maryland'sRitchie Coliseum andThe Catholic University of America's Brookland Gymnasium, among others.[3][4] The downtown locations of these venues was also influenced by the number ofLaw School students who played on the team in this era. From 1918 through 1923, while on campus at Ryan Gymnasium, Georgetown managed a 52–0 home record under coach John O'Reilly. A large on-campus arena was proposed in 1927, but it was shelved during theGreat Depression.[5]
The team recruited its firstAll-American, Ed Hargaden, in1931.[3] From1932 until1939, the Hoyas played in theEastern Intercollegiate Conference, and they were regular-season conference co-champions in 1939.[6] In 1942, a Hoya went pro for the first time, when three seniors,Al Lujack,Buddy O'Grady, andDino Martin, were drafted professionally upon graduation.[3]
The next year the team, led by future congressmanHenry Hyde, reached new heights and posted its first 20-win season ever, going 22–5 on the year. This success translated into a berth into the1943 NCAA tournament, the school's first postseason appearance. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Hoyas made it all the way to the National Championship game, where they ultimately lost toWyoming. Georgetown's coach of this squad,Elmer Ripley, was later inducted into theBasketball Hall of Fame in 1973.[3]
Coming off of the best season in school history, momentum was stalled as the program was suspended from 1943 to 1945 because ofWorld War II. Following the hiatus the program struggled to find its footing, and it was rarely successful over the next three decades, only making two postseason appearances during this time period.
In1953, formerBaltimore Bullets playerBuddy Jeannette coached the team to its firstNational Invitation Tournament invitation, but the teamlost in the first round toLouisville.[3] Top players from this period include Tom O'Keefe, the first Hoya to reach 1,000 career points in1949–50, and futureNational Football League CommissionerPaul Tagliabue, who graduated second in Hoya career rebounds in1962.[3] O'Keefe returned to coach the team from1960 until1966. In1966 the school hired John "Jack" Magee, who had ledBoston College as a player to its first NCAA Tournament bid. Magee had some relative success early on, having several winning seasons behind Guard Jim Barry, Forward Richard Manewal and Center Paul Favorite that were capped off with an invite to the1970 NIT, just its third post-season appearance ever. However, the team lost toLSU in the first round. A losing season the subsequent year, followed up with a three-win season in1971–72, the worst in school history, ultimately led to his dismissal. This was the last time a Hoyas head coach suffered back-to-back losing seasons for over 35 years.[7]
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John Thompson Jr., played two seasons with theBoston Celtics before he achieved local notability coaching St. Anthony's High School in Washington, D.C. to several very successful seasons. Thompson was hired to coach Georgetown in 1972, and with recruits from St. Anthony's like Merlin Wilson, quickly and dramatically improved the team. Georgetown, while still independent, participated in theEastern College Athletic Conference′s 1975 postseasonECAC South tournament, and aftera 16–9 regular season found itself facingWest Virginia in the conference tournament championship. Derrick Jackson'sbuzzer beater won Georgetown its first tournament championship, and a bid to the1975 NCAA tournament.[6] Georgetown repeated as ECAC South tournament championsthe following year, beatingGeorge Washington University whenCraig Esherick's buzzer beater sent the game to overtime, and as ECAC South-Upstate Tournament champions in the1978-79 season, beatingSyracuse University inJim Boeheim's first game against the Hoyas as Syracuse's coach.[8]
Prior to the1979–80 season, Georgetown joined with six other schools,Providence,St. John's,Syracuse,Seton Hall,Connecticut, andBoston College to found a conference focused primarily on basketball. TheBig East Conference provided Georgetown increased competition, and several of its longest rivalries. For example, prior to the formation of the Big East, Georgetown had only played national powerhouse Syracuse 18 times in theprevious 51 years, and only twice in the prior decade. After the start of the Big East, they played Syracuse 27 times in the next 10 years.
On February 13, 1980, Syracuse had won 57 straight games on its home court ofManley Field House: the longest winning streak in Division 1 basketball. The team was about to move to the new Carrier Dome. Its last game of the Big East regular season and its final ever at Manley was supposed to be a celebration of the winning streak and the school's success. With Syracuse ranked #2 in the country[9] and almost invincible at Manley, they were expected to readily beat Georgetown. Syracuse seniors had never lost a home game in their entire careers. Hoyas radio announcer Rich Chvotkin said, "Everybody was pointing to Syracuse continuing that streak, and closing Manley Field House on a high note." Years later, Thompson said in the lead-up to the game, he was extremely nervous because of how crazy the crowd would be: “My nerves were at the height at that point saying: ‘What the hell am I doing closing this place? The place is going to be, you know, going mad.’”[10]
Behind by 14 points at the half, and by many points late in the game, Georgetown mounted a surprise, rapid comeback.[11] After Georgetown starSleepy Floyd scored two last-second free-throws to win, Coach Thompson grabbed a microphone and declared "Manley Field House is officially closed" to an audience of stunned, silent Syracuse supporters.[12] ESPN columnist Eamonn Brennan, wrote that Manley Field House “is most famous for its service to the Georgetown-Syracuse blood feud.” He said: “Before 1980, the Hoyas and Orange were competitors, and little more. When John Thompson delivered his famous 'Manley Field House is officially closed,' he managed to pack so much ether into six words that a rivalry was born on the spot. It's been that way ever since."[13]
Syracuse professor Lawrence Mason said, "There was no rivalry at all until that Manley Field House game." Chvotkin agreed: "I think the rest of that Georgetown-Cuse rivalry was predicated on closing Manley Field House." Doug Logan, the Syracuse radio announcer for 24 years, said: "It was Syracuse and Georgetown and that hated, bitter rivalry that made the Big East a national phenomenon." ESPN analyst and Syracuse graduateMike Tirico commented: "Without John’s larger than life personality, his great players, his steadfastness in the John Thompson way of doing things, it wouldn’t have built the rivalry and wouldn't have built the Big East to what it became for the 80s and the 90s."
The Manley upset also made Georgetown co-champions of the first Big East regular season. Three weeks later, Georgetown faced Syracuse again in the finals of thefirst Big East tournament. With Syracuse ranked #3 in the country and Georgetown #20, the Hoyas were again the underdogs. But they pulled off another upset, winning 87–81 behind 21 points from Floyd to become the first Big East tournament champions.[8] In the1980 NCAA tournament, the team advanced to the Elite Eight, where they fell to theIowa Hawkeyes on a last second foul call.[14]
The team moved its home arena in the1981-82 season to theCapital Centre inLandover, Maryland, to accommodate its growing fan base. It also marked the arrival of heralded recruit,Patrick Ewing, who became one of the first college players to start and star on a varsity team as a freshman. That year, Ewing led the Hoyas to their second Big East tournament title in school history, and a No. 1 seed in theNCAA tournament.
