Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.

Georgetown (Projected: 11th in Big East)

Ed Cooley had a rough start to life with Georgetown this past season after coming in from Big East rivals Providence, going 2-18 in conference play with two one possession wins over winless DePaul. DePaul will be better this year, while a couple of the middle tier Big East teams seemed to have dropped off in talent level this offseason. I’m not sure Georgetown improves or declines, but I feel the bottom of the conference will be more balanced and each team will win at least four games.

Junior guard Jayden Epps (19 ppg, 4 apg) is the Hoyas’ headline returner, a guard that can score at all three levels. Epps will need to be a lot more efficient this season as a junior, as he reached his numbers last year while shooting 39.2% from the field and 30.5% from behind the arc. Epps should be the vocal leader of this team, but with the arrival of Harvard transfer Malik Mack, could get more open looks playing as a 2-guard rather than running the point. 

The other returner to the Hoyas program after a disappointing first year under Cooley is sophomore center Drew Fielder (5 ppg, 3 rpg). Fielder should see an increased role in the frontcourt and I believe he will start at the five. The frontcourt is thin for the Hoyas, and it’s important for Fielder to have a sophomore breakout campaign for the Hoyas to stay afloat in the Big East. 

The list of departures is eight names long for the Hoyas, headlined by double-digit scorers Dontrez Styles (13 ppg, 6 rpg) and Supreme Cook (11 ppg, 8 rpg). The backcourt loses a lot of depth with Rowan Brumbaugh (8 ppg, 3 apg), Jay Heath (8 ppg, 3 rpg), Wayne Bristol Jr. (4 ppg), and Cam Bacote (1 ppg) leaving the program. Forward Ismael Massoud (6 ppg) also ends his college career, while center Ryan Mutombo (1 ppg) leaves for Georgia Tech. 

Ed Cooley brought in four players from the transfer portal to try and replace the production lost by the departures, and all four players he got should have an impact from game one. Harvard transfer Malik Mack (17 ppg, 5 apg at Harvard) should start at the point for the Hoyas, while sophomore Curtis Williams (5 ppg at Louisville) could join Mack and Epps in the backcourt. Micah Peavy (11 ppg, 5 rpg at TCU) is more of a wing, but will likely have to play the four this year as the Hoyas lack experience up front and he can provide that. 

The final transfer is Jordan Burks (2 ppg at Kentucky) who could be a wildcard for Cooley. Burks saw limited minutes as a freshman, but if he can live up to his potential he could go down as a very underrated pickup in the portal for Cooley. I don’t have him pegged to start in my projected lineup, but there’s definitely a world where he starts at the four and moves Peavy up to the three ahead of Curtis Williams. 

Ed Cooley made a handful of moves in the high school recruiting realm for 2024, and landed a handful of guys that could play a big role in turning the program around over the next few years. I think as freshmen they might be a bit over their heads in the Big East, but the experience in the deep end right away will pay off for Cooley down the road. The three frontcourt commits, all of whom may have to play a role this season, consist of Thomas Sorber (4*, NAT 40), Drew McKenna (4*), and Caleb Williams (3*, NAT 168). Guard Kayvaun Mulready (4*, NAT 75) tops off the class, but will have the benefit of learning behind Mack and Epps in year one. 

I believe another rough year is in store for Ed Cooley, as the frontcourt seems to thin to compete in the backcourt is a little too inefficient in my eyes. I’m confident Cooley can turn things around at Georgetown, as shown by his high school recruiting class this year, but I think it will take him a couple more seasons to get this team back to where they want to be. 

Jayden Epps should be the lead guy once again for Georgetown, but his shooting marks must improve if Georgetown want to be any better than last season. The X-factors for me are Malik Mack and Jordan Burks. Mack cruised through the Ivy League (when healthy) and set himself up great for a high-major transfer, but now he needs to prove he can be the same lead guard in the Big East. Burks didn’t get much of a chance to shine his freshman year at Kentucky, but if Cooley can get him on track, he can be a major piece for the Hoyas’ frontcourt this season. 

I think the Hoyas have another tough year ahead, but the young pieces getting a lot of minutes leads me to be excited about the future. I do think DePaul’s transfers and their experience and depth can outdo Cooley’s squad this year down in the depths of the Big East cellar. I’ve got the Hoyas picked 11th and last in the conference, but I still think they win more games in conference than they did in 2023-24.