N O V E M B E R 5 , 2 02 1
men’s basketball preview
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MEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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SEASON PREVIEW The quest for a repeat: Introducing your Georgetown men’s basketball team
PLAYER PROFILE The rise of Dante Harris
FEATURE Georgetown’s storied history of sending players to play pro basketball
CARLOS RUEDA
DAVID McDANIELS
ALEX BRADY
6 TEAM PROFILE Meet the new guys LUCIE PEYREBRUNE
7 BIG EAST PREVIEW The Voice predicts final Big East standings THOMAS FISCHBECK
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MEN’S BASKETBALL RAISES THE TROPHY AFTER WINNING LAST SEASON’S BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
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It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish,” Dante Harris quipped last March while smiling down at his Big East Championship ring. After a season in which the Hoyas were predicted to finish last, the diamond rings speak for themselves. On Big East Media Day, an eerily similar first chapter was written for the 2021-2022 version of the Georgetown Hoyas Men’s Basketball. The conference’s coaches predicted the reigning champs would finish 10th in the 11-team league, once more leaving it to one of the youngest Big East teams to prove it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. On the Hilltop, excitement is building around a new core of players. However, challenges after another year of roster upheaval are undeniable. In losing Jamorko Pickett, Jahvon Blair, Qudus Wahab, and Chudier Bile, the Hoyas will be without 50 of their 73 points from the Big East Tournament Final. For the first time in Patrick Ewing’s tenure, the team will not have a senior on the roster or an established big man to play through. Meanwhile, the other Big East teams have only gotten better—it will be a tall task to return to the top. Georgetown’s quest for a repeat conference title will be spearheaded by a returning backcourt of Harris and graduate student Donald Carey. Harris—a sophomore point guard and reigning Big East Tournament MVP—led the team in steals, was second in assists, and scored 8 points per game last year. As the season progressed, his confidence grew, highlighted by a dominant performance against Villanova in the Big East tournament. Thrust into leadership, much of the team’s hope this year rests on the high expectations on Harris’s shoulders. In a league with top point guards, including St. John’s sophomore Posh Alexander, Villanova fifth-year senior Colin Gillespie, and Xavier fifth-year senior Paul Scruggs, the sophomore will have to match up and prove he’s worthy of All-Big East consideration. Carey will also need to step into the team’s leadership. In his first year with the Hoyas after transferring from Sienna, Carey started 20 games and shot an outstanding 44 percent from three. He grew into his role throughout last season, culminating in a 17 point performance against Colorado in Georgetown’s first NCAA tournament game since 2014.
The lineup will also feature freshman forward Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown’s first 5-star recruit since 2014. Mohammed was named Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year and is expected to contribute big minutes immediately. “He’s gonna make some noise in the Big East,” Harris predicted at Big East Media Day. Mohammed is joined by four other freshmen—guard Tyler Beard, guard Jordan Riley, forward Jalin Billingsley, and center Ryan Mutombo. Team veterans are excited about what new players can offer. “It’s great to have freshmen guys that want to get coached and want to get better,” Carey said. Much of Georgetown’s success may actually fall to Georgetown’s third returner primed for a starting position— junior center Timothy Igohefe. With former center Qudus Wahab’s offseason transfer to the University of Maryland and Eastern Kentucky transfer forward Tre King ruled ineligible to play, “Big Tim” will face a leading role in the paint. Ewing’s ability to help centers make leaps in their game will be imperative with Igohefe, as the talented defender needs to develop a more well-rounded game to contribute offensively. Igohefe will need help in the frontcourt. Without King, Mutumbo and 6’7” graduate transfer Kaiden Rice from The Citadel will be the only other bigs to compliment Igohefe. Mutombo has drawn impressive marks from preseason workouts for his explosive game around the basket and soft touch on his mid-range jumper. Rice is a key complement, as he will bring the three-point volume that Blair and Pickett once provided. That being said, with the personnel the Hoyas have now, it may be time for Ewing to modernize the Hoyas’s system. Last year, the team finished in the bottom half of the Big East in field goal attempts and in the bottom three in offensive efficiency. The plethora of athletic wings and guards at Ewing’s disposal make it imperative that he runs an offense that suits them. This should not—and will not—be a back-to-the-basket team. Harris, Carey, and Mohammed need an offense full of pace and space. Early signs suggest that Ewing is making these adjustments. On Media Day, Carey said that the team has “a lot of athleticism; it’s going to be a show,” and assured fans “we play fast up and down.”
SEASON PREVIEW
The quest for a repeat: Introducing your 2021-2022 Georgetown Men’s Basketball Team BY DAVID McDANIELS This new playstyle will debut in a fairly soft non-conference schedule beginning with Dartmouth, American, and Siena. The first big test will occur on Thanksgiving, as the Hoyas will travel to challenge highly touted San Diego State. Shortly after on Dec. 11 is the most anticipated game of the season as Georgetown welcomes Syracuse to D.C. Big East play then opens with Providence on Dec. 22. The headline matchup against Villanova will be played at home on Jan. 22. With a Big East Tournament banner ready to be raised and fans back in Capital One, expectations for the Hoyas—and Harris and Ewing in particular—are demanding. However, overcoming the odds is nothing the coach/player duo hasn’t done before. Harris was only the 418th ranked recruit in his class. Ewing’s coaching journey has long been ridiculed. But he was the one standing with tears in his eyes last March lifting the same trophy he held as a player in 1984. Heading into the season, it is worth remembering what Ewing said seven months ago in Madison Square Garden: “I’m here where a lot of people didn’t think I had the ability to be. I’m proving everyone wrong.” Starting Nov. 13, Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas will have the opportunity to prove everyone wrong once more. G
photos courtesy of georgetown athletics; layout by allison derose
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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PLAYER PROFILE
The rise of dante harris BY CARLOS RUEDA
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he clock is ticking with 15 seconds left, Georgetown down by one to the No. 1 team in the conference, Villanova. The ball is inbounded and senior leaders Jamorko Pickett and Jahvon Blair both get a touch on the ball, but out of the corner comes the 6’0’’ freshman Dante Harris. With 10 seconds left, Harris has the ball at the top of the arc guarded by Big East Co-Player of the Year—and soon- to- be NBA draft pick—Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. This is the moment where most freshmen would fold under the pressure of national television, in the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, against the team that was expected to easily walk over you and win the conference tournament. But not Dante Harris. Eight seconds left. Harris has the ball at the top of the arc and drives to the basket head-on against RobinsonEarl. He goes up and draws the foul. All eyes on him, Harris steps up to the free throw line. He puts the first one up, the ball rattles around the rim for what feels like an eternity, and it falls through the net. The announcers on Fox Sports chuckle at the drama of the game, now tied at 71 points each. The nation watches as his second shot arches through the air to the basket. Nothing but net. 72-71 Hoyas. 4
THE GEORGETOWN VOICE
This crowd-stunning, Big East Tournament MVPwinning now-sophomore didn’t have to go far to find success. A native of Washington, D.C., Harris spent his high school years in Tennessee. He started at Alcoa High School before transferring to Lakeway Christian his junior year, becoming one of the first players for the new basketball program. Although Lakeway’s head coach, Curtis Staples, had previous success developing Division I caliber players, he now faced the daunting task of building a team from scratch. Harris flew under the national radar, never likely to play in college. “I had just taken a job at this new private school,” Staples said. “I knew I needed a really good point guard and post player, so [Dante’s] name just kept coming up in terms of perimeter guys in this area, everyone was talking about him,” he said. What made Harris different? Staples points to his work ethic. “He’s a no-nonsense, hardworking-type kid; he didn’t do a lot of talking, he was all about action,” Staples recalled. “He took care of it right away, all his responsibilities. Academically, he stayed right on top of that making straight A’s and then he just worked extremely hard on the court. He’s just driven, very driven.” Changing schools is always a challenging task in itself, but Harris knew his potential and wanted the world to see that. A quiet guy, Harris let his work on the court make lots of noise. Staples quickly knew he had a rising star.