In the tournament, the Hoyas advanced to their first Final Four since 1943, where they defeated theUniversity of Louisville 50–46, to set up a showdown in the NCAA Final against theUniversity of North Carolina. In one of the most star-studded championship games in NCAA history, Ewing was called forgoaltending five times in the first half (later revealed to be intentional at the behest of coach Thompson), setting the tone for the Hoyas and making his presence felt. The Hoyas led by one point late in the game, but a jumpshot by future NBA superstarMichael Jordan gave North Carolina the lead. Georgetown still had a chance at winning the game in the final seconds, but Freddy Brown mistakenly threw a bad pass directly to opposing playerJames Worthy, and North Carolina won 63–62.[citation needed]
For the1982-83 season, Georgetown began the season as the No. 2 ranked team in the country. The early season included a highly anticipated matchup with No. 1Virginia, and highly regarded centerRalph Sampson. Arenas nationwide jockeyed to host the matchup but Georgetown insisted on hosting it at the Capital Centre.WTBS won the rights to broadcast the game with a $550,000 bid, and it was billed as the "Game of the Decade". It became the first major college sports event telecasted exclusively on cable television. In the game, held on December 11, 1982, Virginia's veteran team won, 68–63.[15][16]
The Hoyas went on to post a 22–10 record for the season and made another NCAA Tournament appearance, but were defeated in the second round of the tournament byMemphis State. This was the only season in Ewing's four-year Georgetown career where the team did not make it as least as far as the National Championship game.[citation needed]
In the1983-84 season Georgetown again won the Big East conference regular season title, and faced Syracuse for theBig East tournament championship. In a physical and tightly contested contest, Georgetown won 82–71 in overtime, securing their third tournament title in the first five years of the newly formed conference.
In theNCAA tournament, the No. 1 seeded Hoyas ultimately advanced to theFinal Four for the third time in school history to faceKentucky, a team which had never lost a national semifinal game and was led by the "Twin Towers,"Sam Bowie andMelvin Turpin. Georgetown was able to turn an early 12 point deficit into a 53–40 win to advance to the National Championship game.[17] In the final, the Hoyas faced theUniversity of Houston and future Hall of Fame centerHakeem Olajuwon, who were making their second straight National Championship game appearance. Georgetown led comfortably throughout the final, and went on to an 84–75 victory, giving the school its first NCAA Championship. Ewing was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Thompson became the firstAfrican-American coach to win an NCAA Division I title. Freddy Brown, who made the key turnover in the title game two years prior, was given the chance to raise the trophy first.[18]
To begin the1984-85 season, the defending champions opened the season as the No. 1 ranked team and won their first 18 games. On January 26, 1985,St. John's University snapped the Hoyas' 29 game win streak (dating back to the prior season), in what was the first of an unprecedented four contests this season. Their next meeting on February 27, 1985, was one of the most anticipated games in college basketball history, with Georgetown and St. John's ranked No. 2 and No. 1 respectively. Coach Thompson enteredMadison Square Garden wearing a shirt under his blazer in the same sweater pattern as St. John's coachLou Carnesecca, and as a result the game became known as "the sweater game." The Hoyas easily won the game 85–69, and then defeated the Redmen again just a few weeks later in the1985 Big East tournament finals, capturing their fourth title in six years. The teams met one more time, after both advanced to the Final Four in theNCAA tournament. Again No. 1 Georgetown was victorious, easily handling St. John's 77–59.
In the title game the Hoyas found themselves matched up with another conference rival inVillanova, whom they had beaten twice that season. An overwhelming favorite going into the game, Georgetown was upset by the Wildcats 66–64, who shot a record 78.6 percent (22 of 28) from the floor, denying Georgetown back-to-back titles.[19] Ewing graduated, having helped his team to a 121–23 record in his four years, and was the first player in school history to be drafted with the first overall pick.[20]
Following the enormous heights of Ewing's four-year run, the program continued its success in the years that followed. SeniorReggie Williams led the Hoyas to both Big East regular season and tournament championships in the1986–87 season. FreshmanAlonzo Mourning and sophomoreDikembe Mutombo helped win both titles in the1988–89 season. Mourning and Mutombo were both excellentshot blockers; Mourning led the nation in 1988–89,[21] and fans created a "Rejection Row" section under the basket.[22] They repeated both championships in the1989–90 season and won the regular season title in the1991-92 season.
In the1994–95 season, newcomerAllen Iverson won theBig East Rookie of the Year award.[23] During his two years at Georgetown, Iverson scored a Georgetown-record 22.9points per game.[24] In1995–96, he propelled the Hoyas to a major upset over theConnecticut Huskies during the season, but Georgetown later lost to the Huskies in the final seconds ofthat year's Big East tournament.[19] In theNCAA tournament, the Hoyas came up one game short of the Final Four, losing to theUniversity of Massachusetts, the top ranked team in the country.
