Full GW men’s basketball 2024-2025 season preview

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

By Abe Rothstein (@RothsteinAbe) and Scott Greaney (@ScottGreaney_)

A new season is on the horizon for the George Washington Revolutionaries. Following a season that could only be described as a disappointment featuring a 12 game losing streak, head coach Chris Caputo has retooled and revamped this Revolutionaries roster. 

Many holes were left to fill following the loss of program-great James Bishop IV, Maximus Edwards transferring to Duquesne and Babatunde Akingbola graduating. The staff was on top of the transfer portal, bringing in players to fill the void and strengthen the team’s depth.

With just a day left before their opening night matchup against Mercyhurst, the George Washington Revolutionaries are enjoying their added depth and summer work on the defensive end. 

After spending hours watching practices, and countless interviews with players and coaches, here is our 2024-2025 GW Men’s Basketball season preview:

Projected Starting Lineup: 

PG: Jacoi Hutchinson

2023-2024 averages: 7.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.3 APG. 41.8% FG, 39.6% 3PT, 79% FT

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

His role on the defensive end will be of major importance for this Revs squad, and he did make some major plays on the defensive end. Notably, his defense against Davidson helped keep GW in the game during their overtime victory. 

Hutchinson, at the preseason media day, highlighted his goals for the upcoming season.

“Being the point guard on a winning team, and leaving my legacy here at GW like that, whether it takes two, three years, whatever it may be,” said Hutchinson. “I think that’s most important to me right now, so I think that’s what it takes being the best defensive player on the court every time I step on the court, guarding the best player.”

The coaching staff has a lot of faith in Hutchinson running the offense this year, saying that he has taken a leap. 

On the offensive end, look for him to take on a bigger role this year running the offense. Hutchinson had his career high of seven assists in the losing streak-breaking victory against Saint Bonaventure and looked for his connection with the new, young transfers. 

In conference play, Hutchinson excelled on the offensive end. His 42% from three during A10 play put him at eighth in the conference in three-point percentage. 

Look for Hutchinson to make a big leap in his second year at the helm, with a versatile pick and roll game featuring Rafael Castro whom coaches have described as a “lob threat”, continued pick and roll action with Darren Buchanan Jr. and a potential pick and pop game with Cornell transfer Sean Hansen who shot over 35% from deep. Expect a big leap for Hutchinson in year two at the helm.

SG: Trey Moss

2023-2024 averages (William & Mary): 13.5 PPG 3.5 RPG, 2.15 APG. 41% FG. 29% 3PT, 75% FT

Coming into the year, the two spot was one of the biggest areas of interest for fans on Foggy Bottom. With the graduation of GW legend James Bishop IV and the departure of Maximus Edwards to last year’s Atlantic 10 Cinderella, Duquesne, Coach Caputo and staff returned to the drawing board to figure out who was going to be the second guard alongside Hutchinson. Once again, Caputo relied on his history as an assistant coach at Miami to land Trey Moss, a 6’3” redshirt junior, from William & Mary.

At the start of preseason practices, the competition for who would start at shooting guard seemed to be a battle of the Treys – Moss and Autry. Although Moss only shot 29% from three last season, the improvement in his jump shot and consistency on defense has impressed the coaching staff and has likely boosted him into the starting lineup going into Monday night. 

“I want to be a known winner and everything you think of with winning,” Moss said. “On a personal goal, I want to be a more consistent knock-down shooter, be the guy who can guard the best man and just be a better player.”

Moss is one of two new transfers who faced off against the Revolutionaries last season. In GW’s 95-89 win over William & Mary last November, Moss finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 28 minutes as the Tribe nearly mounted an impressive comeback after being down as much as 17. Moss said he’s joked with his new teammates about last season’s matchup, especially with Laziz Talipov, who also shares roots in Orlando, Florida. 

“We talk about it all the time with the guys, it was fun,” Moss said. “We were talking to each other in the game, looking back, it was all competitive nature and in good spirit. I remember that game stuck with me.”

After being a consistent starter in the Coastal Athletic Association last year, Moss is prepared to carry over his game experience and compete against the best in the A-10. 

“The biggest change would be the conference and the preparation; there are a lot of dogs in this conference,” Moss said. “You gotta come ready night in, night out.”

