Well, that was disappointing. Nerlens Noel, the nation’s No.1 college basketball recruit, chose Kentucky over Georgetown and Syracuse on national television Wednesday night.

Noel, a 6-foot-10 center from Everett, Massachusetts had been on Georgetown’s radar (not to mention every other major program’s) for years. After spending his freshman and sophomore year at his local high school in Everett, Noel transferred to the Tilton School in New Hampshire, where he planned to stay for three years and enter college as a member of the class of 2013. However, in February, Noel reclassified to the class of 2012, setting off a recruiting frenzy.

The big man is a game-changing prospect, a true center many have compared to National Player of the Year and likely No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Davis for his defensive ability. Some have even claimed that Noel is a better shot blocker than Davis, who averaged 4.6 blocks per game this year at Kentucky. Now Noel will have a chance to replace Davis and lead the Wildcats back to the Final Four.

With John Calipari having pulled in the nation’s best recruiting class in each of his three seasons at Kentucky, Georgetown was always the underdog in this recruiting battle. But as Noel dragged out his decision, the Hoyas’ chances kept looking better. The final decision was apparently a tough one for Noel, who claimed to still be undecided even yesterday.

Missing out on Noel isn’t the end of the world for the Hoyas. John Thompson III and his staff still have time to add to a recruiting class that already includes top prospect D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera. Georgetown’s next big target is McDonald’s All-American Devonta Pollard, a 6-foot-7 small forward. Pollard, who will be making his official visit to campus this weekend, is also considering Missouri, Texas, and Alabama.

Auburn University announced the hiring of Terri Williams-Flournoy as its new women’s basketball coach on Monday, marking the end of Williams-Flournoy’s eight-season run as head coach at Georgetown. Her departure marks the end of the most successful stretch in program history, with Williams-Flournoy leading the Hoyas to four straight 20-win seasons, a mark the team had reached only three times in its previous 38 years of existence.

“I would like to thank Terri for her many contributions to Georgetown Athletics and to the Georgetown community,” athletic director Lee Reed said in a statement. “Over the course of the past eight seasons, Terri has elevated Georgetown women’s basketball to unprecedented heights. Along with President DeGioia and our athletics staff, I thank Terri for her dedicated service to Georgetown and we wish her and her family our very best. She did a remarkable job during her tenure and she will definitely be missed on the Hilltop.”

Williams-Flournoy, who started her college coaching career as an assistant at Georgetown in 1992, returned to become head coach in 2004 looking to build the middling Hoyas program into a contender. She suffered through three losing seasons, but ultimately broke through in 2008-09 with a 20-14 campaign and a berth in the NIT. From there the Hoyas only continued to improve, earning NCAA Tournament bids in each of the last three seasons, highlighted by the second Sweet 16 appearance in program history in 2011.

“I’m very grateful to Georgetown,” Williams-Flournoy told the Washington Post. “I think we did accomplish a lot. If you look at the first three years when I started and even in that fourth year, it took a lot to get the program turned around. It’s almost like watching your child grow.”

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The writing has been on the wall ever since he tested the waters last spring, but for those Hoya fans who couldn’t or wouldn’t believe it, it’s official now—Hollis Thompson will forgo his senior season and enter the NBA Draft. Thompson will hire an agent, although even if he didn’t, his decision would be irreversible—a player  is only allowed to enter and withdraw from the draft once during their college career.

Thompson’s decision certainly didn’t come as a shock to head coach John Thompson III, who’s been prepared for the junior forward’s departure since last spring.

“Hollis returned for his junior year after submitting his name for the 2011 NBA Draft,” Coach Thompson said in a statement. “We fully anticipated he would enter the 2012 draft after this season. He is an extremely hard worker and we wish him the best as he takes his next step.”

Thompson was the Hoyas’ second leading scorer at 12.7 points per game this season while shooting 43 percent on three-point attempts. His departure, coupled with the loss of seniors Henry Sims and Jason Clark, strips the Hoyas of all upperclassmen. Next season, the Hoyas will play without any seniors, having previously lost Thompson’s classmates Vee Sanford and Jerrelle Benimon to transfers.

This season, Thompson started on a tear, averaging 14.6 points per game through the first 18 games. He provided one of the highlights of the season, draining a game-winning three to defeat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in November. However, in the final 15 games of the season, he became less of a centerpiece of the offense, averaging 10.7 points per game and seemingly disappearing for stretches. He was memorably not on the court for the Hoyas’ final offensive possession in overtime at Syracuse in February. As in previous years, he performed superbly in the Hoyas’ final game of the season, notching 23 points in Georgetown’s loss to North Carolina State last week during the NCAA Tournament.

John Thompson III had something to say after today’s NCAA Tournament loss:

I don’t know that I’ve ever been as proud to be associated with a group of men, with a team, as much as I am with this team this year. This team, in spite of whatever downs we’ve had, losses like today, has been a really special group that I think has represented themselves, represented our institution, represented their families, represented each other very well. It’s a group that’s given it their all. We haven’t always had success, but it’s a group that all year fought for each other and cared about each other, and I’m proud to be associated with these guys.