In the1996–97 season, with an 11–7 conference record, the Hoyas won the regular season Big East 7 Division title for the second year in a row, but fell in the first round of the1997 NCAA tournament. In December 1997, just after the beginning of the1997-98 season, the team moved back into Washington, D.C., with the construction of a new arena, theVerizon Center (originally MCI Center), inChinatown. The 1997-98 campaign ended in an overtime loss toGeorgia Tech inthe NIT.[25]
Thompson retired abruptly in the midst of the1998–99 season on January 8, 1999, citing marital problems, and was replaced by his assistantCraig Esherick.[26] Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in theNBA draft, eight in the first round, including two players selected first overall; Ewing by theNew York Knicks in 1985 and Iverson by thePhiladelphia 76ers in 1996. Over his26+1⁄2 seasons, Thompson's Hoyas went an impressive 596–239 (.714), running off a streak of 24 postseason appearances with 20 in the NCAA tournament and four in theNIT.[6] He was honored as the National Coach of the Year three times during his career at Georgetown, and was inducted into theBasketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
Craig Esherick coached the Georgetown Hoyas basketball squad from January 1999 to March 2004. Esherick was a four-year player for the men's basketball team from 1974 to 1978 and then the lead assistant coach under John Thompson Jr. from 1981 to 1999. The team finished with a 15–15 record inhis first season – going 8–10 after Thompson resigned and Esherick took over –before losing toPrinceton in the first round of the1999 NIT. They improved in1999-2000, going 19–15 and accepting an invitation to the2000 NIT. After winning the first-round game in triple overtime overVirginia,[27] the Hoyas lost in the second-round game toCalifornia.[28]
In2000–01, led by future top NBA Draft pickMichael Sweetney, they made theNCAA tournament after finishing 23–7 in the regular season. In the opening round of the NCAA tournament the 7th-seeded Hoyas advanced past 10th-seededArkansas on a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Nat Burton. The Hoyas subsequently beatHampton, and then lost to third-seededMaryland in the Sweet Sixteen.[29]
In2001–02, the Hoyas went 19–11, barely missing an NCAA tournament bid. The team rejected a bid to the2002 NIT bid because of travel-arrangement issues associated with the players' ability to attend classes, resulting in their first season without a postseason tournament since1973-74.[30] In2002-03, the Hoyas finished the regular season with a 19–15 record, and accepted a bid to the2003 NIT, where they made it to the final but lost to Big East rivalSt. John's.[31] Sweetney was named a second-team All-American and was drafted with the ninth pick in the2002 NBA draft by theNew York Knicks.[32]
In Esherick's final season,2003–04, the Hoyas struggled to a 13–15 overall record and a dismal 4–12 Big East record, and for the first time since the 1973–74 season received no invitation to either the NCAA tournament or the NIT. The 13 wins were the team's fewest since the 1973–74 season and Esherick was fired after5+1⁄2 seasons as head coach on March 15, 2004, five days after an opening-round loss in theBig East tournament toBoston College. He had posted a 103–74 (.597) record during his tenure as head coach. Georgetown began a national search for a new coach after Esherick's firing that resulted in the hiring ofJohn Thompson III.[33]
On April 21, 2004,John Thompson III was selected as the head coach of the Hoyas. The son of the legendary Hoyas coach took over the position after over a decade atPrinceton University. The younger Thompson was a player for the Tigers from 1984 to 1988, was an assistant coach at Princeton from 1995 to 2000, and then took over as head coach at Princeton until his move to the Hoyas. Thompson's head coaching stint at Princeton was marked with success as he led the Tigers to threeIvy League titles, two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT appearance.[33]
Thompson brought with him an adaptation of thePrinceton offense as an offensive philosophy to Georgetown. He had learned it under the tutelage of legendary coachPete Carril at Princeton and began to adjust the strategy to the more athletic players he would be coaching at Georgetown. Thompson III also immediately brought two new assistant coaches to Georgetown in Robert Burke and Kevin Broadus.[34]
Thompson inherited four players that Esherick had recruited:Jeff Green,Roy Hibbert, Tyler Crawford andRaMell Ross.[citation needed] He also brought with him a former Princeton recruit,Jonathan Wallace and saw the return of two major contributors from the previous Georgetown team inBrandon Bowman, Ashanti Cook, and Darrel Owens. John Thompson III's first notable win with the team took place on January 21, 2006, in the 16th game of the2005–06 season, when unranked Georgetown upset No. 1Duke. This was Georgetown's first win over a No. 1 ranked team in 21 years.[35]
The2006–07 season marked the centennial of Hoya hoops, which was celebrated by honoring some of the team's most famous alumni at the Georgetown-Marquette game on February 10, 2007. Led by juniors Green, Hibbert, Wallace,Patrick Ewing Jr., the son of the Georgetown player from the elder Thompson era, the Hoyas won their first regular-season Big East Championship since 1992 and defeatedPittsburgh to win their firstBig East tournament championship since 1989.Jeff Green was named the Big East Player of the Year and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. In theNCAA tournament, the Hoyas beatNorth Carolina in the Regional Final when their defense caused North Carolina to suffer an improbable collapse in which UNC missed 22 of their final 23 field goal attempts.[36] The Hoyas then advanced to the Final Four where they fell to anOhio State team led byGreg Oden.
The2007–08 Hoyas finished with a regular season record of 27–5, and again won the conference regular season title. They lost to Pittsburgh in theBig East tournament championship game.[37] They received a No. 2 seed in theNCAA tournament, where they lost their second-round game. After the season, Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace, and Patrick Ewing Jr. all graduated, while Vernon Macklin and Jeremiah Rivers both transferred from the school.[38]
The Hoyas began their2008–09 season ranked No. 22 AP/No. 18 Coaches, however, college basketball's tougheststrength of schedule eventually wore down a team that was also one of the youngest.[39] The Hoyas were 7–11 in Big East play for a 12th-place finish, followed by a first-round loss in theBig East tournament. The Hoyas accepted a bid to theNIT, but lost in the first round toBaylor.
In2009–10, the team finished the season 23–11, and 10–8 in Big East play. They advanced to the championship game of theBig East tournament before losing toWest Virginia. They received an at–large bid to theNCAA tournament, earning a No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region, where they were upset by No. 14 seedOhio in the first round. Standout centerGreg Monroe entered the NBA draft as a sophomore and was selected by theDetroit Pistons.[citation needed]
The2010–11 team was led byAustin Freeman andChris Wright. The team scored multiple early wins over ranked teams, including an overtime win at No. 9Missouri, but their stumbles at the end of the season coincided with Wright breaking his hand and missing three games. The team received an at-large bid as a No. 6 seed, but lost in their first game of theNCAA tournament to No. 11-seeded and eventual Final Four participantVCU.[40]
Prior to the2011–12 season, the Hoyas made a goodwill trip toChina for several matches with local teams.U.S. Vice PresidentJoe Biden attended their first game, a win over theShanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons. Their second game against theBayi Rockets, however, ended in a brawl, causing the team to leave the court while Chinese fans threw garbage and debris.[41] Georgetown won its final games, against theLiaoning Dinosaurs and theTaiwanese national team without incident.[42][43] The Hoyas finished the season in fourth place in the Big East and received a bid to theNCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed in the Midwest. After a win in the second round, they were upset by No. 11-seededNC State.
The2012–13 season saw the Hoyas as the top overall seed in theBig East tournament based on a tiebreaker, but lost in the semifinals. Georgetown received a bid as a No. 2 seed in the South bracket in theNCAA tournament, facing tournament newcomerFlorida Gulf Coast University in the second round. Georgetown lost to the 15th-seeded Eagles 78–68, the seventh number two seed to lose to a 15 seed. It was the fourth consecutive season the Hoyas were eliminated by a double-digit seed in the NCAA tournament.
