Nov. 10, 2006
Washington, D.C. - The No. 8-ranked Georgetown University men's basketball team opens the 2006-07 season on Saturday, November 11, hosting the University of Hartford in a non-league game at the Verizon Center. Tip-off for the game is slated for noon and it can be heard on SportsTalk 980 AM, with Rich Chvotkin calling all of the action.
The Hoyas season opener marks the start of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Georgetown men's basketball program. During the year, fans will be able to visit the Georgetown Athletics website - www.guhoyas.com - and vote for an All-Century Anniversary team. The team will be comprised of players from three eras of the past: the Vintage Era (1907-43), Classic Era (1943-72), and the Modern Era (1972-present). The ballot for the All-Century team will include the best players in Georgetown men's basketball history. The website will also feature stories on many of these top players, as well as highlights of some of the great games over the last 100 years.
Georgetown is coming off a 2005-06 season that saw the team post a 23-10 record and advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history. The Hoyas, ranked No. 8 in the ESPN/USA Today Preseason Top-25 Coaches' poll and in the Associated Press preseason rankings, were picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll.
Third-year head coach John Thompson III returns three starters from last year's team, led by Preseason All-BIG EAST selections and Wooden Award candidates Jeff Green (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) and Roy Hibbert (Adelphi, Md./Georgetown Prep). The junior frontcourt mates earned second-team All-BIG EAST honors last year as they were among the top two on the team in both scoring and rebounding. Green led the team in scoring with 11.9 points per game, was second in rebounding with 6.5 boards and led the squad in assists with 3.3 per game. Hibbert, meanwhile, was second on the team in scoring with 11.6 points, led the team with 6.9 rebounds and was tops on the team with 1.6 blocks per game. The team's other returning starter is junior guard Jonathan Wallace (Harvest, Ala./Sparkman), who averaged 7.9 points and 3.2 assists while connecting on 49 three-pointers.
First-year Hartford Head Coach Dan Leibovitz inherits a team that finished with a 13-15 record last season and was second in the America East Conference in scoring with 67.5 points per game. The Hawks return both starters from their backcourt of a season ago in Rich Baker and Chris Cole. The 6-1 Baker, a junior guard, is a solid option at the point guard spot, as he averaged just under five points per game and ranked 14th in the America East in assists (2.5 per game) and steals (1.27 per game). Cole, a 6-1 sophomore guard, averaged 3.6 points and 2.0 assists per game last season for the Hawks. Senior Bo Taylor, a reliable 6-4 small forward, averaged 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds last season, and is one of two key reserves from last year's team that will be looked upon to contribute even more.
This will be the second-ever meeting between the teams. The Hoyas lead the series, 1-0, posting a 91-62 win over the Hawks during the 1998-99 season.