Anticipate Moss being a defensive factor and a well-seasoned leader while on the court, as Caputo has praised his speed, quickness and athleticism. In practice, Moss has been sharpening his defensive skills, positioning himself as a lock-down guard—a role critical for a team that faced defensive challenges last season, particularly at that position before Hutchinson’s emergence at the shooting guard spot.

SF: Gerald Drumgoole Jr. 

2023-2024 averages (Delaware): 13.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.3 APG. 43.3 FG%, 37.3 3PT%, 64% FT

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

Drumgoole Jr. was the last of the four new transfers to commit to the Revolutionaries earlier this spring. Now at his fourth school in six years, Drumgoole brings experience and consistency to a team that lacked both of these factors at times last season. 

“I think it’s been an amazing transition, being that I’m in my sixth year,” Drumgoole said. “It’s relatively easier for me to transition, coming from multiple schools.”

Standing at 6’5” and 210 pounds, he mirrors the physical presence of former Revolutionary Brendan Adams and is expected to step into the small-forward role, especially crucial with Garrett Johnson due to miss the season with a torn ACL.

The Revs will rely on Drumgoole to be a second option in the scoring department. Drumgoole is an effective shooter from three, hitting over 37% last season. In addition, the Rochester product added nearly 14 points per game. 

Drumgoole is proud of his Rochester roots and went to the same high school as Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart. His connections also run deep as he is cousins with former NFL standout cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. 

The graduate transfer is a phenomenal personality who has been outspoken in practice looking to encourage his teammates. In a recent practice, he was hyping up freshman Ty Bevins after a contested three in a scrimmage. 

Drumgoole’s connection with fellow upstate New Yorker, Trey Autry, who he bonded with after GW’s victory against Delaware at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, will add another layer of on-court chemistry for the Revs. 

With a proven track record of 49 starts over the past two seasons, Drumgoole brings more than just shooting ability—he’s a reliable scorer who can effectively complement Darren Buchanan Jr. in competitive games.

PF: Darren Buchanan Jr. 

2023-2024 averages: 15.6 PTS, 6.6 REB, 2.3 AST. 54.6 FG%, 32.3 3PT%, 63% FT

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

Few players embody the spirit of GW as much as Darren Buchanan Jr. The DC native surely would have been the A-10 Rookie of the Year had it not been for a groin injury suffered against rival George Mason. 

Buchanan, who was frustrated being left off the Preseason A-10 First Team, once again is playing like he has a lot left to prove. 

In his freshman season, he was named A-10 Rookie of the Week four separate times, had a career high of 38 points in a thriller against Fordham, and had 25 games in double figures. 

You will find few players as selfless as Darren Buchanan. As someone who hails from DC, he is doing everything possible to give back to his community. It’s not only evident within his community impact, but him becoming the leader and the face of GW basketball. 

“I have no personal goals for this year. I tell the team every day like I care less about me,” said Buchanan at the Atlantic 10 Conference Media Day. “I’ve been preaching that since the summer, and it’s actually been weeks in practice where I tell them, like, I’m not gonna shoot the ball today, just so I can show them that, like, I’m willing to do everything else to help the team win, and that my focus is not just me.”

The Revs excel when Buchanan shares the ball. In the six games where Buchanan had at least four assists, GW was 5-1. 

With an NBA frame at 6’7” and 235 lbs, the key for Buchanan will be attacking the paint. A drive to the right by Buchanan is nearly impossible to stop, as he shot over 57% from two last year. 

Despite the high field goal percentage, Buchanan looks to improve from the free throw line and behind the arc, where he shot just 63% from the free throw line and 32% from the latter. The DC native was 39th in the country in free throw rate.

“In order for me to help this team, I gotta be able to shoot the three. In order to help myself, I gotta shoot the three… I spent tons of hours on that,” said Buchanan. “My shot got way better. My overall ball handling has gotten better, and then I feel like the main thing, other than shooting, was just my conditioning, just getting in shape, came down on body fat, added five pounds of muscle now, so I feel way better than I did last year.”

As Buchanan has now caught the eyes of some NBA Draft accounts on X and those around college basketball, his sights are set solely on the team. 

“I kind of got my name out there a little bit, so people know I am. I really don’t care about it,” said Buchanan. “Like, I tell them every day, like, I’m here for y’all, I’m here for the team. So, the team is way bigger than me.

