sweetness
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by sweetness on Jan 9, 2021 13:24:06 GMT -5
1988-89 - agree with prior comments, best team in country for long stretch. Headed into tourney with enormous momentum.
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iowa80
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,402
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Post by iowa80 on Jan 9, 2021 13:24:43 GMT -5
1. 1988-89 Hoyas -Best team in college basketball from November through the first week of March in 1989. 2. 1979-80 Hoyas- Most younger Hoya fans have no idea how good this team was. Heartbreaking loss to Iowa. 3. 1986-87 Hoyas- Possibly John Thompson's best coaching job ever? 4. 2007-08 Hoyas- This team was 28-5 before the devastating 2nd half collapse to Davidson. 5. Tie 1989-90 & 1995-96 Hoyas- Always thought both teams underachieved based off of overall talent on the roster. Thank you for mentioning the '79-'80 team. I was just coming here to stick up for my handle. Sleepy Floyd, Big Sky Shelton (pictured left) and John Duren were the stars, but the group as a whole was a real team, with rotating big men and Eric Smith in particular as one of the great role players in Hoya history--and I don't mean that as a pejorative. They were tough and unbending, and I believe they would have beaten some of the other Hoya teams with more name recognition. The team had six players from DC (the Duren bros., Shelton, Al Dutch (one of our first "big" recruits), Terry Fenlon, and Mike Hancock; Eric Smith from Potomac, and "The Mailman" Ed Spriggs from Brentwood. It went along way to establish Georgetown as DC's team, something sorely missing today. They put us on the map.
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Post by JohnnyJones on Jan 9, 2021 15:08:09 GMT -5
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DanMcQ
Moderator
Posts: 30,607
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Post by DanMcQ on Jan 9, 2021 15:13:18 GMT -5
Happy to see you are still alive during the pandemic, youngster. You know (actually you probably don't) I'm right.
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iowa80
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,402
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Post by iowa80 on Jan 9, 2021 15:58:04 GMT -5
Happy to see you are still alive during the pandemic, youngster. You know (actually you probably don't) I'm right. Dan: Sorry I missed your earlier post and failed to credit you in my post on 79-80. My eyes (and hands, and legs, and back) aren't what they used to be. It may have something to do with lingering effects from driving to Philly to see Maryland, driving back to DC, then driving to Philly again for Iowa, and then driving back. Not as tough as the '85 Final Four road trip, but still tough.
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hoyazeke
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 5,818
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Post by hoyazeke on Jan 9, 2021 17:08:44 GMT -5
The answer has to be 95-96. As previously stated in the thread, if JYD or AI make very makeable shots we at least are FF bound. I really believe only UMASS could beat us that year. UK was loaded but I like our odds of AI and Vic being the best guards on the court... I don't really remember 88-89. My honorable mention is 09-10. I still believe if AFree doesn't get sick they would have done major damage in the tourney. I AFree came back but he never seemed the same and it changed the dynamic of the offense....
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DudeSlade
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I got through the Esherick years. I can get through anything.
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Post by DudeSlade on Jan 9, 2021 18:05:42 GMT -5
Not old enough to really know the teams pre-Esherick, but I’m with those going for 07-08. I loved 05-06 but as a student then, I remember still hoping we’d win, not expecting it. By 07-08, we fully expected to win every game.
Because Curry went nuts & we ultimately lost, people often forget how much we were up at half and how well Roy was playing. I legit think that team would have made the Final Four if Steph Curry didn’t do Steph Curry things and I don’t think a title run was out of the question.
06-07 Final Four was more talented just because Jeff was still there, but the veteran presence the next year was amazing.
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EtomicB
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by EtomicB on Jan 9, 2021 18:19:52 GMT -5
Not old enough to really know the teams pre-Esherick, but I’m with those going for 07-08. I loved 05-06 but as a student then, I remember still hoping we’d win, not expecting it. By 07-08, we fully expected to win every game. Because Curry went nuts & we ultimately lost, people often forget how much we were up at half and how well Roy was playing. I legit think that team would have made the Final Four if Steph Curry didn’t do Steph Curry things and I don’t think a title run was out of the question. 06-07 Final Four was more talented just because Jeff was still there, but the veteran presence the next year was amazing. Roy had a terrible game mainly due to foul trouble if I recall correctly the 1st half lead was built while he was on the bench & Macklin played...
