Georgetown's Close Win Creates Long-Term Questions for Hoyas

They blew a lead, turned the ball over, and shot poorly from the perimeter. So you can call it a win over Temple for the Georgetown Hoyas , but what they picked up in the win column, they certainly lost in the confidence pool.

They’re young and talented, but there are no early indicators that the 20th-ranked Hoyas are anything more than an athletic bunch who will find wins at a premium on the nights when they can’t muscle the ball into the basket.

The keys to the John Thompson III offense, a credible post presence and timely three-point shooting, haven’t turned over the engine of the Hoyas’ potential through two games against Tulane and the Owls.

Where you would’ve expected the more seasoned Hoya unit to race out of the gates and prove detractors wrong, the Hoyas have lurched out to their perfect start. Against Tulane and Temple, physically inferior programs when paired with Georgetown, the Hoyas have averaged 15 turnovers and 18 personal fouls per contest. They’re averaging 28 percent from the three-point line.

Save for Greg Monroe’s consecutive double-doubles, there’s little room to expect a Hoya rise through the national rankings.

The Big East will be leaner this season than it has been in recent years, and an improved Hoyas team will be able to hang with Syracuse, Connecticut, and Louisville for a top spot in the conference and a national tournament berth. But it’s going to take a lot more efficiency from Austin Freeman and Chris Wright to make the Hoyas a dynamic offense that won’t need to lean on superb defense every night.

Gone are the days of Jeff Green’s versatility and Jonathan Wallace’s clutch shooting and floor leadership. These Hoyas have to find a new niche of athletic precision and skilled execution—particularly from behind the perimeter.

Or else it will be a long season of shortened expectations for the Hoyas.