Schedule Analysis: Georgetown

Georgetown (25-7, 14-4 Big East)

Last season: NCAA Second Round (78-68 loss to No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast)

This is the fourth installment of a 10-part series evaluating the schedules of the 10 Big East teams for the 2013-14 season. Above record, tournament finishes are from last season.

Butler, Creighton, DePaul analyses are available by clicking the links.

The Hoyas have put together one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country this year and will be tested from start to finish.

The loss of Greg Whittington in June will hurt, but D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Mikael Hopkins and Jabril Trawick will keep the Hoyas in the thick of the Big East title race.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera is back for another year of terrorizing Big East backcourts. (Photo via si.com)

Schedule (all times Central)

Nov. 8 – vs. Oregon 7:00 ESPN (Armed Forces Classic, South Korea)

Nov. 13 – vs. Wright State 6:00 Fox Sports 1

Nov. 21 – vs. Northeastern 11:30 ESPNU (Puerto Rico)

Nov. 22 – vs. Kansas State/Charlotte 11:00/1:30 ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN3 (P.R.)

Nov. 24 – vs. TBD (Puerto Rico)

Nov. 30 – vs. Lipscomb 11:00 FSN

Dec. 5 – vs. High Point 7:00 Fox Sports 1

Dec. 7 – vs. Colgate 11:00 Fox Sports 1

Dec. 17 – vs. Elon 6:00

Dec. 21 – at Kansas 11:00 ESPN

Dec. 28 – vs. Florida International 12:00 Fox Sports 1

Dec. 31 – vs. DePaul 4:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 4 – vs. St. John’s 12:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 8 – at Providence 6:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 11 – at Butler 4:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 15 – at Xavier 6:00 CBS Sports

Jan. 18 – vs. Seton Hall 11:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 20 – vs. Marquette 8:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 25 – at Creighton 7:00 Fox Sports 1

Jan. 27 – vs. Villanova 8:00 Fox Sports 1

Feb. 1 – vs. Michigan State 2:00 Fox Sports 1 (New York)

Feb. 3 – at DePaul 8:00 Fox Sports 1

Feb. 8 – vs. Butler 12:00 CBS

Feb. 10 – vs. Providence 6:00 Fox Sports 1

Feb. 16 – at St. John’s 6:00 Fox Sports 1

Feb. 20 – at Seton Hall 8:00 CBS Sports

Feb. 22 – vs. Xavier 10:30 Fox Sports 1

Feb. 27 – at Marquette 8:00 Fox Sports 1

March 4 – vs. Creighton 6:00 Fox Sports 1

March 8 – at Villanova 12:00 Fox Sports 1

Analysis

A 14-hour flight to South Korea to open the season will test the Hoyas right off the bat, not to mention an opponent in Oregon who could be a dark horse to win the Pac 12 this year.

Even more insane is that the Hoyas will play Wright State just five days later. Talk about jet lag. Following that contest, Georgetown will earn a much-needed break before it heads to San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Northeastern won’t offer much resistance, nor should a second-round matchup with either Kansas State or Charlotte, but a potential championship tilt with national runner-up Michigan makes this one of the more intriguing early-season tournaments.

Georgetown gets a bit of a breather with four easy home games before traveling to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the circus that is Andrew Wiggins and the Kansas Jayhawks. The fact that Wiggins was selected as a preseason All-American  before even playing a game should tell you all you need to know about playing the Jayhawks. Oh yeah, this too.

A home game with Florida International rounds out the non-conference slate and games at the Verizon Center against DePaul and St. John’s should get the Hoyas off to a good start in conference play.

Three straight road games, plus a visit from Marquette and a trip to Creighton will tell us all we need to know about Georgetown’s status as a contender. Playing a mid-season non-conference game in New York against Michigan State makes you question John Thompson III’s sanity, but the man knows what he’s doing.

Following that game, a winnable stretch of six games awaits before a titanic matchup in Milwaukee on Feb. 27. That game could go a long way in deciding who will be the first regular season Big East champ.

If Georgetown is going to win another Big East title, a tough closing stretch against Creighton and at Villanova will make the Hoyas earn it. The question is, will this happen again?

Wins: Oregon (South Korea), Wright State, Northeastern (Puerto Rico), Kansas State (Puerto Rico), Lipscomb, High Point, Colgate, Elon, Florida International, DePaul (twice), Providence (twice), Butler (twice), Xavier (twice), Seton Hall (twice), Marquette, Creighton, Villanova

Losses: Michigan (Puerto Rico), at Kansas, at Creighton, Michigan State (New York), St. John’s (twice), at Marquette, at Villanova

Prediction: 22-8, 13-5 Big East (tied for 2nd)