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blueandgray
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by blueandgray on Jan 9, 2021 18:33:13 GMT -5
The answer has to be 95-96. As previously stated in the thread, if JYD or AI make very makeable shots we at least are FF bound. I really believe only UMASS could beat us that year. UK was loaded but I like our odds of AI and Vic being the best guards on the court... I don't really remember 88-89. My honorable mention is 09-10. I still believe if AFree doesn't get sick they would have done major damage in the tourney. I AFree came back but he never seemed the same and it changed the dynamic of the offense.... 1996 followed by 2006.
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Post by FHillsNYHoya on Jan 9, 2021 21:32:09 GMT -5
The answer has to be 95-96. As previously stated in the thread, if JYD or AI make very makeable shots we at least are FF bound. I really believe only UMASS could beat us that year. UK was loaded but I like our odds of AI and Vic being the best guards on the court... I don't really remember 88-89. My honorable mention is 09-10. I still believe if AFree doesn't get sick they would have done major damage in the tourney. I AFree came back but he never seemed the same and it changed the dynamic of the offense.... 1996 followed by 2006. Yup. 96 team was so good. 89 was pretty damn good as well though.
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DudeSlade
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I got through the Esherick years. I can get through anything.
Posts: 1,209
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Post by DudeSlade on Jan 9, 2021 21:36:17 GMT -5
Not old enough to really know the teams pre-Esherick, but I’m with those going for 07-08. I loved 05-06 but as a student then, I remember still hoping we’d win, not expecting it. By 07-08, we fully expected to win every game. Because Curry went nuts & we ultimately lost, people often forget how much we were up at half and how well Roy was playing. I legit think that team would have made the Final Four if Steph Curry didn’t do Steph Curry things and I don’t think a title run was out of the question. 06-07 Final Four was more talented just because Jeff was still there, but the veteran presence the next year was amazing. Roy had a terrible game mainly due to foul trouble if I recall correctly the 1st half lead was built while he was on the bench & Macklin played... You are a 100% right. Looked it up and Roy only played 16 minutes. We were led by JWall and Sapp that game and shot 63% to their 38%. I remembered Roy being key to that game, but my Hoya-shaded memory would only let me think positively of Roy, rather than remember his foul trouble. We were up by 16 with 15 mins left. With our defense that year, still don’t know how we lost. Freaking Steph Curry.
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Post by FHillsNYHoya on Jan 10, 2021 0:39:57 GMT -5
I have a mental block on 08. Easter Sunday I believe? Cut away from game in NY because of our lead. Went downstairs to watch on my PC as Davidson methodically crawled back. My wife still gets Editeded when I bring that game up because we were hosting people for the holiday.
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dailey247
Century (over 100 posts)
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Post by dailey247 on Jan 10, 2021 0:57:30 GMT -5
96 is the answer and 89 is a close second. With respect to the greybeards around here, the 80 team racked up a lot of wins against an extremely easy schedule (like, softer than Ewing's first year easy), then went on a nice run in the last month of the season.
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iowa80
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by iowa80 on Jan 10, 2021 13:54:33 GMT -5
96 is the answer and 89 is a close second. With respect to the greybeards around here, the 80 team racked up a lot of wins against an extremely easy schedule (like, softer than Ewing's first year easy), then went on a nice run in the last month of the season. Greybeard checking in. Let's deal with the scheduling thing first. The '80 team did play all-time-great cupcake St. Leo and opened with Bowie State. Looking at the rest of the schools, we see Maryland, Indiana, Loyola-Marymount, and Houston in the first six games. I also don't think the team should be downgraded for playing Providence, Northeastern, Boston College, Lafayette, Drake, Iona, and St. Joe's in order. The analogy to Ewing's first year is very misplaced On to the more subjective, I love all of these teams but I like the fact that the '80 team fulfilled its potential and more--in addition to really putting us on the map. I downgrade the '89 team (who started the season with Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii-Loa, St. Leo, and Shenandoah) slightly for being upset by Duke in the regional final. I downgrade the '96 team for a) not winning the Big East in a nail-biter, and b) being crushed by UMass, which goes well beyond "just" a loss. That team had incredible talent, and may have played the best game by a Hoya team ever late in the season against Villanova. But they didn't finish. That matters.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,224
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Post by hoyarooter on Jan 11, 2021 19:12:48 GMT -5
I am totally with DRF. 88-89, and then 79-80. I thought the 88-89 team was going to win the national championship coming into the tournament after rampaging through the Big East. And I think 79-80 would have won the national championship if they had made it to the final four.