The2013–14 season was the team's first after Georgetown and six other schools left the originalBig East Conference and joinedButler,Creighton, andXavier in forming the newBig East Conference – part of amajor conference realignment in which several other teams moved to theAtlantic Coast Conference from the old Big East and the old Big East became theAmerican Athletic Conference.[citation needed]
Like the previous year, the 2013–14 season started abroad, with the Hoyas playing in theArmed Forces Classic atCamp Humphreys nearPyeongtaek,South Korea.[44] After a 17–13 regular-season record followed by an upset in the first round of theBig East tournament at the hands of last-placeDePaul, the team received a No. 4 seed in theNIT, losing in the second round to top-seededFlorida State.[45]
In2014–15, the Hoyas rebounded from their previous season's performance. Ranked as high as No. 21 at times, they completed the regular season with a 20–7 record and a second-place finish in the Big East, and advanced to the semifinals of theBig East tournament before losing toXavier. Ranked No. 22 in the country, they received a No. 4 seed in theNCAA tournament, but lost toUtah in the third round.[46]
The Hoyas under Thompson III struggled for the next two years. They began their2015–16 season with a four-game exhibition trip toItaly andSwitzerland, and early in the regular season defeated No. 14Syracuse, but then staggered to a 15–18 finish. They failed to receive an invitation to either theNCAA tournament or theNIT for the first time since2004 and only the second time since1974.
During the2016–17 season, Georgetown defeated three ranked teams—No. 13Oregon, No. 16Creighton, and No. 11Butler—as well as their former Big East rivalsSyracuse andConnecticut, but they finished ninth in the Big East with a 5–13 conference record—the most losses they had ever suffered in a season in either version of the Big East Conference—and lost toSt. John's in the first round of the2017 Big East tournament to finish 14–18. They missed both the NCAA tournament and the NIT for the second straight year, the first time they had missed the postseason in back-to-back seasons since 1974.
Thompson became the first Georgetown head coach to preside over consecutive losing seasons sinceJohn "Jack" Magee in1970–71 and1971–72. On March 23, 2017, Georgetown officials announced that Thompson had beenfired.[47][48][49]
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On April 3, 2017, Georgetown University announced that it had hiredPatrick Ewing, the school's most decorated player, as its head coach. In his four years as a player at Georgetown, Ewing led the Hoyas to three Big East championships, three Final Fours, and the 1984 National Championship. Prior to taking over as the program's head coach, Ewing had spent the previous thirteen years as an assistant coach in the NBA, working for four different franchises under the tutelage of coaches such asJeff Van Gundy,Stan Van Gundy, andSteve Clifford.
In2017–18, Georgetown finished with a 15–15 record and 5–13 in the Big East. The Hoyas won the first eight games of Ewing's tenure and finished their non-conference schedule with a 10–1 record, but struggled in conference play. The season ended with a 88–77 loss toSt. John's in the first round of theBig East tournament. The team did not participate in any postseason tournament.
In Ewing's second season, the2018–19 team finished 19–12 and 9–9 in the Big East, in a four-way tie for third place in the conference, their highest finish since 2015. At the conclusion of the conference schedule, Jesse Govan was named First Team All-Big East, James Akinjo was named Big East Freshman of the Year, andMac McClung and Josh LeBlanc were named to the All-Big East Freshman Team. The Hoyas lost their first game in the2019 Big East tournament toSeton Hall 73–57. They were selected to play in the2019 NIT, their first postseason appearance since 2015, but dropped their first-round game 71–68 toHarvard.
The following season the2019–20 Hoyas finished 15–17 and 5–13 in the Big East. In November, the team participated in theEmpire Classic atMadison Square Garden inNew York City where they beat No. 22Texas 82–66 and moved to the final to face No. 1Duke. Despite having a double-digit lead in the first half vs Duke, the Hoyas ultimately fell 81–73. Playing with only 9 scholarship players following several defections and injuries, the Hoyas lost their final 7 games, including a 75–62 loss in the opening round of the2020 Big East tournament toSt. John's. All postseason tournaments were subsequently cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
The2020–21 Hoyas finished the season 10–13 and 7–9 in the Big East. Before the season started, leading scorer Mac McClung announced his decision to transfer toTexas Tech. Because of COVID-19 protocols, the team played all of its home games on campus atMcDonough Arena without fans. After a 74–69 loss atSyracuse, the team went on a 21-day pause due to COVID-19 protocols. After the hiatus, the team returned to win six of its next ten games. The Hoyas' 7–9 record resulted in an eighth-place finish in the conference. At the2021 Big East tournament, the team won its first tournament game under Ewing, with a 68–49 victory overMarquette in the opening round, then followed that up with wins against top-seededVillanova andSeton Hall, sending them to the title game where they defeatedCreighton 73–48 for their first title since 2007, and the eighth in school history, extending their own conference record. The Hoyas earned a 12 seed in theNCAA tournament, where they lost their opening round game toColorado 96–73.
The following season, theHoyas were unable to build off their unlikely March run the prior season and suffered their worst season in school history. Georgetown lost all 19 conference games they played in 2021-22. They also set a school record for most losses in a season with 25, finishing the year at 6–25. The season ended with a 57–53 loss in the2022 Big East tournament toSeton Hall. Despite some rumblings about his job security, Ewing was retained by the university for the following season.
Despite some optimism with several high-impact transfers brought in over the off-season, the2022–23 Hoyas failed to improve from the prior year's low. The team would lose its first 9 conference games, extending the record of consecutive conference game losses to 29, until they eventually beatDePaul 81–76 on January 24, at Capital One Arena. The Hoyas would only win more game after this point and finished the year at 7–25, matching the program's high water mark for losses, just set the previous season. The team lost in the2023 Big East tournament 48–80 to Villanova.
The following day, the university announced that Ewing would not return as coach, ending his six-year run at his alma mater.[50] His Georgetown coaching career ended with a record of 75–109 (.408) and 28–81 (.257) in the Big East; both are the lowest winning percentages for a coach in the modern era of the program.
