VILLANOVA, Pa. – High up in the bleachers at Villanova’s Pavilion on January 20, a small but hearty group of Georgetown supporters cheered and chanted all evening. Across the way, a packed Wildcats student section responded to the visitors’ surprisingly loud exhorts of “LET’S! GO! HO-YAS!” by yelling back, “WHAT’S A HO-YA?!”
On the court, Villanova senior guard Wooga Poplar was ejected for throwing a punch. Georgetown freshman forward Caleb Williams woofed at Wildcats coach Kyle Neptune after a made three-pointer. Players crashed into one another and dove ed hard onto the hardwood. Every rebound, every loose ball, every point, every possession felt like life or death.
The excitement was palpable, the game meaningful, the finish thrilling as the Hoyas won, 64-63.
In the stands, on the floor, and everywhere in between, it just felt like Villanova versus Georgetown. It just felt like this:
Welcome back to the Big East, Hoyas.
The proud and storied Georgetown program was a powerhouse in the Big East in the 1980’s. Coach John Thompson’s Hoyas became a cultural phenomenon. They won a national title and made another championship game appearance while playing in every NCAA tournament in the decade. Off the court, the Hoyas brand showed up in hip-hop music videos on MTV and was embraced by impressionable teenagers mesmerized by Georgetown’s coolness and toughness.
Slowly, steadily, the success, the brand, the impact of the Hoyas on college hoops and culture evaporated. In recent years, Georgetown not only became a non-factor in the Big East but a laughingstock of the conference. The Hoyas won two league games in two seasons prior to coach Ed Cooley’s arrival before the 2023-24 season and lost 29 consecutive Big East contests during one embarrassingly forgettable stretch.
Now, slowly, steadily, the success, the brand, the impact of the Hoyas on college hoops and culture are showing some signs of returning. Georgetown started 3-0 in the Big East. Four close but not unsettling league losses, by an average of 6.5 points, followed before the shocking comeback victory at Villanova that seemed to send another message that the Hoyas are on the rise.
“It means we’re developing,” Cooley said following the win on January 20. “We have a long way to go, but we’ve come a long way. Every single Big East game we’ve played, we’ve been right there. I mean, right there. We’re not there yet, but slowly but surely we’re trying to climb that mountain to build sustainable success, not just a flash in the pan. That’s culture, that’s character, that’s program development, that’s relationship with administrators, alums, former players, community. It’s the family aspect of the program, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Just as it appeared as if the Hoyas were gaining respectability again, they followed the impressive victory over Villanova with a pair of clunkers, losing for the eighth straight time versus Providence in Cooley’s return last Saturday to the program he led for 12 seasons. Then on Tuesday, the Hoyas got routed at home by St. John’s, 66-41. Georgetown got back on the winning track with Friday’s 73-70 home win over Butler.
“This was the first game we played all year where I thought our defense let us down,” Cooley said after the loss at Providence. “I don’t think we were gritty, and I thought that Providence was tougher.”
Cooley tried to lift up the Hoyas after the Red Storm knocked them down.
“But what I can say is, we’re at a point here where you have to continue to inspire your guys and lift them up,” he said following the 25-point blowout. “It’s not the end of the world. So for us, it’s a breaking point as far as how much we want to compete.”
Seton Hall Is a Have-Not in the New NIL World
St. John’s senior guard Kadary Richmond was the target of Seton Hall fans’ ire on January 18 when the Red Storm traveled across the Hudson River to play the Pirates at the Prudential Center in Newark. After leading Seton Hall to the NIT title last season, Richmond transferred to St. John’s. Fans responded by booing Richmond and holding up snake and dollar bill signs while watching Richmond get 12 points, five rebounds, and six assists to help the Red Storm to a 79-51 victory.
Afterward, Red Storm coach Rick Pitino defended Richmond’s decision, citing the differences in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) resources available at St. John’s compared to Seton Hall.
