Georgetown Hoyas Player Profiles: Nate Lubick

Our Emmy-winning Player Profiles Series concludes today with a look at senior forward Nate Lubick.  As Nate Lubick enters his final season on the Hilltop one thing is certain. Despite all the changes around him, he is, and always has been, the most interesting man at Georgetown.

Last Season

Last year's statistics: 29.6 min. pg, 7.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.8 blk pg, 0.7 stl pg, 59.1 FG%

Lubick was counted on to anchor an undermanned Hoya frontcourt last season, and by all accounts he did a great job at it. Lubick was instrumental in Georgetown's 11-game winning streak, and really progressed throughout the season as one of the Hoyas' more consistent contributors on both ends of the floor.

For how one-dimensional Lubick's game can often appear, he showed some very nice versatility last season. Lubick notched a respectable 2.8 assists per game this past season- something necessary from a big man in order for John Thompson's system to flourish- as well as 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals. Lubick also honed his efficiency a bit, bumping his field goal shooting from 52.3% in his sophomore season to 59.1% last season, which was by far the highest on the team.

One concerning statistical change was Lubick's turnover rate, which jumped from 0.9 turnovers per game in his sophomore season to 2.1 this past season. He had 20 combined turnovers in the Georgetown's 7 losses last season (including the NCAA tournament), meaning that this was the aspect of his game most in need of improvement.

Lubick's best performance last season came in a road game against St. Johns on February 2^nd. Lubick posted 16 points (8-10 shooting), 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal in 36 minutes of playing time. These are the games that we expect to see more of from Lubick this upcoming season, and by all accounts it appears he is up to the task.

This Season

Lubick will be counted on to lead of a fairly deep Hoyas team this season. With all the uncertainty surrounding Georgetown's frontcourt situation, Lubick's role as the starting power forward was never in doubt. He did too well last season, and is too vital a piece in the offense for it to be questioned. He will be the low-post presence that keeps defenses honest and unable to completely focus on containing the Hoyas' trio of DSR, Starks, and Trawick on the perimeter.

Despite all the emerging frontcourt competition around him, Lubick could actually see an increase in playing time from last season. He needs to be able to control his fouling and turnover issues, but his on-court value to the team at this point is indisputable. He is not a game changer, but rather the constant presence that subtly and effectively wears teams down. Lubick is the enforcer that can help the Hoyas get to the top of Big East standings, and he is very excited about the direction the team is headed in.

"I think what makes this team exciting is we could get a lot better,'' Lubick said. "There are a lot of things we can sharpen up on both ends of the floor. We're a young team. We're not looking at the rankings. We're excited to get better.''

Here are Lubick's thoughts and opinions on the aforementioned in an interview at the 2013 Big East Media Day:

Best Case Scenario

Lubick averages a double-double for the Hoyas this season, as well as a block and a steal per game. He flourishes in JTIII's hybrid system, as the increased pressure around the perimeter allows him to dominate loose one-on-one matchups. His footwork and fundamentals lead to him beating up on younger and more inexperienced defenders, and he does so en route to 5 20+ point games in conference play. He is signed as an assistant coach immediately following the end of the season.

Worst Case Scenario

Lubick's turnover margin and fouling issues persist to the point that JTIII decides on allocating many of Lubick's minutes toward developing the younger players in the frontcourt. He still starts, but his general ineffectiveness and bland defensive play lead to him being one of the first two players subbed out of each game. He goes the entire season without posting a double digit points or rebounds and regresses back to his sophomore self.