Thoughts on Georgetown's 2023-24 Schedule
What to watch for this season with Georgetown's schedule
There are now just 41 days left until Georgetown tips off against Le Moyne College. With the full 2023-24 schedule now available, here are some things to look out for this season for the Hoyas.
Weekend home games this season
Usually, the games that are the most fun in terms of game atmosphere are on the weekend. With that in mind, here are the games that are at Capital One Arena on a weekend.
TCU (Dec. 2)
Syracuse (Dec. 9)
DePaul (Jan. 6)
Marquette (Feb. 3)
UConn (Feb. 10)
Xavier (Mar. 2)
Two road games to start Big East slate not a bad thing
Georgetown begins Big East play on Tuesday, December 19 against Butler on the road, and then travels to Marquette three days later on Friday, December 22. While two road games to kickoff their Big East schedule is not ideal, these two games take place during Christmas break, meaning the home arenas for their opponents will be without students.
First week of December a big challenge
The toughest part of Georgetown’s nonconference schedule will hit in the first week of December, when the Hoyas host TCU and then face off against Syracuse a week later. Assuming (hoping?) Georgetown doesn’t get tripped up too heavily by weaker competition before that pair of games, how the matchups against the Horned Frogs and the Orange go will heavily shape the tenor of Georgetown’s season the rest of the way.
If the Hoyas are able to pull off a pair of wins to start December, an NIT bid may not be out of the question if Georgetown can play close to .500 ball in the Big East. It’s a lot to ask for this undermanned squad, but crazier things have happened.
Extended stay in Indiana coming up?
The Hoyas’ final nonconference game is against Notre Dame on Saturday, December 16, and then the Hoyas take on Butler three days later, on the 19th. One would think the Hoyas would stay on the road in between these two matchups to save themselves a lot of travel in a short span of time.
No New Year’s Day or Super Bowl Sunday matchups
Georgetown didn’t get a game on either New Year’s Day or Super Bowl Sunday this year. In recent years, for whatever reason, some of Georgetown’s most entertaining and chaotic games have taken place on these holidays (yes, Super Bowl Sunday is basically a holiday), so this is a bummer.
Providence home game scheduled for spring break
Tough news here, with Georgetown getting its home game against Providence on a day during Georgetown’s spring break, meaning there won’t be much of a student body presence during Round Two of Georgetown-Providence this season.
By contrast, the first matchup between Ed Cooley and Kim English’s squads will take place on a Saturday in Providence. That atmosphere will be…rowdy. To say the least.
Three-game homestand at start of January represents big opportunity
Georgetown kicks off the month of January with an important stretch of three straight home games against Creighton, DePaul, and Seton Hall. With the Big East schedule filled with tough games this year, this stretch represents three winnable games that the Hoyas need to take advantage of if they want a shot at playing any kind of postseason basketball.
Defining stretches this season for Georgetown
When stepping back to look at the entire season, here are the other key stretches for Georgetown that will make or break their season.
Dec. 2 - 9: vs. TCU, vs. Syracuse
Jan. 2-9: vs. Creighton, vs. DePaul, vs. Seton Hall
Feb. 10 - 16: vs. UConn, @ Creighton, @ Villanova, vs. St. John’s
Mar. 2 - 5: vs. Xavier, vs. Providence
Patience required for St. John’s matchup
Georgetown’s first game this season against Rick Pitino and St. John’s won’t come until the back half of the Big East schedule, on February 21. On one hand, that means Georgetown will have plenty of time to get used to a new coach, a new team, and a new system. On the other hand, that means Rick Pitino’s top-25 squad will also have had plenty of time to gel together before facing the Hoyas.
Here’s hoping Casual Hoya is able to figure out where his true allegiances lie before this game.
Brutal end-of-season schedule
Beginning on February 10 with home game against the defending national champion UConn Huskies, Georgetown’s last nine of the games of the season are a murderer’s row of matchups that present a major uphill climb to the Hoyas’ path to a postseason berth. Outside of a game against DePaul on February 24, Georgetown will be playing an upper echelon Big East team every game from February 10 on. It will be a tall task for Ed Cooley’s Hoyas to stay afloat during this stretch.
A rare Friday night home game
Saturday home games are fun, but Friday night home games are fun (and rare!) too. February 16 against Villanova should be a very fun time. Block off your calendars for that one.
Last season, the Hoyas only had one Friday night home game, against Xavier. Two seasons ago, there was once again only one Big East home game on a Friday night, against Marquette.
Here’s hoping this year’s Friday night game has a great environment.