Patrick Ewing Won't Coach for Georgetown vs. Butler Because of Health Guidelines

Georgetown University announced Wednesday that men's basketball head coach Patrick Ewing will not lead the Hoyas in their upcoming game against the visiting Butler University Bulldogs in accordance with DC Department of Health guidelines.

Hoyas assistant coach Louis Orr will take over for the Hoyas, who will host Butler at Capital One Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

Ewing, who is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame thanks to a decorated playing career that featured him starring for Georgetown and the New York Knicks, is in his fifth season coaching the Hoyas.

Last year's team made a Cinderella run through the Big East tournament to win the conference championship and earn an NCAA tournament berth.

This season has been difficult for Georgetown, which had its first four Big East games canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the Hoyas program.

The Hoyas are also off to a slow start at 6-6. They opened Big East play with a 92-64 loss to Marquette that prompted Ewing to say that former Georgetown head coach and Hall of Famer John Thompson Jr. was "rolling over in his grave."

They'll look to bounce back against Butler on Thursday under Orr, who was Ewing's Knicks teammate from 1985 to 1988 and previously coached Siena, Seton Hall and Bowling Green. The 63-year-old has been Ewing's assistant at Georgetown since 2017.

Butler has started this season 8-6 (1-2 in Big East play).