“If the money was the same, he’d be playing for (Seton Hall coach) Shaheen (Holloway),” Pitino told reporters. “If the money was close, he’d be playing for Shaheen. It’s not a level playing field. Right now, they don’t have the revenue that most of the other teams have. Probably, it’s the lowest in the league.”
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- In its 66-41 blowout win over Georgetown on January 28, St. John’s scored 24 of the first 27 points. The Red Storm improved to 9-1 in the Big East, marking their best start in the league since the 1984–85 season when they went to the Final Four under former coach Lou Carnesecca.
- Kam Jones scored 17 points in Marquette’s 78-69 win at Butler on January 28 to move into fourth place on the school’s all-time scoring list, passing George Thompson.
- Creighton snapped UConn’s 28-game home winning streak with a 68-63 victory at Gampel Pavilion on January 18. Jamiya Neal’s career-high 28 points led the way for the Bluejays. In its next home game, on January 21 against Butler at the XL Center in Hartford, UConn held on for an 80-78 overtime win. The Bulldogs had two chances to win it on their final possession, but Jahmyl Telfort’s two three-point tries rimmed off. Telfort scored a game-high 25 points. Solo Ball led the Huskies with 23 points and hit a tie-breaking three-pointer with 1:39 left in OT that gave UConn the lead for good.
UConn improved to 4-3 without star freshman Liam McNeeley with their 72-61 comeback win over DePaul at home on Wednesday. McNeeley hasn’t played since injuring his ankle in an 81-68 win at DePaul on January 1. - St. John’s rallied back from a 16-point, second-half deficit for a 79-71 overtime win over Xavier on January 22 at Madison Square Garden. Richmond had 19 points and five assists to lead the Red Storm, who played without fourth-leading scorer Deivon Smith (shoulder).
- DePaul ended a 39-game regular-season Big East losing streak with a 73-68 victory over short-handed Georgetown on January 17. CJ Gunn led three Blue Demons in double-figures with 17 points, as hot-shooting DePaul made 50 percent (22 of 44) from the field, including 46.7 percent (7 of 15) from long range. The Hoyas were without Sorber (right elbow) and Jayden Epps (left hamstring), who entered averaging 14.2 and 13.2 points, respectively.
- Butler snapped a nine-game losing streak overall and six-game skid against Seton Hall while picking up its first Big East win in an 82-77 home triumph over the Pirates on January 15. Pierre Brooks II and Andre Screen led the Bulldogs with 19 and 16 points, respectively.
Upcoming Games to Watch
UConn at Marquette, 8 p.m., Saturday, FOX
Two of the top teams in the Big East on national television on a Saturday night? Yes, sign me up! The availability of UConn star freshman Liam McNeeley could play big into the Huskies’ chances in this one.
Marquette at St. John’s, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 4, FS1
Marquette caps a tough two-game stretch at St. John’s in what could be a preview of the Big East tournament final. Madison Square Garden should be buzzing for this one.
St. John’s at UConn, 8 p.m., February 7, FOX
The Red Storm enter this weekend off to their best start in the Big East since reaching the Final Four in the 1984–85 season. They’ll be looking to knock off the two-time defending national champions at always tough Gampel Pavilion.
Xavier at Villanova, Noon, Sunday, February 9, FS1
Philadelphia fans will be raring to go on Super Bowl Sunday, with the NFL’s Eagles kicking off against the Kansas City Chiefs later in the evening. The Wildcats will be looking to start the winning ways for the City of Brotherly Love in what could be a pivotal matchup of teams trying to push for a spot in the top four in the league.
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Aaron Bracy has covered sports in Philadelphia for the Associated Press and several other outlets for nearly three decades. His website, Big5Hoops.com, is a leading voice for coverage of the Philadelphia Big 5. His first book, A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (Brookline), will be available wherever books are sold on March 1, 2025. It can be preordered by clicking HERE. Follow Bracy on social media by clicking HERE. Contact him by email: aaron@big5hoops.com.