photos courtesy of georgetown athletics
“I coached a lot of really good Division I players. I had over 50 or more go to Division I from my previous program,” Staples remarked. “I have to rank Dante in the top 3-5 players at that position, even though he was a little smaller.” Despite a lack of recognition due to his smaller stature, Harris never doubted himself and began to teach Tennessee not to doubt him either. Staples recalls a game where Harris put up 56 points in a close game, in a hostile environment, against a really good team. “They were trying everything to take the ball out of his hands, but they couldn’t. He would still beat somebody to the ball, and once he got it, it was a problem,” he said. But Harris was not done. As the season progressed, he built up momentum with each standout performance. Staples recalled playing an aggressive rival team in a close, gritty game with a lot of fouls. “I called a timeout, they thought they won the game. I drew up a play to give Dante the ball,” Staples said with a laugh. “He took his guy immediately as he caught it, did exactly what I drew up, pulled up from NBA range at the top, and hit the three at the buzzer.” Harris was doing everything right: he was disciplined, academically successful, and playing unreal basketball. Everyone seemed to see it locally, but Division I programs were still slow to jump on him. Schools like Maryland and Florida State began to show their interest at the last minute. “I said, ‘Whoever gets this kid is gonna get somebody that’s gonna go and earn it.’ And that’s exactly what he did; he earned it.” Harris’ hard work and talent eventually garnered national attention. Georgetown was lucky to discover Harris earlier than most, officially giving an offer in October 2019. In just one year, he’s already made his mark on the Big East. Coming off of an unprecedented season and NCAA Tournament berth, Harris and the Hoyas have another chance to make unexpected noise. With such a young squad, younger leaders like Harris will have to step up. There are very few outside of Georgetown who would have picked the lowestranked team in the Big East Coaches’ Preseason Poll to win the Big East Tournament, and likely even fewer who would’ve picked three-star freshman Dante Harris to win the tournament’s MVP award. This season, the Hoyas are again predicted to finish towards the bottom of the Big East, ranked 10th. But there’s no lack of excitement around this team. Fans will finally have a chance to see Harris in person at Capital One Arena after watching his breakout performance from their television screens. Harris knows his squad and, most importantly, he knows himself and what he’s capable of. Last year was just the first chapter for him. “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. They had us picked last last year and look what we did,” said Harris after winning the title. G
layout by graham krewinghaus
FEATURE
Georgetown’s storied history of sending players to play pro basketball BY ALEX BRADY
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atrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Allen Iverson: NBA legends that have shaped Georgetown basketball and defined the program as one that produces professional talent. These may be the most well known names to ever don a Georgetown jersey, but they represent only a fraction of the total number of players who go on to play professionally after their time on the Hilltop. From Georgetown’s heyday in the early ’80s to now, the Hoyas have not let up in sending players to play pro ball. The most followed former Hoyas might be those in the NBA, but the Hoyas have also sent talent into the WNBA circuit: Sugar Rodgers in 2013, Rebekkah Brunson in 2004, and Katie Smrcka-Duffy in 2001 were all drafted after their collegiate careers. And dozens of Georgetown grads have taken their skills overseas. Georgetown’s professional legacy plays a significant part in how recruits and opposing teams alike view the program. Because of this, former Hoya guard Chris Wright explained, it is critical “to uplift those names and those brands and keep them high on the pedestal for a long long time, because that’s our history, that’s our lineage.” Wright joined that lineage during a successful Hoya run from 2007 to 2011 and makes a point not to forget the ones who came before him. “There’s such a rich history and Hall of Fame players and big-time players that played in the NBA,” Wright said. “You know, Jaren Jackson, there’s so many others, Othella Harrington, Mike Sweetney. There’s a lot of great players who have reached the NBA.” Even athletes who graduated just last year—Jamorko Pickett, Chudier Bile, and Jahvon Blair—have found homes in pro leagues. Bile was recently selected in the NBA G-League Draft by the Greensboro Swarm, while Blair plays for Lavrio B.C. of the Greek Basket League. Pickett has had the most notable rise of the trio. Undrafted last summer, he was invited to participate in the NBA Summer League for the Detroit Pistons and then training camp with the team, inking a two-way contract before the regular season. Pickett is one of four former Hoyas currently in the NBA, joining Jeff Green of the Denver Nuggets, Omer Yurtseven of the Miami Heat, and Otto Porter Jr. of the Golden State Warriors. Former Hoya Jagan Mosely, who graduated in 2020 after playing four seasons with the Georgetown men’s basketball team, knows the role Georgetown can play in getting guys to the next level. “You see what happened with Jamorko Pickett:
he did his four years, you know, he had his ups and downs, and now he’s thriving and he’s in the NBA,” Mosely, who plays pro ball in Europe, said. “I think everybody’s story is different, but Georgetown does give you a great platform to showcase your abilities playing in the Big East and also having that rich history.” There are certainly traces of Hoya blue across the NBA, but Georgetown’s reach also extends far beyond the American border to professional leagues overseas, where more players have found success. Each league abroad provides a competitive atmosphere and the opportunity to experience different cultures and parts of the world, all while players get to do what they love. “Going from place to place, the language, the food, the people, the type of basketball that’s played; some leagues are more athletic, some leagues are bigger, some leagues are more guardoriented,” Wright said of his time playing overseas. “The knowledge that I’ve obtained, and the wisdom that I have, just from being in different countries and being exposed to different people and different styles of the game is crazy.” Wright is one of about a dozen Hoyas playing internationally, suiting up for Bertram Tortana of the Lega Basket Serie A of Italy. The team secured its promotion to Italy’s top tier at the end of last season. Coming out of college, Wright bounced around different leagues both in the U.S., including an NBA stint with the Dallas Mavericks, and abroad, before landing in Italy. “I knew I could always play in the NBA—that was never a doubt in my mind—it was just a matter of when and how I was going to get there,” Wright said. “It was an accomplishment that I’ll never forget. I went to a great organization in the Dallas Mavericks.” Wright describes playing with stars such as Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, and Shawn Marion as the pinnacle of his career. Mosely, on the other hand, went straight to playing international ball as well for CS Rapid București of the România Liga Națională and has had to adjust to life in new countries with new teams. “It’s obviously much more physical because you’re playing with grown men, but I think Coach Pat [Ewing] did a great job of just preparing me for my professional
