CBB Rank 2025: No. 52, Georgetown Basketball

Is there a better backcourt than Georgetown basketball in the Big East? Ed Cooley hopes so as he enters year three with the Hoyas.

The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Georgetown basketball.

After winning 18 games and 8 in conference a season ago, Georgetown hoops will be forced to regroup. The team loses stars Micah Peavy and Thomas Sorber, leaving obvious gaps on the wing and down low. Jayden Epps and other key rotation players will also need to be replaced.

But the team did retain point guard Malik Mack – a very strong way to keep things positive. He’ll share a backcourt with KJ Lewis and Langston Love, making for one of the most talented groups in the Big East. Mack, who can score and facilitate, Lewis, who can do the same, and Love, who brings a winning attitude from Baylor, should complement each other well.

The frontcourt is where the questions arise. Caleb Williams started half the season last year, and Vince Iwuchukwu had more to show for at USC than he did with St. John’s last season. But neither should be looked at as reliable scorers, leaving most of that duty to the other three starters.

Off the bench, Jeremiah Williams can provide much-needed scoring – but again – on the wing. DeShawn Harris-Smith had a great first year at Maryland before a drop in production last season, so he also brings a lot of intrigue – again – in the backcourt.

Frontcourt options off the bench? Julius Halaifonua, who played in six games for the Hoyas last season before a season-ending injury, is really the only name we can mention with certainty.

And after him, frontcourt or backcourt, the depth becomes an issue.

With Georgetown in 2025-26, it will be about staying healthy and getting the most out of limited resources underneath. Coach Cooley did a great job of trying to replace Peavy and Epps, but the loss of Sorber could be felt tremendously.

Head coach: Ed Cooley (3rd season at Georgetown, 20th season overall)

2024-25 record: 18-16 (8-12)

2025 postseason finish: Lost to Nebraska (81-69) in second round of the College Basketball Crown

Notable departures: 

• Micah Peavy (17.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 SPG, 40.0 3P%)
• Thomas Sorber (14.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.0 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 53.2 FG%)
• Jayden Epps (12.8 PPG, 2.3 APG, 2.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG)
• Drew Fielder (7.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.0 APG)
• Jordan Burks (5.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 52.1 FG%, 35.6 3P%)
• Curtis Williams (4.7 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.5 APG)

Notable non-conference games: 

• at Maryland (Nov. 7)
• vs. Clemson (Nov. 15)
• vs. Dayton (Nov. 27) – ESPN Events Invitational
• vs. BYU OR Miami-Fla (Nov. 28) – ESPN Events Invitational
• at North Carolina (Dec. 7)

Projected Rotation

PG: Malik Mack (6-2, 175, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 12.9 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 35.5 3P%, 38.1 FG%

SG: KJ Lewis (6-4, 210, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 10.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 18.8 3P% (Arizona)

SF: Langston Love (6-5, 210, Gr.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 8.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.2 APG (Baylor)

PF: Caleb Williams (6-7, 227, So.)

2024-25 stats: 4.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.9 APG

C: Vince Iwuchukwu (7-1, 257, Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 2.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.1 APG, 54.2 FG% (St. John’s)

6: Jeremiah Williams (6-4, 200, Gr.-Sr.)

2024-25 stats: 7.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 28.3 3P% (Rutgers)

7: DeShawn Harris-Smith (6-5, 224, Jr.)

2024-25 stats: 2.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.0 APG (Maryland)

8: Julius Halaifonua (7-0, 259, So.)

2024-25 stats: 3.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 13.2 MPG, 6 GP – Season-ending injury

9: Kayvaun Mulready (6-4, 219, So.)

2024-25 stats: 1.4 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 8.0 MPG, 22 GP

10: Isaiah Abraham (6-7, 205, So.)

2024-25 stats: 1.6 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.0 APG, 3.6 MPG, 9 GP (UConn)

Georgetown basketball team MVP: Malik Mack

Mack, who started his career at Harvard, transferred to Georgetown after an incredible freshman campaign that ranked as one of the best in the entire country.

Despite his numbers going down slightly, he backed up his worth, putting up competitive averages and playing well on the court as a Big East point guard.

Now, Mack’s challenge won’t just be playing like a Big East PG, but better than the rest of the PGs in the conference. He’s got a great sophomore year under his belt, but without Peavy and Sorber, he will be asked to truly lead this Hoyas team and get the most out of his teammates.

Mack plays with a lot of intensity and isn’t afraid to call his own number on drives to the lane or pull-up shots. His shooting percentage needs a little bit of work, but if he can get that down, you’ve got to think he can be a Big East First Teamer this year as a junior.

Georgetown basketball make-or-break player: Julius Halaifonua

I’m not sure what realistic expectations would be as far as scoring or rebounding averages go for Halifonua.

But for Georgetown basketball to have a quality season, they’ll first and foremost need to have him on the court. This team lacks frontcourt players, so Halaifonua is the best and perhaps only legitimate option to back up Iwuchukwu at center. After suffering a season-ending injury as a freshman, staying healthy is priority number one.

But the Hoyas could also be an intriguing team if his potential hits. In six games last season, Halaifonua did show some things. And this summer, he played on New Zealand’s U19 team, exhibiting a short-range shot that is compelling as a beefy 7-footer.

He’s not flashy, and he’s a bit slow overall, but he’s going to be a key piece of depth and potential off this Georgetown bench.

Key analytic: FTA

Yup, games can be won or lost at the charity stripe, but you wouldn’t even know last season, as Georgetown ranked 345th in the country, only attempting 15.5 free throws per game on average.

It seems like that could change by adding KJ Lewis alone, who went to the line for 4.1 free throws per game last season. Love is also a knock-down free-throw shooter, so it’s a GTown backcourt that can really hone in on getting to the line for free points.

On a team that doesn’t excel at hitting the three-point shot and doesn’t have the most offensively gifted big men, they may have to make it a point to draw fouls and play aggressively on offense.

Georgetown basketball 2025-26 projections

Projected conference finish: 6th in the Big East

Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Exit