With a major season coming up for the redshirt sophomore, it’s clear all he wants to do is win, it’s easy to see Buchanan being a strong contender for A-10 Player of the Year. 

C: Rafael Castro

2023-2024 averages (Providence): 2.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.4 BPG, 67.8% FG%, 41% FT

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

After the graduation of shot blocker Babatunde Akingbola, Coach Caputo and his staff hit the transfer portal once again to fill the void, landing the 6’11” redshirt junior, Rafael Castro, from Providence College.

After mainly coming off the bench while at Providence, Castro is set to bring size, skill and a polished touch to the paint, adding a much-needed interior presence for the Revolutionaries.   

“I want to showcase what I’ve been working on this summer; I had a good summer,” Castro said. “My focus this summer has been (improving) my touch around the rim.”

The coaching staff is very confident in Castro’s ability to serve as a lob threat and a roller off the pick & roll, much of what Castro has attributed to his experience at a Power Five program. 

“You got a big time athlete, a real lob threat; his offensive game has surprised me a ton,” said GW Assistant Coach Matthew Colpoys. “His ability to catch and finish plays and to pass and play make – he can do a lot more than we thought he could.”

No doubt, playing with NBA talent in the Big East, such as first round pick Devin Carter, helped him grow. 

“The pace that they play at in the Big East definitely helped me grow,” Castro said. “Providence really helped me with my work ethic and getting extra workouts in. Translating that to the A-10 is going to be fun.”

Expect Coach Caputo to utilize Castro’s skill sets in a similar manner to “Stretch” Akingbola last year while benefiting from Castro’s ability to catch lobs and his refined touch around the rim, which is an improvement from last season. Additionally, more depth at the forward position this year will provide Caputo with more options to potentially go small ball, should Castro enter foul trouble.

Top Bench Contributors:

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

C: Sean Hansen

2023-24 averages (Cornell): 8.8 PTS, 3.4 REB, 1.9 AST. 53% FG, 36% 3PT, 59% FT

For several seasons, GW has been thin at the center position. This year, the Revs brought in two transfers, Rafael Castro, who we highlighted as a starter, and also Sean Hansen from Cornell. 

After spending his first four years of college in Ithaca, Hansen transferred down to GW for his final year of eligibility. In college so far, he has only played three seasons due to the Ivy League shutting down play during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hansen brings a different skill set to the team as Castro and brings the Revs a stretch five who can shoot from behind the arc, evident in his 36.5% from three. To pair like fine wine with his shooting skills, Hansen excels as a passer, finishing 17th in the Ivy League in assist rate, and finishing ninth in assists per game in 2022-23. The New Jersey product was 12th in the league in offensive rating, top 14 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage and second in two-point percentage.

The Revs have not had a center make more than one three since the 2021-2022 season when walk-on Miles Gally knocked down a three in the last game of the season. Hansen knocked down 27 threes alone last season. 

Depth at the position excites Coach Chris Caputo, and we can possibly see both Hansen and Castro sharing the court, as they both started in the team’s “secret scrimmage” against Navy. 

“I think realistically, if you’re saying that on certain nights your five best players are going to be two of them, I think that that’s probably likely,” said Caputo. 

While it’s unlikely both Hansen and Castro start, expect their minutes split to be about even, and their presences on the court will likely be based on matchups when GW can take advantage of stretching the floor. Cornell was 14-3 when Hansen made at least one three. 

“He can space the floor and take other teams bigs away from the rim, which we’ve never had since we’ve been here at that spot,” said Matt Colpoys. “It allows you to just play in some different ways and utilize those guys differently.”

For the first time in a while, GW has two legitimate centers and both with different skill sets. A lot of potential opens up for this Revolutionaries squad with the addition of Sean Hansen. 

G: Christian Jones

Redshirted last season, did not play

After a lackluster season, there were many nerve-wracking questions circulating about the fate of Christian Jones and whether he would join his high school teammate Maximus Edwards in the transfer portal. However, the nebulous clouds have parted as Jones is back after his redshirt year and the coaching staff thinks he can be a star in the making. 