On March 20, 2023,Ed Cooley accepted an offer to become the new head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team after 12 years in the same role at conference rivalProvidence College.[51] The decision to hire Cooley was praised as a move likely to strengthen the program.[52]
The2023–2024 Hoyas started the season 7–4, with a notable last second win atNotre Dame, its first victory over the Irish on the road since the 2013 season (when they were a fellow member of the Big East). The team lost several close games in conference play, including its much anticipated matchup againstProvidence, one of the most watched college basketball games of the season. Ultimately Georgetown finished 2–18 in the league and 9–23 overall. The two league wins however matched the number of wins the Hoyas had the prior two seasons combined in Big East play.[This paragraph needs citation(s)]
The team's roster was completely overhauled before the2024–2025 season. Headlined by Top 50 high school recruitThomas Sorber, reigningIvy League freshman of the yearMalik Mack (fromHarvard), and highly regarded graduate transferMicah Peavy (fromTCU), the recruiting class was ranked as the 29th best in the country.[53] The Hoyas got out to their best start in over a decade, as they began the year 12–2. The strong start included Cooley's first win at rivalSyracuse in the 100th matchup of the storied rivalry, and a 3–0 record to begin Big East play with wins overCreighton,Seton Hall andXavier.[citation needed]
Georgetown struggled with injuries down the stretch, most significantly losing Sorber for the season in early February.[54] Georgetown was selected to play in the inaugural2025 College Basketball Crown postseason tournament inLas Vegas, Nevada. The Hoyas won their opening round game versusWashington State, 85–82 before losing in the Quarterfinals toNebraska 81–69. The finished the year 18-16 (8-12 in the Big East).
In June, two Hoyas were selected in June at the2025 NBA Draft. Sorber was chosen 15th overall by theOklahoma City Thunder, and Peavy went 40th overall to theNew Orleans Pelicans. Sorber's selection made him the first player in program history to be drafted directly into the NBA as a freshman.[55] The 2025 draft marked the sixth time since 1980 (and the first time since 2008) that a pair of Georgetown teammates were selected in the same draft.[56]
| Season | Head coach[57] | Conference | Season results[58] | Tournament results | Final poll[59][note 1] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Conference | Conference | Postseason | AP | Coaches' | |||||||||
| Wins | Losses | % | Wins | Losses | % | Finish | ||||||||
| 1906–07 | No coach[note 2] | Independent | 2 | 2 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1907–08 | Maurice Joyce | Independent | 5 | 1 | .833 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1908–09 | Maurice Joyce | Independent | 9 | 5 | .643 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1909–10 | Maurice Joyce | Independent | 5 | 7 | .417 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1910–11 | Maurice Joyce | Independent | 13 | 7 | .650 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1911–12 | James Colliflower | Independent | 11 | 6 | .647 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1912–13 | James Colliflower | Independent | 11 | 5 | .688 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1913–14 | James Colliflower | Independent | 10 | 6 | .625 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1914–15 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 8 | 8 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1915–16 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 9 | 6 | .600 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1916–17 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 8 | 4 | .667 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1917–18 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 8 | 6 | .571 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1918–19 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 9 | 1 | .900 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1919–20 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 13 | 1 | .929 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1920–21 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 10 | 4 | .714 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1921–22 | James Colliflower | Independent | 11 | 3 | .786 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1922–23 | Jock Maloney | Independent | 8 | 3 | .727 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1923–24 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 6 | 3 | .667 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1924–25 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 6 | 2 | .750 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1925–26 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 5 | 8 | .385 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1926–27 | John O'Reilly | Independent | 5 | 4 | .556 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1927–28 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 12 | 1 | .923 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1928–29 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 12 | 5 | .706 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1929–30 | Bill Dudack | Independent | 13 | 12 | .520 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1930–31 | John Colrick | Independent | 5 | 16 | .238 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1931–32 | Fred Mesmer | Independent | 6 | 11 | .353 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1932–33 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 6 | 11 | .353 | 3 | 5 | .375 | 4th | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1933–34 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 12 | 11 | .522 | 5 | 5 | .500 | T-3rd | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1934–35 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 6 | 13 | .316 | 1 | 7 | .125 | 5th | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1935–36 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 5th | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1936–37 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 9 | 8 | .529 | 3 | 7 | .300 | T-5th | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1937–38 | Fred Mesmer | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | 5 | .500 | T-3rd | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1938–39 | Elmer Ripley | Eastern Intercollegiate Conference | 13 | 9 | .591 | 6 | 4 | .600 | T-1st[note 4] | —[note 3] | — | none | none | |
| 1939–40 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 8 | 10 | .444 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1940–41 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 16 | 4 | .800 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1941–42 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 9 | 11 | .450 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1942–43 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 22 | 5 | .815 | — | — | — | — | — | NCAA Runner-Up | none | none | |
| 1943–44 | Basketball program suspended due toWorld War II[note 5] | |||||||||||||
| 1944–45 | Basketball program suspended due to World War II[note 5] | |||||||||||||
| 1945–46 | Ken Engles | Independent | 11 | 9 | .550 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1946–47 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 19 | 7 | .731 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1947–48 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 13 | 15 | .464 | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | none | |
| 1948–49 | Elmer Ripley | Independent | 9 | 15 | .375 | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[note 6] | none | |
| 1949–50 | Buddy O'Grady | Independent | 12 | 12 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | none | |
| 1950–51 | Buddy O'Grady | Independent | 8 | 14 | .364 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[note 7] | |
| 1951–52 | Buddy O'Grady | Independent | 15 | 10 | .600 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1952–53 | Buddy Jeannette | Independent | 13 | 7 | .650 | — | — | — | — | — | NIT first round | — | — | |