JAGAN MOSELY DRIVES TO THE BASKET. AFTER HIS TENURE AT GEORGETOWN, MOSELY WENT OVERSEAS TO PLAY IN ITALY. career,” Mosely said. Mosely regards lessons on the ins-andouts of the point guard position and how to read the floor as some of the most beneficial parts of his time with the Hoyas. “My four years being able to play different positions at Georgetown was definitely beneficial for me and my pro career going forward,” he explained. Georgetown basketball seems to be back on the rise as a program, opening the possibility that more pro Hoyas will join the already extensive list. Once players graduate and some go on to different pro leagues, their Hoya pride very much lives on. “We’re all still in contact,” Mosely said. “I feel as if even if we all weren’t playing basketball anymore we’d still be in contact, just with the brotherhood that we built over the four years at my time at Georgetown.” Wright found a similar bond with his teammates. “I talk to my guys that I played with literally every day. We stay in contact, we’re brothers,” he said. “There’s a bond that just won’t be broken between us because we went through the same things.” G
photo courtesy of john picker; layout by graham krewinghaus
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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MEET the new GUYS BY LUCIE PEYREBRUNE Tyler Beard | 6’2” | Guard
Jalin Billingsley | 6’8” | Forward
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yler Beard is a three-star recruit from Chicago. Although he committed to Georgetown in 2020, he elected to play a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia due to the uncertainty surrounding sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beard’s athletic reputation was on full display in 2020 when a dunk in one of his high school games went viral, taking the top spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day. Beard is a solid defender who knows how to penetrate the paint to get to the basket and finish through on the offensive end. Although he might not start this season, given Georgetown has more experienced guards, he’ll definitely begin the year in the guard rotation.
alin Billingsley, hailing from Cleveland, comes to the Hoyas off of a strong senior season at Lutheran East, averaging 13 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game. He is incredibly versatile and his abilities to shoot and dominate the paint make him an intriguing potential stretch 4 for the Hoyas. As a result of Tre King’s unexpected departure from Georgetown, Billingsley is likely to get more minutes than predicted this season. He brings much-needed depth to the forward position after Jamorko Pickett’s graduation.
Aminu Mohammed | 6’5” | Guard
Kaiden Rice | 6’7” | Guard/Forward
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minu Mohammed, named the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year, is a DMV native but comes to Georgetown from the Greenwood Laboratory School in Missouri, where he won Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year twice. He’s Patrick Ewing’s first five-star recruit and Georgetown’s first since 2014. (ESPN uses a star recruiting system where players are measured against a standard to give them a score on a 100-point scale and then are assigned a number of stars, two to five, based on their point value.) Mohammed brings strong shooting and rebounding skills to the Hoyas, as he averaged 23.3 points and 10 rebounds per game in his senior season. He is poised to be a major contributor right away and will likely find himself in this season’s starting lineup.to be extremely beneficial additions to the team this season.
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aiden Rice is the Hoyas’s only new transfer this year. Rice, originally from Columbia, S.C., played four years at The Citadel before transferring to Georgetown. During the 2020-21 season, he started and scored in the double-digits in all 25 games for The Citadel. His game is defined by his threes—last year, he was second in NCAA DI men’s basketball for total 3-point field goals attempted, sixth for total 3-point field goals made, and third for 3-point field goals per game. Rice will fill Jahvon Blair’s role as Georgetown’s primary shooter in addition to bringing much-needed experience to the young Hoyas.
Ryan Mutombo | 7’2” | Center
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yan Mutombo, son of NBA Hall of Famer and Georgetown basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo, has a distinguished legacy to live up to. The four-star recruit from Atlanta brings height to the Hoyas, standing at 7’2”, with the potential to grow more in both height and skill. Mutombo has proven that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the paint, averaging 12 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game his junior season at The Lovett School. Mutombo will likely split the center position with returning junior Timothy Ighoefe, and if he can put on some muscle and develop his 3-point shot, he’ll have a good case for following in his father’s footsteps to the NBA.
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THE GEORGETOWN VOICE
photos courtesy of georgetown athletics; layout by connor martin
Jordan Riley | 6’4” | Guard
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ordan Riley is a four-star recruit from Brentwood, New York, where he won the 2020-21 New York Gatorade Player of the Year. Despite playing a shortened seven-game season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he still averaged 31.7 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game. His length gives him the potential to be a great defender, and he has strong finishing abilities as well as decent shooting range. It’s unclear where he’ll fit into the Hoyas’s line-up, but his versatility and verticality suggest he’ll see minutes at some point.
BIg east rankings BY THOMAS FISCHBECK
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Villanova coach Jay Wright’s Wildcats have won at least a share of the Big East title in seven of the past eight years. In the year they didn’t, 2018, the team took the national championship, one of the ’Cats’s two during the eight-year span. The return of “super seniors” guard Collin Gillespie (14.0 PPG) and forward Jermaine Samuels (12.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG) along with junior guards Justin Moore and Bryan Antoine should help to offset the loss of Big East Player of the Year Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (now on the Oklahoma City Thunder). Despite some worry about small size, not only should Villanova be a runaway Big East favorite, but the ’Cats are also a legitimate national title contender.