“I’m pretty confident that as time goes by, he’s going to be able to find his footing and will be a very good player in the program,” Caputo said. “The pressure to play a lot of the time outweighs their ability to see the forest through the trees in terms of their development.”

Just as a reminder for those who might have forgotten about Jones, he was a 3-star recruit coming out of Our Savior Lutheran in the Bronx and was a top-300 recruit nationally. Assistant Coach Matthew Colpoys raved about how the raw talent is still there for Jones as he enters his first true year of college basketball. 

“He’s super talented and had a really good summer,” Colpoys said. “He’s completely changed his body and his mind from getting here; the red shirt year was great for him.”

Colpoys also said Jones has put on 20 pounds of muscle coming into this season and has stood out in preseason practice.

“He’s got so much stuff they can’t teach,” Colpoys said. “He’s got so many natural gifts, like wiggle, his ability to go by players and his passing and finishing.” 

Colpoys was high on the improvements he’s seen from Jones throughout his redshirt year and the offseason. 

“He’s super fun to coach, super coachable, and you can just see the confidence growing from last year to this year in terms of his command of what’s going on and his confidence in himself,” Colpoys said. 

“It’s shown in both the weight room – he’s doing a great job there – and having success on the court and earning it, which he’s done.” 

Caputo is just as high on Jones, but also acknowledges this year being his first year of college play and that it might take time for Jones to dust off the redshirt rust. 

“He’s got a lot of gifts – long arms, a lot of mobility – but still a guy who will be like a real freshman in a lot of ways,” Caputo said. 

Jones will most likely be among the first players off the bench, possibly even stepping into the sixth-man role during the season, providing Caputo with another ball-handler to back up Hutchinson.

G: Trey Autry 

2023-2024 averages: 5.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.6 FG%, 34.2 3PT%, 78% FT

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

GW was excited to bring Trey Autry on board alongside Jacoi Hutchinson last season. For those non-GW fans who might be reading this: Yes, the last name is familiar. His father, “Red” Autry, took over for Jim Boeheim in Syracuse and has done a fantastic job.

The first season for the younger Autry was up and down, as growing pains are normal for most freshmen. In his first year, the neophyte had a lot of trust placed in him, starting 15 of the 32 games he played and averaging almost 19 minutes per game.

Nonconference play was a time of adjustment for Autry, as he shot only 30% from three before conference play started. Once the A-10 schedule kicked off, Autry’s shot started to click, finishing conference play shooting over 38% from beyond the arc. The Revs, who took almost 35% of their shots from downtown, will look for Autry to continue his hot shooting and the confidence he found in conference play.

Since the beginning of last season and in the offseason, Autry has worked tirelessly with Coach Handerahan to add muscle, and his gains are evident. He looks huge. The staff will look for him to continue to improve on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. 

Expect Autry to be a significant contributor off the bench as the Revs are looking for him to continue his hot shooting from deep. He’ll most likely be part of the rotation coming off the bench and could potentially move into the starting lineup if he catches fire from the perimeter.

F: Dayan Nessah: 

Entering his freshman year at GW

The No. 12 European prospect and top Swiss prospect in the 2024 class, per Eurospects, from Geneva, Switzerland, was one of Foggy Bottom’s later commits, announcing his commitment to GW on July 19 earlier this year. Fans should be ready for Nessah to be an exciting forward with a polished offensive arsenal that has been flying under the radar. 

Nessah has loads of experience for a freshman, spending five years competing in the FC Barcelona development system before arriving on campus this past summer. He even played for the Swiss U18 national team at the FIBA U18 Eurobasket Division B in North Macedonia. So far, those who have attended practice have raved about his potential given his experience playing internationally. 

“He plays really, really hard; he’s got a big, big motor. He’s really coachable,” Caputo said. “He’s physically strong and athletic, even for an 18-year-old guy.”

At 6’7” and 210 pounds, Nessah has the potential to be an effective forward off the bench for the Revs this season. Practice goers have pointed out his superb skills on offense and are excited about what he can bring with some improvements on the defensive end. 

Nessah has been seen around campus in a walking boot for a “rolled ankle.” Caputo said he does not have a fracture and is considered day to day going into Monday’s opener against Mercyhurst. 

