No Early Answers About Georgetown Until Date With Butler

So far this season, Hoya fans seem to be in a real hurry to forget about last year and move on...immediately.  Understandable.

(I bet that picture above still stings, doesn't it?  I know.  It hurts me too.  I had the honor of sitting all of 30 feet from the court for that game, soaking up every last turnover and last-second crappy jacked-up three-pointer, as only a senior watching his final college basketball game could.)

Unfortunately, I'm afraid that we're not going to get a real gauge on this team for another week, as the Hoyas continue Cupcake Month with Mount Saint Mary and American this week.

The Hoyas have turned in mostly up-and-down efforts so far this year—a 46-45 win in the home opener against Temple raised some serious eyebrows—but the Hoyas remain undefeated so far, and will likely enter the game against Butler with a 6-0 record.

What that hypothetical 6-0 means is anyone's guess, though. 

Of all college basketball fans, Georgetown supporters should understand the dangers of putting too much stock in early season results.  Last year, the Hoyas leapt out to a 10-1 record, capping their early-season success by toppling then-No. 2 UConn on the road.

But to say they "flamed out" the rest of the season would be an understatement.  As has been rehashed more times than any Georgetown fan can stomach, the Hoyas limped their way into a 6-12 finish over the rest of the season, getting knocked out in the first round of the Big East Tournament and the NIT.

Keeping last season squarely in mind, I'm swearing off making profound conclusions about the Hoya squad this early in the season.  We need to see the Hoyas play some real competition in legitimate pressure-cooker environments (like a typical Big East slugfest) before we crown the Hoyas as "over" their troubles from last year.

Opportunity isn't far away. On the slate for next Tuesday? Georgetown vs. No. 12 Butler in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.

This game provides the Hoyas a two-birds-with-one-stone test: a battle against their challenging opponent of the season, and one that will provide the typical wild atmosphere of a high-profile Big East game (or the Big East tournament, as it's held in MSG every year).

Georgetown coach John Thompson III didn't back down there, as four days later? The Hoyas face a cross-country trip to take on No. 14 Washington.

Both games will serve as early litmus tests for the Hoyas.  Blue Ribbon calls Butler "one of—if not the—top mid-major program in the nation." They’ve got a team that returned every player from an NCAA qualifying squad last season.

And the Washington Huskies, winners of the Pac-10 regular season title a year ago, stars Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and All-American guard Isaiah Thomas, who could prove extremely troublesome for some of the Hoyas' younger guards.

So, while I'm waiting to pass season-defining judgment on the Hoyas just yet, there have been a few noticeable positives from this early part of the season:

1) Greg Monroe looks like he took the freshman-to-sophomore leap in stride , understanding that he must command the ball and take a much larger leadership role on the team.  Against LaFayette, Monroe put up a ridiculous stat line of 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block in 29 minutes of play. 

It doesn't matter if Monroe put up that line against middle schoolers; Hoyas fans should feel relieved to see Monroe demanding more touches this season. 

2) Hollis Thompson really can shoot.    Again, keeping in mind the early competition (and that he will NOT be seeing such open looks when the Big East season rolls around), it seems like Thompson’s extra half-semester (he enrolled early in the spring last year to get a jump start on learning Georgetown's Princeton offense) is paying dividends so far. 

Ardent supporters of the program insisted that Thompson's silky-smooth shot could end up being the most reliable outside presence we have by the end of the season, and early season returns show no reason to question that possibility.

3) The big men off the bench aren't complete slouches.    Julian Vaughn and Henry Sims have to combine to provide Monroe some frontcourt support if the Hoyas have any chance this season, and it appears that both players understand their roles on the team much more than last season. 
Vaughn's found his way into the starting lineup this year and provided valuable minutes, while Sims hasn't looked as lost on the court in his role as first big man off the bench.

With those positives said...remember, everything goes out the window starting next Tuesday.

The Hoyas' performance against Butler and Washington could go a long way in rebuilding this team's fragile confidence—or breaking it down even further than last season.