1. Villanova
2021: 18-7 (11-4 Big East)
2. Xavier
2021: 13-8 (6-7 Big East)
3. UCONN
2021: 15-8 (11-6 Big East)
4. St. John’s
2021: 16-11 (10-9 Big East)
5. SETON HALL
2021: 14-13 (10-9 Big East)
6. Providence
2021: 14-13 (10-9 Big East)
7. Butler
2021: 10-15 (8-12 Big East)
8. creighton
2021: 22-9 (14-6 Big East)
9. Georgetown 2021: 13-13 (7-9 Big East)
10. marquette 2021: 13-14 (8-11 Big East)
11. depaul
2021: 5-14 (2-13 Big East)
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Since taking over for Chris Mack in 2018, Travis Steele has failed to take Xavier back to the NCAA Tournament. Their absence is likely to change in 2021 as practically everyone returns from last year’s inconsistent squad that finished in the middle of the Big East. Eight Xavier players that averaged 10 or more minutes per game last season are joined by two Big Ten transfers, junior forwards Jerome Hunter (Indiana) and Jack Nunge (Iowa), to add some size. Senior guard Paul Scruggs (14.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.7 APG) remains the player to watch, but this is the deepest bench in the conference, so expect a different guy to take charge every night.
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No Big East team has seen a wider gap in pundit preseason expectations than the Red Storm, which returns junior guard Julian Champagnie (19.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG) and sophomore guard Posh Alexander (10.9 PPG with sterling defense) from a team that just missed the NCAA Tournament last year. The Johnnies add three freshmen and six transfers, highlighted by graduate guard Stef Smith, who averaged 13.6 PPG with Vermont last year. This should be Mike Anderson’s best team since taking over the job, and a tournament appearance is likely.
Fun fact: Butler was one of only two teams to play every scheduled Big East game last season, and, while it was a rough year for head coach LaVall Jordan, the Bulldogs are bringing back everybody that matters from last year’s squad. The starting lineup will feature four seniors, and all five starters averaged more than 10 points per game last year. Eastern Michigan transfer Ty Groce (15.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG) should add some size on the inside. Though defense will remain a bit of an issue—the Bulldogs ranked 295th in opponents’ effective FG% last year—this should be a much-improved squad.
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Over the past six seasons, Kevin Willard’s team has consistently remained one of the strongest squads in the Big East. Seton Hall had a bumpy 2020-21 year but looked like a bubble team before dropping their final four games of the regular season. With star player Sandro Mamukelashvili off to the NBA and graduate guard Bryce Aiken constantly dealing with injuries, this team enters the season with question marks throughout the roster. The wing play should be solid, but Mamukelashvili’s departure leaves a noticeable gap on the inside. The Pirates can anticipate a middling bubble season once again unless a second big man to play alongside 7’2” graduate center Ike Obiagu steps into the fold. While Butler returns everyone from a team that was bad last year, Big East runner-up Creighton loses everyone from a team that was quite good. The Bluejays earned a five seed in the NCAA Tournament and made a run to the Sweet 16. Not a single starter, however, returns from that team. The one name to watch is redshirt freshman guard Rati Andronikashvili, a Georgian-born player who missed last season with a knee injury. Despite Andronikashvili’s potential, the roster remains heavy with transfers and freshmen, and the Bluejays should expect to have a losing record in conference play for the first time since 2015.
Marquette coach Shaka Smart takes over for Steve Wojciechowski after a 19-8 season with the Texas Longhorns and could get this Eagles team back to the top of the Big East sooner rather than later. The outflux of players following the coaching change ( just three players return from last season’s team), however, means finding success this season will be difficult. Maryland transfer Darryl Morsell (9.0 PPG with stellar defense with the Terps) is the name to watch. Morsell will be joined by three additional transfers and two freshmen in the eight-man rotation, creating rough year one conditions for Shaka as he lays the groundwork for future success.
design by josh klein
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UConn’s headline entering the season is the loss of star James Bouknight to the NBA, but what was head coach Dan Hurley’s best team yet retains many of its key pieces. Graduate forward Isaiah Whaley is one of the best defenders in the country, and graduate guard R.J. Cole (12.2 PPG) is primed to step into the No. 1 scorer role in place of Bouknight. Consistency, however, is a worry, as is a lack of potent scorers behind Cole. The raw talent of this team on top of Hurley’s coaching places the Huskies comfortably towards the top of the conference, but UConn will need a breakthrough incoming freshman to threaten ’Nova.
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Providence is a long shot to return to conference contention, with star David Duke gone from a team that was already just “okay” last season. That being said, guard AJ Reeves (9.6 PPG), and bruising 6’10” center Nate Watson (16.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG) return from last season’s .500 team, and an Ed Cooley coached team will always play to the best of their abilities. The addition of doubledigit scorer Al Durham, a graduate guard transferring in from Indiana, also helps, leaving the Friars as a dark horse pick for the NCAA Tournament.
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Georgetown’s miracle run to the Big East Tournament Championship was one of the best moments of last season nationwide. However, a repeat performance may be difficult as sophomore guard Dante Harris (8.0 PPG) is the only returning starter, meaning freshmen wing Aminu Mohammed and center Ryan Mutombo will be thrown right into the fire of Big East play. Expect graduate wing Kaiden Rice (17.6 PPG at The Citadel last year) to be a key piece should the Hoyas overperform expectations. The influx of new talent makes the Hoyas difficult to predict, but the team should expect another sub-.500 Big East finish for head coach Patrick Ewing in year five.
