Jacksonville @ Georgetown preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 17, 2008 ) Jacksonville 62, Georgetown 71

The Patrick Ewing era will begin Sunday when Georgetown hosts Jacksonville in a non-conference game. Ewing takes over a program that has endured back-to-back losing seasons, but a game with the Dolphins should allow the new coach and his team a chance to get started on a positive note.

It should come as no surprise that the 7-foot Ewing will rely on a big man - the 6-10 Jessie Govan - to carry the load this season. "Jessie is one of the keys to our success," Ewing, who finished his college career as the No. 1 rebounder and No. 2 scorer in Georgetown history, told the media. "If he does not have a great year for us we won't be successful. I've put a lot on his plate." Govan will need to be much more consistent as a junior than he was as a sophomore, when he averaged 10.1 points and failed to hit double figures in half of the games. The Dolphins, who lost their top three scorers from last season, opened with a 96-67 loss to UAB.

TV: Noon ET, MASN2, YES

ABOUT JACKSONVILLE (0-1): With 10 new players on the roster, the Dolphins will likely have some early struggles under coach Tony Jasick and that was the case against UAB. Senior Cody Helgeland opened with a 1-for-13 effort and the Dolphins shot 41.3 percent as a team while allowing the Blazers to score at will. Freshman JD Notae had a solid debut by canning five 3-pointers and scoring 18 points and Devin Harris posted 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (2016-17: 14-18): Another player looking for more consistency is Marcus Derrickson, who had six straight games in double figures in late December and early January, but only two such performances over the final 15 contests. Jagan Mosely and Jonathan Mulmore are two other returnees who are expected to contribute for Ewing, who will ditch the Princeton Offense run by his predecessor John Thompson III in favor of an NBA style offense and pressing defense. Graduate transfer Trey Dickerson, who started his career at Iowa before heading to South Dakota, and freshman Jahvon Blair are expected to run the offense for the Hoyas, who hadn't endured two straight losing seasons since before Ewing played from 1981-85.

TIP-INS

1. Jamorko Pickett, who was rated the No. 15 small forward in the country, is expected to contribute right away for the Hoyas after decommitting from Mississippi.

2. After posting a 10-22 mark in his first season, Jasick guided the Dolphins to a 33-32 record over the past two years, including their first winning season since 2010-11 last season.

3. Greg Malinowski, a 6-5 guard who was a solid 3-point shooter at William & Mary, is another new comer for the Hoyas, who play only one road game - at Richmond - prior to beginning their Big East schedule Dec. 27.

PREDICTION: Georgetown 84, Jacksonville 61