We’ve got the full recap up on the main site.

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this post’s title accidentally switched Georgetown and North Carolina State. Would that it were.

In case you missed it, here’s our recap of the Hoyas’ triumphant return to postseason success against Belmont yesterday. But as Jason Clark put it after the game, we’ve got a lot more games to play, starting with the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Scouting the Wolfpack

Shortly before Georgetown began its work against Belmont, North Carolina State finished up a blowout of its own against San Diego State, breaking open a close game in the second half to win 79-65. The No. 11 seed Wolfpack weren’t even a lock to make the NCAAs heading into the ACC Tournament, but they’ve overcome a four game February losing streak and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Their 23-12 record doesn’t mean anything now–Georgetown just has to focus on the team dominated San Diego State and nearly knocked off UNC a week ago.

Unlike three-obsessed Belmont, NC State is just as comfortable inside the paint as out. They’re a very good rebounding team, and on offense they’re well balanced–against San Diego State, four players scored in double digits.

“It’s a difficult matchup,” head coach John Thompson III said. “They have a very distinct, very tough interior presence, but at the same time, they have very good perimeter play. So from our defensive perspective, whether we’re talking man, zone, or whatever the heck we’re going to do, we’re going to have to be very good at all parts.”

Of course, like any team, the Wolfpack have their weaknesses. Their defense isn’t particularly airtight, allowing a middling  67.9 points per game, and they don’t go very deep. Just eight players average more than 10 minutes a game, and only seven of them saw the court on Friday. If Georgetown can draw some fouls early, they could force some favorable matchups.

Matchup History

Georgetown and NC State have met six times before, most famously in the 1989 Sweet Sixteen, when John Thompson Jr.’s Hoyas prevailed over Jim Valvano’s Wolfpack thanks in part to a traveling violation by NC State’s Chris Corchiani, a call curmudgeonly announcer Billy Packer called the “worst call in NCAA Tournament history.” (NC State fans are still sore about it. It even came up today at Thompson’s press conference. After JTIII responded, a particularly sonorous voice emanated from behind a curtain defending the call.)

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Cheers erupt here at Georgetown with Michigan announced as No. 4 seed in midwest, bigger cheers that #Hoyas won’t play Ohio.

— Craig Stouffer (@CraigStouffer) March 11, 2012

It took until the final two pairings, but Georgetown eventually received its NCAA tournament seeding last night. The Hoyas, managing to hang on to a 3-seed despite bowing out to Cincinnati early in the Big East Tournament, will travel to Columbus to take on 14-seed Belmont on Friday.

“It was nerve-wracking the whole time, waiting on your name to be called,” senior guard Jason Clark said. “All you want is to find out where you’re playing, who you’re playing, when you’re playing.”

Now that the Hoyas know their opponent, they’ll waste no time preparing for the Atlantic Sun champions. In fact, as soon as the Selection Show special at Leo’s was over, head coach John Thompson III retreated to McDonough to begin reviewing film with his assistants. But while the team is squarely focused on their first-round matchup, the release of the bracket is occasion for fans to start dreaming. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at Georgetown’s potential draw and determined what bodes well and what doesn’t.

First off are the Belmont Bears. We’ll have a more comprehensive breakdown of the Bears later in the week, but they’re about as dangerous as a 14-seed gets. They’re a sharpshooting team that is fourth in the nation in scoring offense, and they’re hot too—Belmont enters the tournament on a 14-game winning streak. The bright side of drawing Belmont? If you’re superstitious, the Bears just happen to be the first team Georgetown beat en route to the Final Four in 2007. Of course, that doesn’t mean much to the people who will be playing on Friday.

“We are a different team, they are a different team,” Thompson said. “I’m not going to look at tapes of their 2007 team and they’re not going to look at our 2007 team.”

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President DeGioia hugs Jason Clark

It was Senior Day for Georgetown on Monday, and the Hoyas’ veterans made sure to put on one last great performance for the home crowd. Jason Clark and Henry Sims ended their career at the Verizon Center on a high note, leading the Hoyas to a resounding 59-41 victory over Notre Dame. It was the first time the two seniors beat the Fighting Irish.

The game was a back-and-forth defensive struggle for the first 10 minutes, but the Hoyas found their offensive rhythm midway through the half. Sims was the catalyst as Georgetown pulled away, scoring or assisting on 10 straight points in the closing minutes of the first half. The Hoyas went into the locker room up 28-18.

“That’s what Henry has done all year, that’s what we need him to do,” head coach John Thompson III said. “For most of the year I think he has been very good at balancing when it’s my turn and when to look if someone else is open.”

Sims finished with a well-rounded 13 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He also put an exclamation point on his performance with 4:45 to go in the game, swatting a Jerian Grant layup attempt into the stands.