| 1953–54 | Buddy Jeannette | Independent | 11 | 18 | .379 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1954–55 | Buddy Jeannette | Independent | 12 | 13 | .480 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1955–56 | Buddy Jeannette | Independent | 13 | 11 | .542 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1956–57 | Tom Nolan | Independent | 11 | 11 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1957–58 | Tom Nolan | Independent | 10 | 11 | .476 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1958–59 | Tom Nolan | Independent | 8 | 15 | .348 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1959–60 | Tom Nolan | Independent | 11 | 12 | .478 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1960–61 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 11 | 10 | .524 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1961–62 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 14 | 9 | .609 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1962–63 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 13 | 13 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1963–64 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 15 | 10 | .600 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1964–65 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 13 | 10 | .565 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1965–66 | Tommy O'Keefe | Independent | 16 | 8 | .667 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1966–67 | John Magee | Independent | 12 | 11 | .522 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1967–68 | John Magee | Independent | 11 | 12 | .478 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1968–69 | John Magee | Independent | 12 | 12 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1969–70 | John Magee | Independent | 18 | 7 | .720 | — | — | — | — | — | NIT first round | — | — | |
| 1970–71 | John Magee | Independent | 12 | 14 | .462 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1971–72 | John Magee | Independent | 3 | 23 | .115 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1972–73 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 12 | 14 | .462 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1973–74 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 13 | 13 | .500 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1974–75 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 18 | 10 | .643 | — | — | — | — | ECAC South Region Tournament Champions[note 8] | NCAA first round | — | — | |
| 1975–76 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 21 | 7 | .750 | — | — | — | — | ECAC South Region Tournament Champions[note 8] | NCAA first round | — | — | |
| 1976–77 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 19 | 9 | .679 | — | — | — | — | ECAC South Region Tournament Semifinal[note 8] | NIT first round | — | — | |
| 1977–78 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 23 | 8 | .742 | — | — | — | — | ECAC South-Upstate Region Tournament Semifinal[note 8] | NIT Fourth Place | — | 20 | |
| 1978–79 | John Thompson Jr. | Independent | 24 | 5 | .828 | — | — | — | — | ECAC South-Upstate Region Tournament Champions[note 8] | NCAA second round | — | 12 | |
| 1979–80 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference[note 9] | 26 | 6 | .813 | 5 | 1 | .833 | T-1st | Champions | NCAA Regional Final | 11 | 10 | |
| 1980–81 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 20 | 12 | .625 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 2nd | Semifinal | NCAA first round | — | — | |
| 1981–82 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 30 | 7 | .811 | 10 | 4 | .714 | 2nd | Champions | NCAA Runner-Up | 6 | 7 | |
| 1982–83 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 22 | 10 | .688 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 4th | Quarterfinal | NCAA second round | 20 | 20 | |
| 1983–84 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 34 | 3 | .919 | 14 | 2 | .875 | 1st | Champions | NCAA National Champions | 2 | 2 | |
| 1984–85 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 35 | 3 | .921 | 14 | 2 | .875 | 2nd | Champions | NCAA Runner-Up | 1 | 1 | |
| 1985–86 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 24 | 8 | .750 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 3rd | Semifinal | NCAA second round | 13 | 15 | |
| 1986–87 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 29 | 5 | .853 | 12 | 4 | .750 | T-1st | Champions | NCAA Regional Final | 4 | 4 | |
| 1987–88 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 20 | 10 | .667 | 9 | 7 | .563 | T-3rd | Quarterfinal | NCAA second round | — | — | |
| 1988–89 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 29 | 5 | .853 | 13 | 3 | .813 | 1st | Champions | NCAA Regional Final | 2 | 2 | |
| 1989–90 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 24 | 7 | .774 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 3rd | Semifinal | NCAA second round | 8 | 6 | |
| 1990–91 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 19 | 13 | .594 | 8 | 8 | .500 | 6th | Final | NCAA second round | — | 23 | |
| 1991–92 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 22 | 10 | .688 | 12 | 6 | .667 | T-1st | Final | NCAA second round | 22 | 18 | |
| 1992–93 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 20 | 13 | .606 | 8 | 10 | .444 | 8th | Quarterfinal | NIT Final | — | — | |
| 1993–94 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 19 | 12 | .613 | 10 | 8 | .556 | T-4th | Final | NCAA second round | — | — | |
| 1994–95 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 21 | 10 | .677 | 11 | 7 | .611 | 4th | Semifinal | NCAA Regional Semifinal | 22 | 16 | |
| 1995–96 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 29 | 8 | .853 | 13 | 5 | .813 | 1st Big East 7 Division | Final | NCAA Regional Final | 4 | 7 | |
| 1996–97 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 20 | 10 | .667 | 11 | 7 | .611 | 1st Big East 7 Division | Semifinal | NCAA first round | — | — | |
| 1997–98 | John Thompson Jr. | Big East Conference | 16 | 15 | .516 | 6 | 12 | .333 | T-5th Big East 7 Division | Quarterfinal | NIT second round | — | — | |
| 1998–99 | John Thompson Jr. Craig Esherick[note 10] | Big East Conference | 15 | 16 | .484 | 6 | 12 | .333 | 10th | Quarterfinal | NIT first round | — | — | |
| 1999–2000 | Craig Esherick | Big East Conference | 19 | 15 | .559 | 6 | 10 | .375 | T-8th | Semifinal | NIT second round | — | — | |
| 2000–01 | Craig Esherick | Big East Conference | 25 | 8 | .758 | 10 | 6 | .625 | T-2nd West Division | Quarterfinal | NCAA Regional Semifinal | 21 | 17 | |
| 2001–02 | Craig Esherick | Big East Conference | 19 | 11 | .633 | 9 | 7 | .563 | T-3rd West Division | Quarterfinal | — | — | — | |
| 2002–03 | Craig Esherick | Big East Conference | 19 | 15 | .559 | 6 | 10 | .375 | 5th West Division | Quarterfinal | NIT Final | — | — | |
| 2003–04 | Craig Esherick | Big East Conference | 13 | 14 | .481 | 4 | 12 | .250 | T-12th | First round | — | — | — | |
| 2004–05 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 19 | 15 | .559 | 8 | 8 | .500 | T-7th | Quarterfinal | NIT Quarterfinal | — | — | |
| 2005–06 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 23 | 10 | .697 | 10 | 6 | .625 | T-4th | Semifinal | NCAA Regional Semifinal | 23 | 16 | |
| 2006–07 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 30 | 7 | .811 | 13 | 3 | .813 | 1st | Champions | NCAA Final Four | 8 | 4 | |
| 2007–08 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 28 | 6 | .824 | 15 | 3 | .833 | 1st | Final | NCAA second round | 8 | 12 | |
| 2008–09 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 16 | 15 | .516 | 7 | 11 | .389 | T-11th | First round | NIT first round | — | — | |
| 2009–10 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 23 | 11 | .676 | 10 | 8 | .556 | T-7th | Final | NCAA first round | 14 | — | |
| 2010–11 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 21 | 11 | .656 | 10 | 8 | .556 | T-6th | Second round | Round of 64 | — | — | |
| 2011–12 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 24 | 9 | .727 | 12 | 6 | .667 | T-4th | Quarterfinal | Round of 32 | 15 | 17 | |
| 2012–13 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference[note 9] | 25 | 6 | .806 | 14 | 4 | .778 | T-1st | Semifinal | Round of 64 | 8 | 17 | |
| 2013–14 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference[note 9] | 18 | 15 | .545 | 8 | 10 | .444 | 7th | First round | NIT second round | – | – | |
| 2014–15 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 22 | 11 | .667 | 12 | 6 | .667 | T-2nd | Semifinal | Round of 32 | 22 | 24 | |
| 2015–16 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 15 | 18 | .455 | 7 | 11 | .389 | 8th | Quarterfinal | – | – | – | |
| 2016–17 | John Thompson III | Big East Conference | 14 | 18 | .438 | 5 | 13 | .278 | 9th | First round | – | – | – | |
| 2017–18 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 15 | 15 | .500 | 5 | 13 | .278 | 8th | First round | – | – | – | |
| 2018–19 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 19 | 14 | .576 | 9 | 9 | .500 | T-3rd | Quarterfinal | NIT first round | – | - | |
| 2019–20 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 15 | 17 | .469 | 5 | 13 | .278 | T-8th | First round | Postseason cancelled (COVID-19) | - | - | |
| 2020-21 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 13 | 13 | .500 | 7 | 9 | .438 | 8th | Champions | NCAA first round | – | - | |
| 2021–22 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 6 | 25 | .194 | 0 | 19 | .000 | 11th | First round | – | – | - | |
| 2022–23 | Patrick Ewing | Big East Conference | 7 | 25 | .219 | 2 | 18 | .100 | 11th | First round | – | – | - | |
| 2023–24 | Ed Cooley | Big East Conference | 9 | 23 | .281 | 2 | 18 | .100 | 10th | First round | – | – | - | |
| 2024–25 | Ed Cooley | Big East Conference | 18 | 16 | .529 | 8 | 12 | .400 | 7th | First round | CBC Quarterfinal | – | - | |
| Legend | |
|---|---|
National champion | |
Conference Championships: 11
Conference tournament championships: 11
NCAA Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
TheNCAA began seeding the tournament with the1979 edition.
