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The Georgetown Hoyas were previously invited to join the Virginia Cavaliers, the UCLA Bruins, and the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2020 Wooden Legacy multi-team event, usually held in Anaheim. Last week, Jon Rothstein reported that the Wooden Legacy, among other early season tournaments, is headed to Orlando, FL.
Well, it appears the Hoyas are now OUT!
Weak. https://t.co/32t7chxVss
— Casual Hoya (@CasualHoya) September 23, 2020
While this is the COVID-19 year and safety really should be closer to the forefront of everyone’s minds, this is still really disappointing and brings back all-too-recent memories of DePaul replacing Georgetown in the PK80 in 2017.
Amazingly, UCLA is still in. Casual Hoya had previously relayed that the Wooden games may be impacted by the PAC-12’s cancellation of athletic competition until 2021, but it looks like that changed (e.g., with the availability of “rapid testing”).
PAC 12 isn't playing sports until at least Jan 1.
— Bobby Bancroft (@BobbyBancroft) August 11, 2020
So for those keeping score at home that's bad news for the Wooden Legacy which was supposed to include UCLA, Kansas, UVA, and Georgetown on Nov 26 & 27 in Anaheim.
If the decision to skip the Wooden Legacy is really about safety in the COVID-19 era, then Patrick Ewing and Lee Reed deserve to be commended. Georgetown was the last BIG EAST team to have athletes on campus and may not even be practicing together yet (see below). Taking it slow and playing it safe should not be overlooked.
However, if the convenience of dodging two expected losses ever crossed anyone’s mind in the decision-making process ... perhaps GU might be burning a bridge. Fans will wait and see it GU gets invited to MTEs any time soon.
Last November, Georgetown’s announced participation was met with large excitement by the fanbase—right before the exodus. The Hoyas were expected to be noise-makers led by talented juniors in a battle against three other historic programs in Anaheim. That’s gone in a puff of smoke.
Join us next Thanksgiving in Southern California for some ☀️ #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/6FXQczt6jg
— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) November 26, 2019
Georgetown seems to be preparing for a potential BIG EAST schedule potentially starting in mid-December. Based on today’s news of dropping out of a preseason tournament, one might assume Georgetown is one of the schools dragging its feet.
The Big East is targeting Dec. 12 to hold its first conference games, sources told @CBSSports. Not all schools can commit to that as of today, though. The window the league is considering ranges from Dec. 12-21. Much to be worked out, but 12.12 is the navigational starting point.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) September 22, 2020
The NCAA vote last week decided the start date of the season to be November 25, 2020.
Coming Soon: College Basketball Season!
— Casual Hoya (@CasualHoya) September 16, 2020
The NCAA voted today on a start date, and it will be... https://t.co/g4RW2EDvYW
Andy Katz believes the BIG EAST/B1G Gavitt Games may proceed differently, but Matt Norlander is not optimistic.
Could just see regional rivalry games between @B1GMBBall @BIGEASTMBB happen like Seton Hall-Rutgers, Wisconsin-Marquette, DePaul-Northwestern, Creighton-Nebraska, Butler vs. either Indiana or Purdue (Xavier-Ohio State. Penn State-Nova, Gtown-MD would make regional sense too). https://t.co/4EcuTiGn3J
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) September 22, 2020
Meanwhile, Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas are still likely a day or two from even beginning to practice as a team—following a 2-week on-campus quarantine.
TALKIN’ ‘BOUT PRACTICE: When Will the Georgetown Basketball Season Start? https://t.co/zgVQsVPmCx pic.twitter.com/JbzRm2lhsk
— Casual Hoya (@CasualHoya) September 10, 2020
Here is a potential schedule, based on what we know. Who knows if anything can be assumed?
2020 Wooden Legacy featuring Georgetown, UCLA, UVA, and Kansas in Orlando, around Thanksgiving (November 26 - 28, 2020).- WVU (home) in early December, as part of the BIG EAST-BIg 12 challenge (still expected).
- Syracuse (away) in mid-December.
- A Big Ten game as part of the Gavitt Games (presumably away) in mid-December.
- UMBC (presumably home) in November/December.
- A few (maximum of 7?) other non-conference games
- 20 BIG EAST games
At least we have Jamorko Pickett giving the inside look.
Having 8 new plays will definitely be a tough task a lot of catching up in so little time. But we have a lot of hungry guys here THAT WANT TO WIN.
— Jamorko Pickett (@JamorkoP1) September 23, 2020
This is a very versatile team! People throw that word around to loosely these days I think. BUT we have a lot of guys that could play multiple positions. We could go big Don, Me, Chudi, Q and Timmy or small. Jalen Donte, Von, Sibley and Big M (Malcom)
— Jamorko Pickett (@JamorkoP1) September 23, 2020
This’ll 100% be the most fun team I’ve played on and you’ll watch. Since I’ve been here at Georgetown. 2020-2021
— Jamorko Pickett (@JamorkoP1) September 23, 2020