Old Familiar Feeling Strikes The Hoyas

RALEIGH, N.C., March 20 -- Very little about Thursday, the day before Georgetown's first-round NCAA tournament game, felt new to Jonathan Wallace. The senior guard sat inside the Hoyas' cozy locker room as reporters interviewed his teammates, and killed time until it was Georgetown's turn to take the court for its open practice. It was similar to what he did two years ago in Dayton, Ohio, and last year in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"Other than different place, different setting. I guess that's the good thing about the experience we got," Wallace said. "You're not really overwhelmed right now. You're able to focus more on strategy and what you need to do as far as the game goes."

Georgetown (27-5), the second seed in the Midwest Region, plays 15th-seeded UMBC (24-8) on Friday afternoon in a first-round game.

The Hoyas, who are making their third straight NCAA tournament appearance, may have grown used to the routine and the rhythms of the tournament, but this year they're dealing with a different set of expectations.

In three years, they've gone from being a team that was just happy to be back in the tournament to one that is coming off a Final Four appearance and has visions of a repeat performance.

"People don't look at us like they did last year," sophomore DaJuan Summers said. "We're supposed to be one of the better teams, so we've got to perform."

But the Hoyas' motivation hasn't changed. Said Coach John Thompson III, "The fact that we had a little bit of success last year, and the fact that we went to the Final Four, doesn't change that drive and doesn't change the desire of our program from me on down to not only get there, but hopefully put ourselves in a position to win."

The raised expectations stem, in part, from Georgetown's experience. Of the Hoyas' top nine players, only two of them --freshman guards Austin Freeman and Chris Wright -- are playing in their first NCAA tournament. Wallace, senior Roy Hibbert, junior Jessie Sapp and Summers have made a combined 26 starts in the tournament. Reserves Patrick Ewing Jr., Jeremiah Rivers and Vernon Macklin each have appeared in at least three tournament games. And all seven players were on the court at some point in the Hoyas' 67-60 loss to Ohio State in the 2007 national semifinals.

"I think the experience that the players have gained is going to be very beneficial," Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim said last week at the Big East tournament. "All these guys have been there and they know what it's like, they've been in that pressure situation. I think that helps them a lot."

Freeman, Georgetown's lone rookie starter, said he's enjoying the moment right now, but admitted he doesn't know how he's going to feel Friday when the game starts. Summers was in that position last year as a freshman, unsure of what to expect and slightly awed by the situation.

He struggled during the opening two rounds, shooting just 23.5 percent and averaging 5.5 points, but flourished in the East Region semifinals and final. In wins over Vanderbilt and North Carolina, Summers averaged 17.5 points on 52.2 percent shooting and was named to the all-region team.

"I feel more mature this year. I feel more comfortable, not scared," said Summers, whose smiling face is featured on a regional cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. "Last year I was like, 'Wow, we're here.' I think that deer-in-the-headlights effect took hold of me more than the upperclassmen."