(Until we get a college hoops blog going, from time to time, we’re going to use this space for the campus hardwood. It is part of my winter beat, after all…)
I can’t help but there’s something glaring about Georgetown’s 2009-10 schedule, which was released a short time ago.
The Hoyas begin the year at Tulane, in New Orleans — the home of Greg Monroe. It smells a lot like the visit two years ago to Birmingham to face the Crimson Tide, a nice nod to Alabama native and then-senior captain Jonathan Wallace. Except, Monroe’s a sophomore. We know he would’ve been a top-ten projected NBA draft prospect if he had come out last year. With a season opener in his hometown, it’s hard not to believe it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll declare next spring.
Georgetown also goes back to McDonogh for a trap game against always-tricky Old Dominion, a game which follows on the heels of visits to Madison Square Garden for the Jimmy V Classic (vs. Butler) and out West for the John Wooden Classic (vs. Washington). Not too shabby for a non-conference schedule.
But the game to circle, of course, is Duke’s visit to the Verizon Center on Jan. 30, four years after they were stunned there as the No. 1 team in the nation. The biggest victory of John Thompson III’s tenure to that point, and it’s first over a top-ranked team in two decades, paved the way to reaching the Sweet 16 that season.
As for Maryland, a congratulations to Gary Williams, who was elected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches board of directors.
