Tag: Georgetown Hoyas

Micah Shrewsberry responds to latest coaching rumors

What Micah Shrewsberry said about the latest coaching rumors

Following Penn State’s Big Ten semifinal victory over Indiana on Saturday in Chicago, head coach [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] had plenty to say about the effort of his team, facing Purdue in the Big Ten championship game on Sunday, and more. As Penn State was preparing to take on the Hoosiers on Saturday afternoon, rumblings and reports of Shrewsberry drawing interest to fill job openings at other schools surfaced, leaving him to answer questions about his future with Penn State as well.

“I’m complete tunnel vision on our team,” Shrewsberry said in his postgame media availability following a 77-73 win over Indiana when asked about the reports linking him to potential opportunities elsewhere. “That’s all I’m focused on. I’m happy to be here.”

Shrewsberry’s name has been tied to the coaching searches going on at Georgetown and Notre Dame. Georgetown fired its head coach, Patrick Ewing, following its elimination from the Big East tournament. Notre Dame is looking to replace the retiring Mike Brey.

Shrewsberry’s stock as a coaching candidate is as hot as it has ever been. In just his second season as head coach of the Nittany Lions, Shrewsberry has put together a roster built on transfers and returning players and recruits that will end its 11-year NCAA tournament drought and play for the Big Ten championship. It has been quite a run for Shrewsberry, and Penn State fans are hoping it’s not over so quickly.

Penn State should be in position to keep Shrewsberry in Happy Valley. If it comes down to money, Penn State should be more than capable of equaling or topping any offer that comes his way. There is simply too much revenue coming Penn State’s way from the Big Ten’s media rights deals to allow for that to be a reason Shrewsberry leaves town. But if Shrewsberry wants to take on an opportunity to coach a program with a bit mroe basketball history behind it, Penn State would have to sell Shrewsberry on the opportunity to build a similar story in State College.

It is a venture Penn State has had brief glimpses of achieving every decade or so, but has never been sustained for one reason or another. But the time is now to keep Shrewsberry most interested in continuing what he has started with the Nittany Lions.

The pressure is on for Penn State, because the more Shrewsberry continues to win, the hotter his name is going to continue to be on the coaching market.

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Micah Shrewsberry a trendy name in college basketball coaching search

Penn State’s Micah Shrewsberry is reportedly drawing interest in the coaching carousel

Penn State fans have long been accustomed to seeing head football coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] have his name thrown around the college coaching rumor mill every year almost since the first year he was in charge of the program, so it would seem. But now it is its men’s basketball coach that Penn State fans are seeing pop up as the coaching carousel in the world of college hoops is officially underway.

As Penn State was preparing to face Indiana in the Big Ten tournament semifinal in Chicago, multiple reports surfaced suggesting [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] could be among the top coaching candidates for Georgetown. Georgetown is in search of a new head coach after parting ways with Patrick Ewing. With Shrewsberry coaching a Penn State program into the Big Ten semifinal and on the verge of receiving an NCAA tournament bid in just his second season, it makes sense he would be an attractive candidate.

Shrewsberry has the coaching profile that would make sense for Georgetown. He has solid reputation as an assistant coach in the NBA and in college basketball at programs like Butler and Purdue. And using a mix of transfers, returning veterans, and fresh recruits, Shrewsberry is about to take Penn State to its first NCAA Tournament since 2011. He is a well-respected coach and looks to have just the right mindset that a once proud Georgetown program is in need of as it looks to return to any sense of respectability.

Shrewsberry will no doubt continue to see his name thrown around as a rising coaching candidate given his recent success at Penn State, which will not confuse anyone for being a basketball school. But his focus will remain on taking this Penn State team as far as it can go in March. And if nothing else, Penn State will be pressed to do something it probably has to do and find a way to set aside the money to keep Shrewsberry happy in Happy Valley.

It’s a good problem to have for Penn State.