Clark’s game was a microcosm of his career—an efficient offensive performance paired with an even more impressive defensive effort. The guard scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting (while also pulling down six boards), but Thompson praised him mostly for setting the defensive tone for the Hoyas from the opening tip.

Neither Clark or Sims led the Hoyas in scoring. That honor went to freshman Greg Whittington, who knocked down three corner treys en route to a career-high 15 points. Still, the young forward gave the credit to one of his senior teammates.

“It was because of Sims. Sims had the defense closing in on him, so coach said inside-out,” Whittington said. “Coach just said ‘bang it,’ and I did.”

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Player(s) to watch

We’ll flip around the usual order of our preview to give top billing to tonight’s featured players: seniors Jason Clark and Henry Sims. It’s the final home game for two players who have been linchpins on this year’s squad.

Clark and Sims took very different paths to get to this point, however. For his first three years on the team, Clark took third-billing in the backcourt behind Chris Wright and Austin Freeman. Still, even with two formidable players in front of him, Clark managed to carve out plenty of playing time. In fact, he’s appeared in every Georgetown game over the past four seasons, and he’s started in every contest since his sophomore year.

“I think about Jason as someone who’s come in and from day one has worked extremely hard,” head coach John Thompson III said. “He’s probably won just about every sprint that we’ve had in practice. You look at him as someone–for most of his career–being in the shadows, but at the same time being a strong, dominant force in those shadows.”

This season, Clark has been one the casting the shadows. The veteran scorer has  been the focus of most opposing teams’ scouting reports, yet he still leads the Hoyas with 14.5 points per game. Clark could easily average more, as Villanova head coach Jay Wright pointed out after Saturday’s game, but he’s as much a facilitator as a scorer, ensuring Georgetown’s offense flows smoothly while waiting for opportune shots (he’s hitting 48.2 percent of his attempts).

Then there’s Sims. While Clark was firmly installing himself in the starting lineup sophomore year, Sims was falling out of the rotation entirely. The 6-foot-10 center was actually more highly regarded as a recruit than Clark and projected to form a dangerous inside tandem with classmate Greg Monroe. Instead, Sims found his minutes dwindling into the single digits during Big East play in 2010. In the Hoyas’ final two games, he didn’t even get off the bench.

“Henry is someone who has epitomized growth, someone who has epitomized in many ways the overall collegiate experience,” Thompson said. “A young man ready to go out into the world as a senior is much different than who you are walking in the door. And every year, in various aspects of Henry’s life, on the court and off, we’ve seen significant growth.”

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When we last saw our Hoyas

Things got ugly in Newark. Georgetown experienced its worst loss of the season, losing by 18 points to a Seton Hall team that had lost seven of its last 10 games. The Hoyas were practically unrecognizable Tuesday night, allowing the Pirates to shoot 61 percent from the field.

“I think everybody in our locker room, everybody in this program knows that what happened in that game is not acceptable,” senior guard Jason Clark said Thursday. “That’s not Georgetown basketball. That’s not us.”

It’s hard to pinpoint where Georgetown went wrong, because it was basically everywhere. The only bright side to the loss might be that it didn’t seem to be the product of some intrinsic flaw. The Hoyas simply fell behind and then allowed their mistakes to compound to devastating effect.

“The biggest thing is when we weren’t scoring on offense we let it show up on defense, and when we weren’t playing defense we let it show up on offense,” Clark said. “Like coach said [after the game], we’ve just got to be better. We have to be better.”

Tomorrow’s villain

Normally, a late February game against Villanova would be a marquee matchup with major implications at the top of the Big East standings. This year, however, Jay Wright’s squad is suffering through a hellish season, and the Wildcats are amazingly tied for the worst overall record in the conference at 11-16.

Despite its struggles, Villanova could easily beat the Hoyas if they play like they did on Tuesday. Dysfunctional as they may be, the Wildcats still are talented. They nearly knocked off Notre Dame and UConn in their last two games, losing in overtime to both. Villanova was also without their best player, junior guard Maalik Wayns, for those games. On Thursday, Wright said that Wayns, who averages 17.8 points per game, was “hopeful” for Saturday’s game.

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When we last left our Hoyas

It’s been smooth sailing for Georgetown since their overtime loss to Syracuse, with two easy 10-point victories over St. John’s and Providence. The Hoyas haven’t exactly looked dominant, but they’ve taken care of business and remain in control of their own destiny in the race for second place in the Big East.

Tonight’s villain

The Seton Hall Pirates vied with the Hoyas for the title of most surprising team in the Big East earlier this season, posting an 11-1 non-conference record and earning their first national ranking since 2001. Conference play, however, has exposed the Pirates as beneficiaries of a weak conference schedule.

After a stretch where they went nearly a full month without a win, losing six straight from January to February, the Pirates now find themselves in a desperate situation. Without a single marquee win on its resume (sorry Pirates fans, beating UConn doesn’t count anymore), Seton Hall is clinging to the NCAA Tournament bubble. With only two games against Rutgers and DePaul remaining, tonight may be the Pirates’ last chance to impress the selection committee.

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