G: Ty Bevins

Entering his freshman year at GW

Photo Credit: Kenan Orlovic

Ty Bevins, a standout freshman guard from Clinton, Maryland, has quickly made a strong impression over the summer at GW. A 3-star prospect from Gwynn Park High School, Bevins was rated as one of the top five players coming out of the state of Maryland in this year’s freshman class, averaging 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in his senior season.

Bevins’ performance in his senior year in high school earned him the Prince George’s County Player of the Year award. Choosing GW over offers from Georgetown, George Mason and Temple, Bevins embodies the coaching staff’s commitment to recruiting and retaining local talent from the DMV area. 

Darren Buchanan Jr. noted Bevins’ early maturity at the Atlantic 10 Conference Media Day. 

“I love all the new guys. Ty Bevins freshman came in and picked up on stuff early like he’s wise beyond his years,” Buchanan said. 

While Bevins has seemed to have adjusted quickly, he joins a deep guard rotation that may limit his minutes this season come conference play. Expect this season to be a developmental year for Bevins as he continues to gain experience playing at the Division I level and prepares to contribute in future seasons. GW fans can expect to see flashes of his talent as he acclimates to the college level.

F: Zamoku Weluche-Ume 

2023-2024 averages: 2.4 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 36.1 FG%, 27.3 3FG%, 67% FT

The forward from London, England came off the bench as a freshman in 15 games last season, mainly in the out-of-conference slate. 

Weluche-Ume is considered “day to day” with a rolled ankle; we’ll monitor his status in the lead-up to Monday’s season opener. 

He has the ability to shoot from deep, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in contests against Coppin State and Bowie State. The abundance of injuries at the forward spot last season led to Weluche-Ume seeing more court time, with his career high in minutes played coming against St. Joseph’s in which he played over 18 minutes. 

He’ll look to provide some depth at the forward position and a spark off the bench in short minutes.

GW’s Out of Conference Games to Watch: 

Despite controversy about the weak out of conference scheduling, there are a few games in the first half of the season that are worth a watch.

GW vs. Kansas State – US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, Nov 22 @ 8 p.m. on ESPN+

The first game that should be on everyone’s schedule, if it isn’t already, is the matchup against Power Five foe, Kansas State, in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam at 8 p.m. on November 22. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+, so make sure you get your subscription set before then. 

The first matchup that stands out is Darren Buchanan Jr. against Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins. Hawkins was one of the most sought-after transfers in the portal this past offseason and he seems to be in a position to thrive under Head Coach Jerome Tang. 

Another compelling duel will be sophomore Jacoi Hutchinson across from Michigan transfer Dug McDaniel. With both guards originating from the DMV area, it will be a matchup filled with pride. This assignment will also provide Hutchinson with a great opportunity to showcase the defensive work he’s undertaken this offseason as McDaniel led the Wolverines in scoring (16.3 PPG) and steals (1.1 SPG) last year. 

The Revs will most likely be heavy underdogs going into this neutral site game. It will be exciting to see the team go up against a popular Power Five program aspiring to go deep into March. If the Revs can keep themselves in the game, there should be plenty of optimism on Foggy Bottom going into the back end of the nonconference schedule. 

WRGW Sports Blog will be covering this game live on X. 

GW vs. Army – Dec 13 @ 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and WRGW Radio

In another enticing out of conference game, GW will take on Army in what should be an exciting atmosphere at the Smith Center. There will presumably be lots of service members in the stands of Smith Center with the famed Army-Navy football place taking place in Landover, Maryland that weekend. 

Both Army and Navy football teams may very well be in the top 25 at the end of the season. Army fans will be out in full force. 

After finishing last season with a 10-22 record, Army has been battle-tested in their non-conference schedule the last two seasons, having faced formidable opponents such as Indiana and Duke. 

The Revs will face an Army squad led by second-year head coach Kevin Kuwik, who previously served as an assistant at Butler under Thad Matta. Kuwik also has A-10 roots as an assistant at Davidson from 2017 to 2022, being part of the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament run in 2022. He also has experience from his time at Dayton, where he helped the Flyers to a remarkable four NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the Elite Eight in 2014.

You guessed it – WRGW Sports will also have live radio & blog coverage starting just before tipoff.

GW vs. Mercyhurst Preview

By: Scott Greaney (@ScottGreaney_)

It has been 242 days since the last regular season basketball game at the Smith Center. That streak will, fortunately, come to a close Monday night as GW will finally take the court for the new season against Mercyhurst at 8 p.m.