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the_way
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
The Illest
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Post by the_way on Jan 12, 2021 10:46:50 GMT -5
96 is the answer and 89 is a close second. With respect to the greybeards around here, the 80 team racked up a lot of wins against an extremely easy schedule (like, softer than Ewing's first year easy), then went on a nice run in the last month of the season. Greybeard checking in. Let's deal with the scheduling thing first. The '80 team did play all-time-great cupcake St. Leo and opened with Bowie State. Looking at the rest of the schools, we see Maryland, Indiana, Loyola-Marymount, and Houston in the first six games. I also don't think the team should be downgraded for playing Providence, Northeastern, Boston College, Lafayette, Drake, Iona, and St. Joe's in order. The analogy to Ewing's first year is very misplaced On to the more subjective, I love all of these teams but I like the fact that the '80 team fulfilled its potential and more--in addition to really putting us on the map. I downgrade the '89 team (who started the season with Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii-Loa, St. Leo, and Shenandoah) slightly for being upset by Duke in the regional final. I downgrade the '96 team for a) not winning the Big East in a nail-biter, and b) being crushed by UMass, which goes well beyond "just" a loss. That team had incredible talent, and may have played the best game by a Hoya team ever late in the season against Villanova. But they didn't finish. That matters. That Nova game was without Kerry Kittles. We got blown out at the Spectrum when they had Kittles. 95-96 team's victory at home vs UCONN was the most impressive for that team that year, imo. 95-96, on paper, looked the part with the future NBA talent and Page. But it had flaws and against the right team, would get exposed considerably. Arizona, UMASS, NOVA at full strength. The at Syracuse and at St. John's games were ugly losses too. They wouldn't have beaten Kentucky either.
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bamahoya11
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by bamahoya11 on Jan 12, 2021 19:45:57 GMT -5
I would have to go with 07-08. I still think that’s the best college team I have watched in person. Granted, I never had the chance to watch the prior teams that have gotten mentions. The team was balanced, focused, and a clear final four contender all year. Then, I think they just got the worst misfortune of getting paired to face a Davidson team that was severely underrated. If we had just avoided that matchup I think a whole lot of things might have gone differently. Both that year and in the following ones. I personally thought JTIII never seemed quite the same as a tournament coach after that Davidson loss.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by hoyarooter on Jan 12, 2021 20:15:15 GMT -5
Figured we could talk about something Georgetown related besides the usual topics of "next year", "REBOUND!", 9797 problems and an Orange ain't one, etc. Who do you think was the best G-town team that didn't make it to the Final Four. I think the 88-89 team with Smitty and Mourning as a freshmen. That team was good. Smitty, Turner, Bryant, Tillmon, a young Mourning, a raw Mutombo, Jaren Jackson, the reliable Winston. Although it was before my time, I often hear the 1979-1980 team that lost to Iowa in the elite 8 was pretty good too. What are you thoughts? 1979-80 had senior leadership in Duran and Shelton going for it, which meant a lot more back then, and the element of surprise, since no one other than Dick Enberg saw us coming. There was actually someone else you may be familiar with who picked Georgetown that year, but he was local to Los Angeles. Chick Hearn. I remember driving on the freeway listening to a Laker game when Chick started talking about the NCAA Tournament, and he said he liked Georgetown, because they played all 94 feet. I almost drove off the road.
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