It’s Year Two for both Micah Shrewsberry at Notre Dame and Ed Cooley at Georgetown.
As for which coach has his program in better shape, well a clue may come Saturday afternoon when the Fighting Irish (2-0) visit the Hoyas (2-0) in Washington, D.C.
With wins over mid-major teams, the former Big East rivals are off to promising starts. While Notre Dame has done it largely with players who were in the rotation last year, Georgetown’s cast is mostly new.
The gem of the Hoyas’ recruiting class, Thomas Sorber, has been even better than advertised. Averaging 22.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in his first two college games, Sorber captured the Big East freshman of the week award.
“I don’t think anybody can guard him down there,” Georgetown guard Jayden Epps said. “He’s unselfish and he’ll pass it out if they double. So I always tell Coach to look down there and try to get him established to just open up the rest of the game.”
Epps shares the backcourt with transfers Malik Mack (Harvard) and Micah Peavy (TCU). The trio is averaging a combined 39.5 points and 11.5 assists, with Peavy adding 5.0 steals and 4.5 rebounds per game.
The early reviews also have been good for Notre Dame, especially for improved Tae Davis. He has flashed his power inside and his quickness and skills on the perimeter.
In the Fighting Irish’s 86-77 win over Buffalo on Monday, Davis tallied a career-high 27 points to help save his team on a night in which it made only 5 of 20 shots from 3-point range.
“Last year, we’re losing this game,” Shrewsberry said.
Davis also played a big role on defense. He helped contain Buffalo top threat Tyson Dunn to nine points, including a 0-of-8 shooting performance from 3-point range to go along with seven turnovers.
Marcus Burton also excelled for Notre Dame, providing 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Shrewsberry credited his team’s bond off the court for their newfound “resolve and toughness.”
“A team that’s close off the court, it translates to what you’re doing on the court and it translates the most when there’s a little bit of adversity,” he said.