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The “Dave Leitao II: Electric Boogaloo” era for DePaul ended with zero NCAA Tournament appearances in seven years and a high finish of 94th in the country in KenPom. Now, it is time for Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield to try and take over what is one of the hardest jobs in any power conference. Senior guard Javon Freeman-Liberty (14.4 PPG) is the only big returner, and Stubblefield, known as a master recruiter, will rely on incoming transfers along with freshman guard Ahamad Bynum in what looks to be a rocky year one in Chicago. NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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vs. Dartmouth vs. American vs. Siena San Diego State* Saint Joseph’s/USC* vs. Longwood @ South Carolina vs. UMBC vs. Syracuse vs. Howard vs. TCU** 12/22 12/28 1/1 1/4 1/7 1/13 1/16 1/22 1/25 1/29 2/1
2/6 2/9 2/12 2/16 2/19 2/24 2/27 3/2 3/5
*Wooden Legacy **Big East-Big 12 Battle
vs. Providence @ DePaul vs. Creighton @ Marquette @ Villanova vs. DePaul vs. Connecticut @ Seton Hall @ Xavier
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Aminu Mohammed Dante Harris Tyler Beard Jalin Billingsley Timothy Ighoefe Chuma Azinge Kaiden Rice Jordan Riley Donald Carey Ryan Mutombo Collin Holloway Kobe Clark Malcolm Wilson Victor Muresan
MEN’S ROSTER
@ Providence @ Creighton vs. St. John’s vs. Xavier vs. Marquette vs. Butler @ St. John’s vs. Villanova @ Connecticut @ Butler vs. Seton Hall
Georgetown
2021-22
11/13 11/16 11/19 11/25 11/26 11/30 12/5 12/8 12/11 12/15 12/18
MEN’S schedule
Yasmin Ott Kelsey Ransom Teaghan Flaherty Natalie Jasper Kaylin West Anita Kelava Jillian Archer Brianna Scott Jazmyn Harmon Ariel Jenkins Shanniah Wright Milan Molden-Morris Kaliyah Myricks Graceann Bennett Mary Clougherty
11/9 11/12 11/17 11/21 11/24 11/30 12/3 12/5 12/9 12/13
@ Navy vs. Salem University vs. Davidson vs. Columbia vs. Loyola vs. Temple @ Creighton @ Providence vs. GW vs. Coppin State 12/31 1/2 1/5 1/9 1/14 1/16 1/21 1/23 1/28
woMEN’S schedule
0 1 2 4 10 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 25 33 44
woMEN’S ROSTER
vs. St. John’s vs. Seton Hall vs. Connecticut vs. Villanova @ Marquette @ DePaul vs. Creighton vs. Providence vs. Xavier
1/30 2/2 2/6 2/11 2/13 2/18 2/20 2/25 2/27
vs. Butler @ Seton Hall @ Villanova @ St. John’s vs. DePaul vs. Marquette @ Connecticut @ Xavier @ Butler
Georgetown Basketball
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BIg east rankings BY ANDREW ARNOLD
After returning to the Big East in 2020-21 and running through the competition to the tune of an 18-0 inconference record, No. 2 UConn will look to continue their run of dominance in both the Big East and the NCAA. The Huskies are returning all five starters from last year’s Final Four team and will be led by sophomore point guard Paige Bueckers, who became the first freshman to win the AP Player of the Year in 2020. Bueckers will be joined by top freshman recruit Azzi Fudd as they seek their second straight Big East title and compete for their twelfth National Championship.
1. UCONN
2021: 28-2 (18-0 Big East)
2. DEPAUL
2021: 14-10 (11-5 Big East)
3. SETON HALL
2021: 14-7 (12-5 Big East)
4. MARQUETTE
2021: 19-7 (14-4 Big East)
5. Villanova
2021: 17-7 (9-5 Big East)
6. St. John’s
2021: 8-15 (4-12 Big East)
7. Creighton
2021: 10-12 (6-7 Big East)
8. PROVIDENCE
2021: 7-14 (4-10 Big East)
9. Georgetown 2021: 2-15 (2-14 Big East)
10. XAVIER
2021: 5-10 (2-8 Big East)
11. BUTLER
2021: 3-17 (3-15 Big East)
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The Blue Demons had one of the best offenses in the nation last year, finishing eighth overall in points per game at 81.5, and will attempt to replicate that elite scoring with all five starters returning. Leading that potent offense will be senior guard Sonya Morris, a unanimous All-Big East First-Team selection after averaging 18.5 points per game last year. While it might take a bit of luck to outpace UConn in the regular season, DePaul has the best chance of catching fire in the Big East tournament and dethroning the Huskies en route to the Blue Demons’s potential sixth title since 2014.
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Unfortunately for Marquette, they lost two of their three leading scorers from last year’s second place team with guard Selena Lott off to the WNBA and junior forward Camryn Taylor transferring to Virginia. Despite these losses, the Golden Eagles hope to advance to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament. They bolstered their roster with standout transfers including redshirt sophomore forward Kennedi Myles (Illinois) and AllBig Ten First Team graduate guard Karissa McLaughlin (Purdue). With McLaughlin and graduate forward Lauren Van Kleunen, Marquette should have enough to secure their fifth straight March Madness invite.
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The Bluejays were able to wreak some havoc upon the Big East Tournament last year with their upset of the thirdseeded Seton Hall Pirates, but after an uninspiring 6-7 Big East record, it’s unlikely that Creighton will be competing for a top seed in the conference. However, they will welcome back sophomore forward Emma Ronsiek, who was second on the team in scoring during her freshman season (11.6 PPG). Ronsiek will look to build upon her All-Freshman Team selection and lead the Bluejays in the Big East Tournament where they can perhaps repeat a Cinderella performance with an upset or two.
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Last year, Villanova was a surprise upstart under first-year coach Denise Dillon, securing an invite to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. For the Wildcats to improve on last season’s outcome and into the tournament, they’re going to have to rely on junior forward Maddy Siegrist, who led the Big East in scoring a year ago (22.8 PPG) and was one of only two Big East players to average more than 20 a game (with Bueckers). Villanova likely can’t compete with the likes of UConn, but they should be able to repeat a semi-finals appearance in the Big East Tournament.
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Providence will use this season as a transition year with a completely revamped lineup and eight incoming players, including two transfers and six freshmen. Luckily, one of their new freshmen, forward Emily Archibald, is a promising two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for her home state of Maine. It’ll be up to head coach Jim Crowley to figure out the rotations with so many new bodies in the locker room, but if he can build around double-double machine Mary Baskerville (19 points, 11 rebounds per 40 minutes), the Friars have a puncher’s chance of shooting up the Big East standings.
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The Xavier Musketeers were also impeded by COVID-19 last season, when they were only able to play 10 conference games (going 2-8). In the offseason, the program underwent a massive overhaul, adding seven incoming players—three of them freshmen. The best case scenario for the Musketeers is that their second and third leading scorers from last year, redshirt sophomore guard Nia Clark and junior guard Kae Satterfield respectively, are able to make leaps in their game. It depends on head coach Melanie Moore’s success in piecing together a solid rotation, but it’s looking like a development year for Xavier.
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The Pirates were the only program with three players on the Big East First Team last season, but with the transfer of star forward Desiree Elmore to Rhode Island, more responsibility will fall to graduate guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter (18.6 PPG) and breakout junior forward Lauren Park-Lane (17.5 PPG). Park-Lane exploded in a big way last year, winning Big East Most Improved Player, but with the loss of Elmore and others, it’ll be a tough task for the Pirates to improve on last season’s third place finish.