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College basketball coaching carousel: Major programs with openings across the landscape

Breaking down the current job openings across college basketball and who could be on their way to fill them.

The annual NCAA Tournament is just a few days away from ‘Selection Sunday’ but that isn’t the only action going on across the college basketball landscape.

We are seeing plenty of openings for major programs. One program that has already filled their vacancy are the Syracuse Orange. On the same day it was announced that Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim would step down, the school announced that Adrian Autry would take over.

Another notable name could be returning to college basketball as LSU Wire reports that Will Wade is closing in on a deal with McNeese. He was fired by the Tigers after it was revealed that he was hit with five Level I violations.

Thus far we have seen a total of six major programs in college basketball with vacancies yet to be filled. College Sports Wire breaks each one down along with who is seen as the top candidate.

Patrick Ewing fired at Georgetown after six seasons

A new era is set to begin at Georgetown after the Hoyas part ways with Patrick Ewing.

Georgetown has parted ways with head coach and basketball legend Patrick Ewing it was announced on Thursday evening. The move comes one day after the Hoyas’ season came to an end yesterday in an 80-48 loss to Villanova.

The Hoyas, this season under Ewing, went 7-25, including 2-18 in conference play, marking a second-consecutive season in which they failed to win ten games. In 2021-22, the Hoyas went 6-25, including 0-19 in conference play.

It was only the second and third time since 1970 that the program failed to win ten games or more.

Ewing was originally hired by the program in 2017 – immediately leading them to a 15-15 record, including 5-13 in conference play in the 2017-2018 season; the Hoyas would improve in year two, going 19-14, including 9-9 in conference play and earned a birth in the National Invitational Tournament.

The 2019-2020 season is when things began going downhill for Hoyas, collecting a 15-17 record and 5-13 in conference play before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19.

The Hoyas during the 2020-21 season was an interesting one for the program as they went just 13-13, including 7-9 in conference play but would make a surprise run in the Big East Tournament – defeating the No.9, No.1, No.5, and No.2 seeds in the tournament that season after entering as the No.8 seed, earning an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament, getting knocked out in the first round by Colorado.

While they would try to build off their Big East Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance, the Hoyas struggled in 2021-22 going 6-25 and 0-19, as mentioned before, following it up with another extremely disappointing season this past year.

Now with Ewing gone, Georgetown becomes a very intriguing open coaching job. It’s a historically strong program that is full of tradition and postseason success; while the roster will need some rework, the transfer portal could allow for a quick rebuild in the nation’s capital.

An attempt to pinpoint when Georgetown men’s basketball will win its first Big East game

When will the Hoyas win their first conference game?

Here’s a number that you need to know: March 2, 2021.

The above date is the last time the Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball team won a regular-season game against a Big East opponent. If we’re doing the math, that’s 687 days (and counting). And after going winless in conference play a season ago for the first time in the program’s history, the Hoyas are on the verge of a second-straight disaster.

With an 0-8 record in the Big East during this 2022-23 season, Georgetown has 12 games to avoid going winless again during conference play. The question is: will it? And if so, when?

Let’s see if the Hoyas can land their first victory by the end of January.

Georgetown guard Aminu Mohammed: ‘I impact the game in so many ways’

Rookie Wire caught up with Mohammed to discuss the pre-draft process, what he is looking to showcase to teams and much more.

Aminu Mohammed produced a strong freshman campaign with the Georgetown Hoyas, and the 20-year-old is aiming to continue that run to the NBA.

Mohammed was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to the United States at 14. He then achieved tremendous success at Greenwood Laboratory School in Springfield, Missouri, becoming Gatorade Player of the Year in the state as a sophomore.

He eventually added McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic honors to his resume. He became a five-star recruit and committed to play at Georgetown over the likes of Georgia, Indiana and Kansas State among others.