| Year | '79 | '80 | '81 | '82 | '83 | '84 | '85 | '86 | '87 | '88 | '89 | '90 | '91 | '92 | '94 | '95 | '96 | '97 | '01 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '15 | '21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed # | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
Georgetown has made 31 appearances in theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They have a record of 47–30. The Hoyas won the national championship in 1984.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | NYU DePaul Wyoming | W 55–36 W 53–49 L 34–46 |
| 1975 | Quarterfinals | Central Michigan | L 75–77 |
| 1976 | Quarterfinals | Arizona | L 76–83 |
| 1979 | Second Round | Rutgers | L 58–64 |
| 1980 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Iona Maryland Iowa | W 74–71 W 74–68 L 80–81 |
| 1981 | First round | James Madison | L 55–61 |
| 1982 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Wyoming Fresno State Oregon State Louisville North Carolina | W 51–43 W 58–40 W 69–45 W 50–46 L 62–63 |
| 1983 | First round Second Round | Alcorn State Memphis State | W 68–63 L 57–66 |
| 1984 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | SMU UNLV Dayton Kentucky Houston | W 37–36 W 62–48 W 61–49 W 53–40 W 84–75 |
| 1985 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Lehigh Temple Loyola-Chicago Georgia Tech St. John's Villanova | W 68–43 W 63–46 W 65–53 W 60–54 W 77–59 L 64–66 |
| 1986 | First round Second Round | Texas Tech Michigan State | W 70–64 L 68–80 |
| 1987 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Bucknell Ohio State Kansas Providence | W 75–53 W 82–79 W 70–57 L 73–88 |
| 1988 | First round Second Round | LSU Temple | W 66–63 L 53–74 |
| 1989 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Princeton Notre Dame North Carolina State Duke | W 50–49 W 81–74 W 69–61 L 77–85 |
| 1990 | First round Second Round | Texas Southern Xavier | W 70–52 L 71–74 |
| 1991 | First round Second Round | Vanderbilt UNLV | W 70–60 L 54–62 |
| 1992 | First round Second Round | South Florida Florida State | W 75–60 L 68–78 |
| 1994 | First round Second Round | Illinois Arkansas | W 84–77 L 73–85 |
| 1995 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | Xavier Weber State North Carolina | W 68–63 W 53–51 L 64–74 |
| 1996 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Mississippi Valley State New Mexico Texas Tech UMass | W 93–56 W 75–65 W 98–90 L 62–86 |
| 1997 | First round | UNC Charlotte | L 67–79 |
| 2001 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | Arkansas Hampton Maryland | W 63–61 W 76–57 L 66–76 |
| 2006 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | Northern Iowa Ohio State Florida | W 54–49 W 70–52 L 53–57 |
| 2007 | First round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | Belmont Boston College Vanderbilt North Carolina Ohio State | W 80–55 W 62–55 W 66–65 W 96–84OT L 60–67 |
| 2008 | First round Second Round | UMBC Davidson | W 66–47 L 70–74 |
| 2010 | First round | Ohio | L 83–97 |
| 2011 | First round | VCU | L 56–74 |
| 2012 | First round Second Round | Belmont North Carolina State | W 74–59 L 63–66 |
| 2013 | First round | Florida Gulf Coast | L 68–78 |
| 2015 | First round Second Round | Eastern Washington Utah | W 84–74 L 64–75 |
| 2021 | First round | Colorado | L 73–96 |
The Hoyas have gone to theNational Invitation Tournament 13 times and declined their invitation on a 14th occasion. They have a record of 15–14.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | First round | Louisville | L 79–92 |
| 1970 | First round | LSU | L 82–83 |
| 1977 | First round | Virginia Tech | L 79–83 |
| 1978 | First round Second Round Semifinal Third-place game | Virginia Dayton North Carolina State Rutgers | W 80–78OT W 71–62 L 85–86 L 72–85 |
| 1993 | First round Second Round Third round Semifinal Final | Arizona State UTEP Miami (Ohio) UAB Minnesota | W 78–68 W 71–44 W 66–53 W 45–41 L 61–62 |
| 1998 | First round Second Round | Florida Georgia Tech | W 71–69 L 79–80OT |
| 1999 | First round | Princeton | L 47–54 |
| 2000 | First round Second Round | Virginia California | W 115–1113OT L 49–60 |
| 2002 | Declined invitation | ||
| 2003 | First round Second Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Tennessee Providence North Carolina Minnesota St. John's | W 70–60 W 67–58 W 79–74 W 88–74 L 67–70 |
| 2005 | First round Second Round Quarterfinal | Boston University Cal State Fullerton South Carolina | W 64–34 W 74–57 L 66–69 |
| 2009 | First round | Baylor | L 72–74 |
| 2014 | First round Second Round | West Virginia Florida State | W 77–65 L 90–101 |
| 2019 | First round | Harvard | L 68–71 |
Georgetown has appeared in theCollege Basketball Crown once. Their overall record is 1–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | First Round Quarterfinals | Washington State Nebraska | W 85–82 L 69–81 |
Syracuse University
Georgetown's biggest rival isSyracuse. The two schools have been playing each other since 1930, but their rivalry was solidified in the 1980s as the respective programs were the leading powers during the infancy of the newly formed Big East conference. In 1980, the first season of new conference, Georgetown famously ended Syracuse's 57-game home winning streak in the final game to be played atManley Field House before moving to theCarrier Dome. After the win, Georgetown coach John Thompson declared, "Manley Field House is officially closed". Weeks later, the two schools met in the inauguralBig East Championship, with Georgetown prevailing 87–81. The teams met in four Big East tournament championship games during the 1980s, with Georgetown winning all four contests.