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The highlight of St. John’s last season was sophomore (now junior) guard Leilani Correa, who averaged 17.6 points per game en route to an All-Big East First Team selection. The Red Storm, however, failed to capitalize on Correa’s scoring, sputtering to a 4-12 Big East record. On the bright side, St John’s will return with four starters (including Correa) and add two key transfers—graduate forward Danielle Patterson (Indiana) and senior forward Danielle Cosgrove (Notre Dame)—which should fortify their roster for a potential surprise run in the Big East Tournament.
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Continuity will be the key for the Hoyas this year. After a delayed start to last season—in which Georgetown played just a single nonconference game due to the COVID-19 pandemic—the Hoyas were never able to find their groove. This year, they’ll welcome back all but two players, including standout freshman (now sophomore) guard Kelsey Ransom, and are adding a couple transfers and freshmen to the roster. While Georgetown wasn’t able to exceed its low expectations last year finishing with a 2-15 record, a bit of stability and roster depth could make them marginally better in 2021.
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In the 2020-21 season, Butler was outscored by an average margin of 19.3 points per game. Suffice to say, the Bulldogs did not have their best year. Making matters worse, Butler will need to replace three of their starters from last season. While second-leading scorer and graduate guard Genesis Parker returns and the team gains transfers graduate forward Celena Taborn (Furman) and redshirt freshman guard Kendall Wingler (Eastern Kentucky), this team’s lack of any consistent scoring condemns it towards the bottom of the conference for the foreseeable future.
layout by alex giorno
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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MEET the new gals BY ELLE VAN GIESEN
rianna Scott, a freshman forward from Reston, Va., is poised to make use of her “ability to post up, rebound, and block shots,” as coach James Howard says. At 6’4”, Scott is a force to be reckoned with down low but can also shoot the three pointer, making her a versatile addition to the squad. During her time at South Lakes High School, where her mother is the coach, Scott earned First Team All-Liberty District, First Team AllNorthern Region, and Second Team All-State honors. In her breakout junior season, she averaged 13.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. Scott’s abilities on both ends of the floor set her up for success in her freshman year.
ailing from Pittsburgh, Pa., Natalie Jasper is a freshman guard who brings high energy and work ethic to the Hoya team. Jasper, a preferred walk-on, attended The Ellis School and graduated as the all-time leading scorer with 1,214 points. She served as team captain for two years, earning the 2A WPIAL Player of the Year Award and two selections to the 2A WPIAL First Team AllSection. Hoya blue runs in Jasper’s veins, as both of her parents attended and ran track at Georgetown. Jasper’s hopes to continue this familial success in Georgetown athletics, and her drive and abilities on the court will position her as a key player this season.
Brianna Scott | 6’4” | Forward
Natalie Jasper | 5’5” | Guard
H
B
aliyah Myricks, a four-star recruit, is one of two incoming freshman forwards for the Hoyas, aiming to dominate inside with her physicality and intensity. During her time at The George School in Newtown, Pa., Myricks was a four-year starter and a twoyear captain. Averaging 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists per game as a junior, Myricks possesses a diverse skill set, which earned her a spot on the First Team AllLeague, as well as an honorable mention as a sophomore. Howard praises her ability to score “from all three levels on the court,” which will make her a key part of the Hoyas’s offensive efforts this season.
orn and raised in Piscataway, N.J., Ariel Jenkins is a center who aims to contribute to the success of the team in the post and use her high basketball IQ to stretch the floor. As a junior at Stuart Country Day School, Jenkins averaged 11.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Howard praises Jenkins for her ability to “hit the offensive glass really well,” adding, “she has a nice touch and a good spot up shot.” Ranked as the 85th recruit in her class by Prospects Nation, Jenkins is expected to be physically dominant in the post, collecting rebounds and blocking shots.
Kaliyah Myricks | 6’2” | Forward
Ariel Jenkins | 6’3” | Center
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K
ary Clougherty is the second new graduate guard for the Hoyas. Clougherty hails from Herndon, Va., and was a four-year starter at Chantilly High School. She dominated the court, earning First Team All-State honors as a senior, taking home the team’s award of Most Valuable Player three times, and serving as a captain for two years. At Lehigh University, she had a breakout season her senior year, grabbing a Second Team All-Patriot League selection and leading the league in 3-pointers. She also served as the team captain her senior year at Lehigh— leadership essential to the success of the new Georgetown team. Howard hopes her “range and quick release” will translate into strong play for the Hoyas this season.
aylin West, one of two graduate students joining the Georgetown roster this season, will bring her talent and leadership from her time as a guard at Coastal Carolina. In 105 appearances, West had 31 starts and averaged 3.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. In her 2017-18 season, she earned a spot on the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List. Born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa., West played one season at IMG Academy and finished her high school career at Liberty High School, averaging 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 3.4 steals per game her senior season.