Head Coach Gary Manchel is entering his 22nd year with Mercyhurst – this year being the program’s first season as a Division I program. Manchel has had a very accomplished tenure with the program as he holds the most wins in school history at 373.

Coach Manchel’s teams are known around coaching circles for their defensive tenacity, which was ranked second in team defense in all of Division II basketball just three seasons ago. GW will need to find ways to work as a team to break through Mercyhurst’s “funky’ defense, as Manchel has coached 10 top-ten defenses while at the helm in Erie. 

GW assistant coach Matt Colpoys mentioned the game plan is to “get them out of their rhythm on defense,” which could present a unique challenge even for the seasoned players on this GW squad.

Colpoys, an Erie native, will be looking to crack the code of Mercyhurst’s defense, going up against the school just two blocks away from his college house when he attended Penn State Behrend. 

“It’s a tough challenge for us, but it’s good to get experience playing against different things early in the year, making our guys have to problem solve on the fly,” Colpoys said. 

As this is the first game of the season, don’t be surprised to see some nerves and inconsistencies early on in the game as Caputo will be trying different sets to see which works best. However, once GW can effectively get the ball to Darren Buchanan Jr. on the low block and kick out to open shooters, expect the offense to open up a lot more and the Revolutionaries to take care of business Monday night.

WRGW Sports will have live radio coverage starting just before 8 p.m. and blog coverage as well. The game can also be live-streamed on ESPN+.

The Ultimate Statistic: How Points Per Possession is Redefining College Basketball

Photo credit: Kenan Orlovic

By: Abe Rothstein (@RothsteinAbe)

For any basketball fan, it is easy to realize that the game has completely changed. Gone are the days of slowly dribbling up the court, looking for a post up and possibly settling for a midrange jumper. For GW, those days are over. 

Under Head Coach Chris Caputo, the Revs have been consistently playing at a faster pace. Under the three years with Jamion Christian at the helm, the Revolutionaries’ average tempo was 178th in the country, according to KenPom. Once Caputo took over, the Revs were 93rd and 65th in the nation in the same category during his first two years in Foggy Bottom. 

There has been a lot of discussion as to how the faster tempo has impacted teams on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. 

In the 2023-2024 seasons, there was not a direct correlation between a faster tempo and offensive rating. The top three tempo teams in the country were Western Kentucky, VMI (a GW opponent this season), and Bryant. All three teams finished with an offensive rating of 193rd, 360th and 268th, respectively. 

Kentucky and Arizona were the lone tournament teams in the top 14 of tempo, where they would finish seventh and second in offense. 

On the other hand, teams with the slowest tempo saw as much success. The 12th and 14th slowest tempo teams made runs deep into the NCAA tournament, look no further than South Carolina and Houston. 

Caputo pointed out that some teams such as North Carolina under Roy Williams were successful in faster tempo play, and had a tremendous defense to help supplement the pace. 

“On offense, they were going to punch the ball inside, on post ups, on back screens, lobs, on the offensive glass and in transition,” Caputo said. “And then defensively, they were going to pressure and were going to force you to put the ball on the ground and try to drive it into big, athletic guys who block shots.” 

For teams, the game becomes a possession battle, and forcing turnovers is key to winning that fight. 

In this day and age, the stat of points allowed per game does not tell the full story of whether or not a team is actually successful on the defensive end. Coaches now believe that points per possession is one of the most important statistics in basketball. 

“Points per possession is the ultimate stat in basketball,” said GW assistant coach Matt Colpoys. “At the end of the day, you’re going to have basically the same amount of possessions as the other team.”

When teams have about the same number of possessions per game, it is crucial to limit opponents on those possessions. 

A team such as the University of Virginia will allow fewer points per game than GW when the Cavaliers have nine fewer defensive possessions per game. 

For the slowest-paced team in the country, UVA finished just 200th nationally in offensive rating but finished seventh in the country in defensive rating. Classic Tony Bennett basketball. 

Despite the pace, Virginia finished with a 23-11 record and was able to limit opponents to fewer possessions and, more importantly, fewer points per possession. 

