Kristian Ferrell
The Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team has a long history, founded in 1906 and playing their first game in 1907. The team has had its ups and downs over the years, with sporadic success in its early years and a notable period of success in the 1980s. More recently, the team has struggled, with only one appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last eight years. The team's performance has been attributed to various factors, including coaching issues, rule changes, and transfer and NIL rules. Despite their struggles, the Hoyas remain a well-respected team in college basketball, with a rich history and a dedicated following.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | Fall of 1906 |
| First Game | February 9, 1907 |
| First Game Opponent | University of Virginia |
| First Game Score | 22-11 |
| First Home Court | Ryan Gymnasium |
| Current Home Court | Capital One Arena |
| Head Coach | Ed Cooley |
| Previous Coaches | John Thompson Jr., Craig Esherick, Patrick Ewing |
| Notable Players | Patrick Ewing, Derrick Jackson, Craig Esherick, Michael Jordan |
| Notable Years | 1975, 1976, 1978-79, 1984, 2020-21, 2022-23 |
| Conference | Big East |
| Wins in 2023-24 Season | 9 |
| Losses in 2023-24 Season | 23 |
| Wins in 2024-25 Season | 12 |
| Losses in 2024-25 Season | 2 |
| Notable Facilities | Ryan Gymnasium, McDonough Gymnasium, TAC, Thompson Athletic Center |
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What You'll Learn
The Georgetown Hoyas' 1984 national championship
The Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team won the national championship in 1984. This was the first and only college basketball national championship for Georgetown University. The Hoyas had previously reached the championship game in 1982 but lost to North Carolina.
In 1984, the Hoyas faced the University of Houston in the final, winning 84-75. This was the first time a Black coach, John Thompson, had won an NCAA Division I title. Patrick Ewing, the team's star player, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Other key players in the championship game included Reggie Williams, David Wingate, and Michael Graham.
The 1983-84 Hoyas were a dominant force, physically manhandling their opponents en route to the national title. Ewing, a 7'0" center, led the team with his defensive prowess. The team was ranked No. 1 in the West by NCAA Tournament time and had a deep roster supporting Ewing. They won a school-record 34 games that season and were the Big East regular-season champions with a 14-2 record.
The national championship game was played on April 2, 1984, in the Seattle Kingdome. The Hoyas comfortably led throughout the final, pulling their starters late in the game and giving their bench players some court time. This victory was a landmark moment in college basketball, breaking barriers and changing the landscape of the sport.
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The team's 2022-23 season
The 2022-23 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hoyas, led by sixth-year head coach Patrick Ewing, were members of the Big East Conference. The Hoyas played their home games at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
The team had a difficult season, finishing with a record of 7-25, including a 2-18 record in Big East play. This placed them last in the conference for the second year in a row. Their season included losses to American, Texas Tech, and South Carolina. They also lost to Villanova in the opening round of the Big East tournament.
Despite their struggles, the team had some notable moments. They participated in the 2022 Jamaica Classic in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and played in the final year of the Big East–Big 12 Battle, taking on Texas Tech. They also had Saturday home games against Xavier, Seton Hall, Connecticut, and Villanova, and their game with St. John's on December 31 fell during the Christmas break.
Following the season, on March 9, 2023, Georgetown fired head coach Patrick Ewing. On March 20, the school named Providence head coach Ed Cooley as the new head coach of the team.
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John Thompson's coaching career
John Thompson Jr. was an American basketball player and coach for the Georgetown Hoyas men's team. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches tall, he was an imposing figure on the sidelines. Affectionately known as "Big John", he was a pioneering NCAA coach and a champion and advocate for racial justice.
Thompson joined Georgetown in 1972, becoming the head men's basketball coach. In his first season, he improved the team's record to .500, and by his third season, he had led the Hoyas to their first NCAA tournament qualification since 1943. Over his 27 seasons at Georgetown, Thompson amassed an impressive record of 596–239 (.714). During this period, the Hoyas made 24 postseason appearances, including 20 in the NCAA tournament and four in the NIT. Notably, Thompson's teams achieved a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979 to 1992, reaching the Final Four on three occasions.