Mary Clougherty | 6’0” | Guard
Kaylin West | 5’7” | Guard
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THE GEORGETOWN VOICE
M
photos courtesy of georgetown athletics;layout by deborah han
FEATURE
WNBA STAR AND GEORGETOWN LEGEND
SUGAR RODGERS
RETURNS TO THE HILLTOP
S
BY HAYLEY SALVATORE AND NATALIA PORRAS
even years after graduating from Georgetown, than male athletes, they are less likely to feel comfortable Sugar Rodgers is once again a Hoya. Now a WNBA talking with their coaches about mental health issues champion and published author, she brings a or satisfied with the mental health care they receive. wealth of personal and professional experience to her new Rodgers’s experience at Georgetown gives her awareness role as assistant coach of the women’s basketball team. of a problem that college students face across the country. Rodgers played at Georgetown from 2009 to 2013, Although Rodgers is now known for her athletic fame, where she was named to First Team All-Big East all four success never came easy for her. Growing up in Suffolk, seasons and propelled the team to national rankings for Virginia, Rodgers’s family faced extreme poverty. In her the first time in 15 years. After graduating in 2013, Rodgers recently published memoir, They Better Call Me Sugar: My was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx, where she won a Journey from the Hood to the Hardwood, Rodgers recalls WNBA title in her first year. She then played with the New her neighborhood having a strong police presence, yet a York Liberty and most recently, the Las Vegas Aces in her lack of a park or public space to gather. Athletics offered decade-long professional career. Rodgers an opportunity to pursue an education she would Coming onto the coaching staff for the 2022 season, otherwise have had limited access to, and that few in her Rodgers views her return as a chance to give back to a community had the resources to pursue. program close to her heart and mentor younger athletes “You would have never thought I would go to at the institution that readied her for a professional career Georgetown University, growing up in the projects,” in basketball. Rodgers recounted. “I don’t want to just build basketball relationships, I Rodgers has long been passionate about helping want to build lifetime relationships with the girls. Though young athletes navigate the challenges of being firstI should say ‘young ladies,’” she said in an interview with generation college students (a disappearing demographic the Voice. in the NCAA). Her book builds on a project she started as One of the benefits of having Rodgers on staff is her an undergraduate. experience as not just an athlete, but as an undergraduate “I did it as a therapeutic thing here at Georgetown, in and master’s student at Georgetown. She sat in the same an independent study class that I had,” Rodgers explained classrooms as her current players and calls Washington, of her first draft. “I was like, I really want to write a book, D.C. home. She has an acute sense of the challenges because I know there’s someone out here going through Georgetown athletes face, including the immense privilege some of the same things that I’m going through.” of the student body and the university’s competitive Her openness about both her positive and trying environment, which often places first-generation and low- experiences on the Hilltop demonstrates Rodgers’s care income students at a disadvantage. as a coach and a mentor for the players she interacts In 2015, the NCAA GOALS study found that 14 percent with. With her firsthand understanding of student life of Division I student athletes were first-generation college at Georgetown, she is in a singular position to pass students. While 12 percent of white student athletes report along wisdom to future generations of student athletes. being first-generation college students, that percentage is “Once I got here and had my experience, I was like, doubled for student athletes of color. That year, only 47 ‘I need to be sharing this. I need to get it out,’” she said. percent of first-generation students “strongly agreed” that While Rodgers’s readjusts to collegiate basketball, they would have attended a four-year college if they were she looks to take “one day at a time.” She joins the not an athlete, while 62 percent of non-first-generation staff of head coach James Howard, who, according to students strongly agreed. Athletic talent is just one part of Rodgers, balances her intensity with a more “mellow” the larger picture of fitting in. and laid-back style. Rodgers likes to get involved on “I started going to therapy when I came to Georgetown, the court, taking a hands-on approach to coaching that because it was a culture shock for me,” Rodgers said. often finds her participating in drills with the team. The 2019 edition of the GOALS study measured “I’m one of the youngest staff members,” Rodgers said. that 50.7 percent of incoming female first-year athletes “And I still can get out here and do a lot of things.” She indicated that they were “frequently overwhelmed” by proved that just last year by playing in the WNBA finals. all they had to do in the past year. While female student Although the Hoyas enter the season ranked ninth in athletes feel more overwhelmed by their commitments the Big East Coaches’ Poll, Rodgers is confident that the
team is being underestimated. “Just looking and being here and actually being on the court and working with these girls and seeing them get better, I don’t think so,” she said, pointing to their off-court unity. “It’s great to have great team chemistry, because that’s how you win ball games.” It is a testament to the Georgetown program that they can regain one of their most successful graduates and telling that Rodgers would seek out a university position in addition to her more prominent new role as an assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces. Rodgers’s return to the Hilltop demonstrates her commitment to basketball and coaching as a way to impact individual lives. Her hiring will hopefully develop a team that can challenge the best in the Big East and is ready to take on life off the court and beyond Georgetown. As the anticipation for the coming season builds, Rodgers is grateful to return to Georgetown. She recognizes that coaching is an opportunity that few people receive, and is already sharing her insights with the players. “I tell them everyday I come in, like, ‘Georgetown saved my life, so take advantage of this opportunity you have now and don’t take it for granted.’” G
photo courtesy of jason mcdonald; layout by max zhang
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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PLAYER PROFILE
Kelsey Ransom is ready to roar BY ROMAN PEREGRINO
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inutes before a Georgetown women’s basketball home game, the atmosphere in the bowels of McDonough Arena is one that could be found in any locker room. Players talk amongst themselves, preparing for the upcoming opponent. Someone dribbles a basketball, laughter peals out of nowhere, and the coaches finalize the starting lineup. However, one player is noticeably silent. “I like to calm down, be cool and collected,” sophomore guard Kelsey Ransom said of her pregame routine. “I don’t speak a lot before games.” The star-in-the-making lets her play do the talking. Last season, Ransom started every game for the Hoyas on her way to being tabbed for the Big East All-Freshman Team. Her performance was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season for the Georgetown women’s basketball team, which had the pall of the COVID-19 pandemic hanging over it. This year, Ransom has the benefit of a full offseason program under her belt and is ready to take the next step into the upper echelon of Big East players and lead her team to another level. Well before coming to the Hilltop, Ransom’s calling card has been her tenacious defense. In high school, Ransom was twice named Defensive Player of the Year in the prestigious Rose Classic league. Her prowess carried over smoothly to her first collegiate season. In an interview with the Voice at the end of last season, head coach James Howard called her one of the best defensive players in the conference, an 4
THE GEORGETOWN VOICE
important asset for a team that will face dominant guards such as UConn’s Paige Bueckers, St. John’s Leilani Correa, and Villanova’s Madison Siegrist multiple times. For her part, Ransom relishes the opportunity to show off what she can do against the best guards in the Big East. “I play my best against the best,” she said. “Every time I go out there, I think of it as an opportunity to get better. We lace up our shoes the same way.” Besides shutting down opposing scorers, Ransom was the engine that drove the Georgetown offense last season, leading the team in minutes (33.4 per game), points (10.5 per game), and assists (3.9 per game). Even if other players on the roster take the next step, the only way that the Hoyas can make noise in the Big East is for Ransom to evolve on both sides of the ball. Last year, a lot of her success on the offensive end was undone due to turnovers—Ransom averaged an unsightly 5.2 turnovers per game, totalling a 66:89 assist to turnover ratio on the season. Those are growing pains that come with playing big minutes as a freshman, but to get to the next level, Ransom knows cutting down on turnovers is a must. “You can say I led the team in this, this, and that last year,” she said. “We didn’t win. I led the team in turnovers. I’m okay with saying that I was a big part of that.” Following last season, Howard was excited to have Ransom and the team’s other young players in the gym for the entire offseason and preseason after COVID-19 ripped those opportunities away last year. Ransom spent her summer focusing on decision-making and court vision in preparation for lead ball-handling duties this season. An improved offseason also gave Ransom a chance to go up against her teammates every day in practice, building vital chemistry. Ransom’s frequent matchup in practice is fellow sophomore Yasmin Ott, a speedy guard who was a capable player off the bench last season. According to Ransom, the two show each other no mercy in practices, focusing on making each other better players.
