One big man will be in a suit on the bench, still ineligible until December. Another didn’t even travel and remains on campus with an undisclosed illness. It’s a good thing Georgetown coach John Thompson III believes that his team is both deep and versatile because short-handed is what the Hoyas continue to be as they open play in the 2010 Charleston Classic without senior Julian Vaughn and freshman Moses Ayegba.
Vaughn hasn’t been with the team since practice on Sunday, when he complained of not feeling well and checked into the Georgetown University Hospital for tests and evaluation. Ayegba must sit out seven more games before the NCAA will let him play.
Georgetown hasn’t said much more about either player, but their absences haven’t changed the identity of a Hoyas squad that knows exactly who it is.
| Up Next |
| No. 20 Georgetown vs. Coastal Carolina |
| Where » Carolina First Arena, Charleston, S.C. |
| When » Thursday, noon |
| TV » MASN |
Former Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., who saw his old team beat Tulane on Tuesday, was struck more by pestering defense that reminded him of his own teams than the oft-discussed Princeton-style offense and asked his son about it in the news conference afterward.
“It’s a conscious effort,” John Thompson III answered. “I think we have as much depth as we’ve had in a while, not just depth but with the skill set of the guys that we have, we’re able to extend pressure. I just think that’s what’s best with this group.”
Freshman forward Nate Lubick has already made an impression with his long arms and physical inside presence, while junior forward Henry Sims started in Vaughn’s place on Tuesday.
Still, it’s difficult to take the focus off of Georgetown’s experienced three-man backcourt of Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Jason Clark, who’ve combined for 101 of Georgetown’s 131 points in two games. Wright also had eight assists, while Clark added 11 rebounds and five steals against Tulane.
“They’re going to score points. It’s almost like that is a given,” Thompson said. “For us to be successful on top of the progression and the growth of our underclassmen, [they] have to lead and set the tone in every other aspect of the game.
Without their missing players, the Hoyas (2-0) still arrived in Charleston on Tuesday as favorites. Desmond Holloway (18.3 points per game) and the Chanticleers (2-1) will be the first hurdle to overcome, with either USC-Upstate or Wofford waiting in the second game on Friday before the final on Sunday.
