Georgetown men’s basketball coach Ed Cooley is not just excited about his team’s fast start, he predicts nothing but positive vibes in the near future.
The Hoyas (5-0) will try to keep their success going Thursday when they take on Dayton (5-1) in the ESPN Events Invitational’s Magic bracket in Kissimmee, Fla.
“When you have a total buy-in, I think that is when you allow your progress to grow,” Cooley said of his school’s players and administration. “That is where I think we are in Year Three with Georgetown.”
The Hoyas were 18-16 last season, including 8-12 in the Big East Conference. But Georgetown has dominated so far this season, holding opponents to 38.1% shooting while claiming a Power Five road win at Maryland and a home win over Clemson.
Arizona transfer KJ Lewis leads the way with 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Junior Malik Mack, in his second year with the Hoyas, averages 15.4 points and 3.8 assists.
The Flyers have been slightly more bold with their early-season slate. They’ve gone on the road to Cincinnati and Marquette and earned a split. While returning senior point guard Javon Bennett averages a team-high 16.7 points and 3.8 assists per game, Georgia transfer De’Shayne Montgomery delivers 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game while shooting 43.5% on 3-point attempts.
“Obviously, De’Shayne brings great energy to both sides of the ball,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “We measure success not just by points and things like that. So with his energy, his activity … I think he has been a beneficiary of his teammates being able to make plays for him. He really excels in transition.”
Sophomore forward Amael L’Etang is also off to a solid start with 12.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest.
According to KenPom.com, the Flyers entered Wednesday’s games ranked fifth nationally in forcing turnovers (on 24.9 percent of possessions) and 41st in defensive efficiency (99.9 points allowed per 100 possessions).
No. 9 BYU and Miami are on the other side of the Magic bracket. The third-place and championship games will be played on Friday.