RANSOM RISES FOR A FLOATER AGAINST VILLANOVA “You might hate me through the entirety of practice, but you will come out being a better player,” Ransom said of their duels. In an interview before her freshman season, Ransom said that one of her goals in college was to “create a bond bigger than teammates, as sisters and family.” So far, she has found that on the Hilltop. “This is probably going to be one of the closest teams I’ve ever been on,” Ransom said. “These are really my sisters.” Only four players have been on the roster longer than her, and Ransom sees this as an opportunity to be someone her teammates can rely on, both on and off the court. Even as a freshman, Ransom was already a leader on this team, and now she is looking to bring new confidence and experience to the role. “I dedicated this offseason and preseason to really working on myself and being an approachable person,” Ransom said. “Someone that people are comfortable with and can talk to and look to on the court and feel safe with. It’s really important as a player so that your teammates trust you and vice versa.” With that trust comes a focus on team success over individual stats. Ransom doesn’t need to be the player with the ball in her hands in the waning moments to make an impact—if a teammate’s open, she is more than happy to find her. The Hoyas have high hopes this season, but the only way for them to reach their ceiling will be through Ransom’s leadership. No matter what the score is, or how long she has been out there, expect Ransom to set the example. “I’m going to be composed, I’ll hold this team to a standard.” *** Back in the locker room, Ransom is nearly ready for game time. Mary J. Blige, Solange, and Snoh Aalegra cycle through her headphones as she gets in the zone. Soon it’s time to tip off. As she gets up and makes her way to the court, she doesn’t make a speech or tell her teammates what they need to do. She’s silent in the locker room; on the court, she roars. G
photo courtesy of georgetown athletics; layout by allison derose
A
fter a tough season, the Georgetown women’s basketball team is ready to write the next chapter in their story. For both the returners from last season and newcomers, the 2021-22 season will be about realizing the team’s potential and bouncing back from the challenges of the pandemic. The Hoyas hope to improve from last season and win key games to progress in the Big East standings. In the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, the Hoyas faced an overwhelming number of obstacles. Building team chemistry would have been a challenge in any year, given the almost entirely new roster. Due to the pandemic, the Hoyas had little opportunity to practice in person before the season started. A total of 12 games were cancelled or postponed, including all of their fall non-conference games, a stretch crucial for building chemistry and making adjustments. The team, still adapting to multiple roster changes, was thrown into Big East play with little preparation. In the end, the pandemic-induced disruption took its toll. The Hoyas finished eleventh in the Big East with a 2-15 record overall. Despite the results, rising players like sophomore guards Kelsey Ransom and Yasmin Ott were bright flashes, and the team was one or two bounces away from beating several Big East foes. A survey of players and coaches on the team makes it clear that this year will be different if the Hoyas have anything to say about it. To beat expectations, several players will have to build on past experience and performance so they’re ready to contend with the best. Most notable is Ransom, primed to be a force in the Big East. She led the Hoyas with 178 points last season and was named to the backcourt of the Big East All-Freshman team. Both Ransom and Ott will seek to improve on progress from last year and further assert themselves as team leaders this season. In addition to their sophomore backcourt, the Hoyas have added significant depth and experience to the roster during the offseason. In a post-season interview with the Voice, head coach James Howard stressed the need for improved depth and consistency. As a young team, the Hoyas struggled in late-
game situations, often committing unforced errors down the stretch in close matchups. To address this weakness, the Hoyas will look for significant contributions from graduate transfers Mary Clougherty and Kaylin West. Clougherty, who transferred from Lehigh, will provide both needed experience and long distance shooting for the Hoyas. In her last season with the Mountain Hawks, she averaged 11.9 points, 2.6 assistants, and 4.1 rebounds per game and saw significant playing time in Lehigh’s NCAA Tournament run. West, a defensive-minded transfer who spent four years at Coastal Carolina University, will also add depth to the roster. Howard is excited to see the former Chanticleer’s stabilizing presence on the court for the Hoyas. “Kaylin will bring experience to our backcourt. She has a high basketball IQ and strong work ethic and her ability to defend the basketball will fit right in with our defensive philosophy,” he wrote in a press release. Georgetown will also rely on experience from two key returning players: graduate forward Anita Kelava and senior forward Jillian Archer. Archer returns to the team after controlling the boards last year, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. Archer cited the last few months of in-person practices as a key advantage for the team this year. “I think that the spring and summer has really helped us with cohesion and chemistry on the court which you can only carry into a great season.” Kelava, the 6’3” forward, will join Archer and junior Graceann Bennett in the front court. Kelava, who sat out last season due to visa issues, aims to continue her strong defensive performance from the 2019-20 season while showcasing a more versatile offensive game. As one of the Big East’s leaders in blocks, Kelava will help bolster the team’s defense in the paint. During Big East media day, Kelava stated she hopes to improve in rebounding and scoring to pose a threat on both ends of the floor. The Hoyas will open the season Nov. 9 at Navy to begin a series of six non-conference games. All the matchups (with
SEASON PREVIEW
Women’s basketball looks for a fresh start this season BY TIM TAN
the exception of Navy) will be played at home in McDonough Arena through November. Their first Big East games will come against Creighton on Dec. 3 in Omaha and against Providence on Dec. 5 in Providence. Last season, these squads finished in the middle of the Big East and should be a good test for the Hoyas coming out of the non-conference slate. The Hoyas will then have two easier home games against George Washington and Coppin State before resuming Big East play for good on Dec. 31. Georgetown concludes the regular season with a home game against Butler on Feb. 27. Although this team hasn’t generated the same level of press as some of its Big East rivals, the Hoyas are really threatening to make some noise in the Big East. The key to their success will be Ransom and Ott continuing to develop and Kelava integrating back into the offense. With improved consistency and more time to prepare for conference play this season, Georgetown will lay the foundation for a team that could easily mount a run as a competitor in the Big East in the next few years. The team might not be on the same level as UConn, DePaul, and Seton Hall, but they’re ready to shake up league rankings. “I think that last year spoke for itself in our perseverance and our grit through all of the adversity,” Archer said. “We come out on the court every single day—every practice, every game—ready to fight and we’re going to give it our all no matter what.” Ransom echoed that sentiment. For her, the team’s unity will be their biggest strength as they look to shake up the league. “As long as we stay together, I don’t think anything can stand in our way.” G
photos courtesy of georgetown athletics; layout by deborah han
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
PLAYER PROFILE Kelley Ransom is ready to roar
SEASON PREVIEW Women’s basketball looks for a fresh start this season
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3
ROMAN PEREGRINO
5 FEATURE WNBA star and Georgetown legend Sugar Rodgers comes home to the Hilltop
HAYLEY SALVATORE AND NATALIA PORRAS
TIM TAN
6 TEAM PROFILE Meet the new gals ELLE VAN GIESEN
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women’s basketball preview