The animosity between the programs was further extended when Syracuse announced their decision to leave the Big East effective in 2013 to join theACC, forcing the split of "Catholic Seven" and the football-playing schools. This led to the creation of the reformed Big East Conference and theAmerican Athletic Conference. However, Georgetown and Syracuse have continued to play each other in all but one of the years following their exit from the conference. The rivalry is currently renewed through the 2024–25 season.[60]
Villanova University
As a fellow Catholic institution and conference foe,Villanova has been a natural rival for the Hoyas for many years. The schools are arguably two of the most successful programs among the group of teams that currently make up the Big East Conference. The rivalry is best known for the1985 NCAA Championship Game where No. 8-seeded Villanova shocked the highly favored and top-ranked Hoyas 66–64, preventing Georgetown from winning back-to-back titles.
Among current Big East Conference foes, Georgetown and Villanova are the closest in proximity, with roughly 100 miles separating the campuses.
St. John's University
Having first played each other in 1909,St. John's is one of Georgetown's oldest rivals. The two teams played off and on since that first contest until 1965, when they began annually scheduled games, and they only intensified when both programs became founding members of the Big East Conference in 1979. The rivalry was brought to national attention during the1984-85 NCAA Division I men's basketball season when both programs were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 throughout the season and met on a total of four occasions, including the famous "Sweater Game" at Madison Square Garden, the1985 Big East Championship, and the1985 Final Four. The Hoyas won 3 of the 4 matchups that year.
The rivalry gained renewed interest when both schools remained in the new Big East Conference following the many iterations of conference alignment.
University of Connecticut
An original member of the Big East,UConn and Georgetown battled for conference supremacy for multiple decades, until UConn left the conference to join the American Athletic Conference in 2013. One of the most intense periods for the rivalry was the1995–1996 season where both teams found themselves ranked in the Top 5 throughout most of the year, led by starsAllen Iverson andRay Allen respectively. During the regular season, Georgetown upset then ranked No. 3 UConn in Washington, D.C., but a few weeks later at Madison Square Garden, UConn prevailed in a classic Big East tournament Final 75–74, on a last second shot by Allen.
UConn is the only team to match Georgetown's record of 10 regular season titles and 8 conference tournament titles. The schools continued to play each other in their non-conference schedule, and have renewed their rivalry now that UConn has returned to the league in 2020.
Georgetown's official colors are blue and gray. The colors were selected in 1876 by the Georgetown College Boat Club (the original crew team) in honor of Georgetown students and alumni who wore the Union blue and Confederate gray in the Civil War. A student committee declared blue and gray "as appropriate colors for the Boat Club and expressive of the feeling of unity between the Northern and Southern boys of the College", and recommended its adoption for the team.[61] By the time the men's varsity basketball team was formed, the blue and gray colors were already widely adopted by the school.
Presently, Georgetown is one of the few teams to wear gray as their primary home uniform color, as traditionally teams wear white uniforms at home (though the Hoyas do have a white alternate jersey that is worn on occasion). Fans are generally encouraged to wear gray to home games, and sellouts are referred to as a "gray out."
Each summer Georgetown University'sMcDonough Gymnasium hosts the Kenner League. Named after one of the founders and first director of the Metropolitan Police Boys' and Girls' Club of Washington, D.C., the Kenner league is the only NCAA sanctioned summer league in Washington, D.C. Formed in 1982, the league allows Georgetown players to continue their development in an NCAA-structured environment, and to stay within view of watchful eyes on a college campus (even if the coaches were not allowed there by NCAA rules). From its humble beginnings, the Kenner legacy continued to build throughout the 1980s, with coverage inThe Washington Post beginning around 1986, then a high school bracket following soon thereafter, and ultimately the arrival of "senior" teams featuring a mix of former Georgetown players, visiting NBA stars, and local hoop legends.
Kenner continued to grow, with more fans making the trip weekly to the gymnasium for a series of weeknight and weekend games each summer. As new recruits arrived at Georgetown, following them at the Kenner League became a priority for fans. Many fans might think Georgetown runs the Kenner League, but it does not. The league is an independent effort, whose organizers must raise money fromNike and team sponsors to cover the cost of officials, jerseys, and other organizational costs, and maintain NCAA certification. As summer leagues go, Kenner is among the longest running of its kind. Since the league has been in existence, nearly 200 Georgetown players have played in the Kenner League.[62] After nearly a two-year break due to COVID-19, Kenner League returned in the summer of 2022.[63]
The Hoyas have an excellent history of preparing players for theNBA. Two Hoyas were theNBA first overall draft picks:Patrick Ewing in 1985 andAllen Iverson in 1996.Alonzo Mourning was the second overall pick in the 1992 draft.Dikembe Mutombo also was drafted in the first round, 4th overall[64] Other alumni have gone undrafted, but entered the NBA later, such asJaren Jackson in 1989 andHenry Sims andChris Wright in 2013, and 3-timeNBA Dunk Contest champion,Mac McClung[65][66]
Several Hoya basketball players are famous purely for their off-court accomplishments.Brendan Gaughan, whowalked onto the basketball squad, is a driver inNASCAR'sTruck Series and also raced one season in theCup Series.James L. Jones, who played for the Hoyas in the mid-1960s before joining theMarine Corps, went on to become Commandant of the Marine Corps, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and President Obama's National Security Advisor.Paul Tagliabue, who played in the early 1960s and was one of the leading rebounders in school history,[67] became Commissioner of theNational Football League from 1989 to 2006 and later served as Georgetown's Chairman of the board of directors.Henry Hyde, who led Georgetown to its first national final, was elected a member of Congress from Illinois and Chairman of House Judiciary Committee. He received the nation's highest civilian honor, theMedal of Freedom.William Shea, who played in the 1920s, was the New York attorney who brought theNew York Mets to the city.Shea Stadium, now demolished and replaced on-site by the Mets' current home ofCiti Field, was named in his honor.
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