The Georgetown Hoyas aren't ranked in USA Today's preseason Coaches' Poll, which comes as no surprise. Their 21-11 record last season ranked them just No. 8 in the Big East, and they won't have leading scorer Austin Freeman to help them this year, as he was a senior.
But, because the Hoyas play in arguably the most stacked conference in men's basketball, they face a schedule loaded with games against teams in the preseason Top 25. According to Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times, Georgetown is due for at least nine games against the Top 25. In conference play, the Hoyas face the No. 4 Connecticut Huskies (Feb. 1), the No. 5 Syracuse Orange (Feb. 8), the No. 8 Louisville Cardinals (Dec. 28), the No. 11 Pittsburgh Panthers (Jan. 28), the No. 21 Marquette Golden Eagles twice (Jan. 4 and March 3), and the No. 22 Cincinnati Bearcats (Jan. 9). In addition, they're also due to take on the No. 13 Kansas Jayhawks (Nov. 21) as part of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, as well as the No. 9 Memphis Tigers (Dec. 22).
That's a brutal slate of games. We'll soon learn if John Thompson III's club is up to the task.