Mohammed finished with 2,709 points at Greenwood, the most in Springfield history. (Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader)

Mohammed, who was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team, averaged 13.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 31 games. He became just the ninth freshman since 1972 to lead the Hoyas in rebounding, and the first since Otto Porter Jr. in 2012.

Now, Mohammed is preparing to continue his journey to the NBA.

He enters the draft regarded for his versatility and ability to guard multiple positions with his 6-foot-11 wingspan. He was among the standouts at the draft combine last month, averaging 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and one block in two scrimmage games.

Mohammed has worked out for several teams ahead of the draft, including the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards among others. He is diligently showcasing himself on and off the court throughout the process in an effort to impress those watching.

Rookie Wire caught up with Mohammed to discuss the pre-draft process, what he is looking to showcase to teams, his collegiate season and much more.

Please note: This interview was minorly edited in its transcript for clarity

Butler’s adorable mascot dog road trip included visits with some similarly very good mascot pups

This is the best road trip with the best dogs.

Butler University’s live mascot, Blue IV, is on the road trip of his young pup life.

Thanks to men’s basketball games against Georgetown, Villanova, and UConn, Butler Blue hopped a flight from Indianapolis to the east coast for an adventure. Aptly dubbed the “Big Dawg Tour,” this trip serves multiple purposes.

First, there’s basketball! The obvious benefit is having a super cute dog mascot on hand for the men’s games, but it also serves to introduce Butler University to more regions and to connect alumni and future Bulldogs to their school.

“Big Dawgs Tour began during the 2013-14 season when Butler joined the Atlantic 10 as a way to introduce the university to new markets,” Blue’s handler Evan Krauss told For the Win.

Krauss — who arguably has the best job in the country — and Blue manage to do all of that, while also creating the most amazing social media content. They added a few bonus stops to meet both in-and-out-of-conference dog friends and pose with dog statues, in front of major monuments and more.
Blue met a grand total of three very good dogs, thanks in part to the robust live handler network. The handlers meet frequently over Zoom and met in person in 2018 when Colorado hosted the first live mascot conference in Boulder.
Let’s take a look at Blue IV’s journey.

 

Ryan Mutombo follows in father’s footsteps, commits to Georgetown

Ryan Mutombo, son of Dikembe Mutombo, has committed to Georgetown.

Ryan Mutombo has decided to play in his father’s footsteps and play his college basketball for Patrick Ewing at Georgetown.

Mutombo, son of Georgetown legend and eight-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo, committed to the Hoyas on Sunday night. Mutombo ultimately picked Georgetown over programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee and Stanford.

“Legit size with long arms and a sturdy frame,” 247Sports’ Evan Daniels said in Mutombo’s scouting report. “Has terrific hands & touch around the basket. Good feel as a passer out of the high post and on the block. Shot the ball from the mid-range area with confidence, and mechanics are fine. Impressive feel for the game and a high IQ. Good area rebounder and rim protector. Lacks lift and just gets end-to-end OK. True low post player. A late bloomer with major upside.”

According to 247Sports, Mutombo is the No. 71 recruit in the class of 2021, No. 13 center and No. 3 prospect in Georgia. He is also the fourth commitment in Georgetown’s 2021 recruiting class, joining Tyler Beard, Jalin Billingsley and Jordan Riley.

Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing announces positive coronavirus test: ‘This virus is serious’

Georgetown coach and New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing has tested positive for coronavirus.

Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball coach and New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, now 57, announced on Twitter Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is receiving care at a hospital.

According to the announcement, Ewing is the only member of the Georgetown basketball program to have tested positive. In a statement, Ewing thanked health care workers for their efforts, and asked the public to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously.

“This virus is serious and should not be taken lightly. I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves.”

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Why is Mac McClung to leaving Georgetown?

Georgetown guard Mac McClung is entering the transfer portal, an unexpected move that will make him the most high-demand transfer in the nation.

Georgetown guard Mac McClung is entering the transfer portal, an unexpected move that will make him the most high-demand transfer in the nation.