In 1984, Thompson became the first African-American head coach to win a major collegiate championship in basketball. That year, his team, led by Patrick Ewing, won the NCAA Division I national championship. Thompson coached many notable players during his tenure, including Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Allen Iverson, and Victor Page. Under his guidance, 26 players were chosen in the NBA draft, with eight selected in the first round and two players, Ewing and Iverson, picked first overall.
Thompson's impact extended beyond the basketball court. He achieved a remarkable 97% graduation rate as a coach, demonstrating his commitment to academic excellence. Additionally, he served as a presidential consultant for urban affairs at Georgetown University and was a basketball commentator. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport.
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Craig Esherick's time as coach
Craig Esherick, born on November 1, 1956, in Silver Spring, Maryland, had a long history with Georgetown University. He was a four-year basketball letterman at Georgetown from 1974 to 1978 and later attended the university's law school, graduating with a J.D. degree in 1982. During his time as a law student, he served as a graduate assistant coach to John Thompson, the then-head coach of the men's basketball team. Esherick would go on to spend 17.5 seasons as an assistant coach under Thompson, a period that included four Big East championships and a role as an assistant coach for the 1988 U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team, which won a bronze medal.
On January 8, 1999, John Thompson Jr. abruptly resigned midway through the 1998-99 season, and Esherick was promoted to head coach. In his first season in charge, Georgetown finished with a 15-15 record and lost to Princeton Tigers in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The following season, the team improved to a 19-15 record, again earning a bid to the NIT. Esherick's third season saw the team reach the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, led by future NBA draft pick Mike Sweetney.
Despite his early successes, Esherick came under criticism during his tenure as head coach. He was accused of scheduling weak non-conference opponents, and there were concerns about his inability to close out tight games. The 2003-04 season proved particularly challenging, with the team struggling with depth issues and finishing under a .500 record for the first time during Esherick's head coaching tenure. The team also missed the NCAA tournament for a third consecutive season. Despite these setbacks, Esherick remained confident, stating, "I ain't going anywhere – I may be here for another 30 years." However, on March 16, 2004, just six days after the season ended, Georgetown University President John DeGioia fired him following student protests and the team's failure to produce winning seasons.
Esherick's overall record as head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas from 1999 to 2004 was 103-74. After his departure from Georgetown, he worked for AOL's online radio venture, providing commentary on college basketball and writing articles for their sports website. He currently serves as an assistant professor of sport management at George Mason University and continues to provide colour commentary for college basketball games.
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The 2023-24 season
The Hoyas started the season with a 7-4 record, including a thrilling last-second win against Notre Dame, their first victory against them on the road since 2013. This win signified a positive start and a potential shift in the team's fortunes. However, they faced several close losses in conference play, including a highly anticipated matchup against Providence, which attracted a large audience. Despite their efforts, the Hoyas finished the season with a 2-18 league record and a 9-23 overall record. While the number of league wins doubled their combined wins from the previous two seasons, it was still a challenging season for the team.
The Hoyas' performance in the 2023-24 season came on the back of a difficult period. The previous season, in 2022-23, had been described as "blissfully" coming to an end, with the team facing struggles that resulted in a single NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight years. This extended a pattern of challenges, with the Hoyas suffering from coaching issues, transfer rules, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The appointment of Ed Cooley as head coach in March 2023 marked a new chapter, and the 2023-24 season became a transitional period as the team worked to return to their former glory.
Overall, the 2023-24 season for the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team was a mix of promising wins and continued challenges. While they showed glimpses of improvement, the team still faced an overall losing record. However, with a revamped roster and a strong start to the 2024-25 season, there was a sense of optimism and a belief that better days lay ahead for the historic program.
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Frequently asked questions
The Georgetown men's basketball team played its first game on February 9, 1907, defeating the University of Virginia by a score of 22–11.
Georgetown participated in the Eastern College Athletic Conference′s 1975 postseason ECAC South tournament, and Derrick Jackson's buzzer beater won them the championship.
The Georgetown Hoyas won their landmark national championship, with a score of 84-75 over Houston.
The team lost in the 2023 Big East tournament 48–80 to Villanova. The university then announced that coach Patrick Ewing would not return, ending his six-year run. Ed Cooley was appointed as the new head coach.