“[Bennett’s] thing was, ‘Hey, we’re gonna play very slow on offense and keep you on defense,” Caputo said. “Play great defense, and at the end of the game, we’re going to have a low-possession game where our defense forced you into more difficult shots and our offense worked really, really hard to get great shots for us.”

Teams like UVA would average about 60 total possessions per game, while the average in college hoops sat around 68.5, according to KenPom. 

Virginia’s stout defense hung their hats on their ability to force their opponents to shoot “low value” shots late in the shot clock, limiting their likelihood of scoring. 

“Whoever gets the most high expected value shots generally wins,” said Chris Caputo. “Every team has their own shot chart that you could look at all the players on that team, and look at all the spots on the floor, you can factor in where the shots are contested or off the dribble.”

Still, the GW defense has been struggling over the last two seasons in the points-per-game category, but the team thrived when they limited points per possession. 

When GW held opponents to less than 1.1 points per possession last season, they only lost three games. 

The Revs overhauled their defense this offseason to limit those points per possession, heavily focusing their practices on the defensive side of the ball. To pair their transfers with players who are growing within the program, expect the defense to certainly take a step up this season. 

“Jacoi [Hutchinson], Christian [Jones], Trey Moss, they have the speed, quickness, athleticism to do it,” said Caputo. “I do feel like there’s more guys out here who can move their feet and keep people in front of them. And as they get a little bit older, wiser, defensively, hopefully, it’ll pay dividends.”

On the offensive end, looking for those highest expected value shots will be key for the Revolutionaries this season. As good as James Bishop was at those contested midrange jumpers, they are not seen analytically as high-quality shots. 

In a recent scrimmage before the season, fellow A-10 foe, Saint Louis, took every shot from either behind the arc or in the paint; no midrange jumpers were taken. 

Take a look at this chart, made by Jack Godar on X.

The Revolutionaries will try to limit their midrange jumpers and instead focus on threes and points in the paint. 

“Even with James Bishop, who’s a reasonably good mid range shooter, you know, we were top 50 in the country in not taking mid range shots,” Caputo said. “I’d like us to be in the top 25 there.”

Coaches say that rim attempts are the best quality shot you can get. Those attempts at the rim can lead to fouls, which then lead to free throws, making scoring extremely efficient. Creating an important presence in the paint opens up a ton for offenses all around. 

“(Rim pressure) creates threes by the defense collapsing if we space properly, and threaten the defense with three pointers, then that rim, in theory, should be open,” Colpoys said.

The Revs plan on taking advantage of players such as Darren Buchanan Jr. being an unstoppable force in the paint. 

“You’re kind of making the defense choose. Are they going to try and take away the rim? If they do, we’re going to get threes. If we space properly, and we have threes, then we will get rim attempts,” Colpoys said. 

While mid range jumpers are still prevalent in the NBA with superstars such as Jalen Brunson and Kevin Durant making a living from there, it is unlikely we will see another midrange player without a three point shot like Sean Livingston. 

In the NBA, the total number of jump shots has not changed, but Colpoys says they have just backed up. Not many David West shots, but stepped back to the three point line. 

The earlier in the shot clock you shoot, the higher the form of possession is, transition is the most efficient offense.

Both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in college have gone through major transformations. For the Revs this season, look for more points in the paint and three point attempts. 

Don’t freak out if it seems as if GW is allowing a high amount of points per game on the eye test; the key for them is taking those high quality shots and creating turnovers to allow a low points per possession. That’s the new formula for winning basketball.

Tony Bennett Retires: Reaction From GW Head Coach Chris Caputo: 

By: Abe Rothstein (@RothsteinAbe)

The news shook the sports world a few weeks ago as Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett, aged 55, announced his retirement from coaching, only a few weeks before the beginning of the season. Announcing this move two weeks before the season was surely a shock for everybody in college basketball. 

Assistant coach Ron Sanchez is taking over for Bennett who led UVA to a National Championship, won two AP Coach of the Year awards, two Naismith Coach of the Year, won 364 games, and ended his career with the highest winning percentage in program history. 

Young coaches, like GW’s Chris Caputo, were shocked at the sudden retirement. Caputo considers Bennett a friend, and holds a great amount of respect for him, even calling him a ‘Hall of Fame coach’. 

Overall, Caputo believes his departure from college basketball hurts the game. 

“I do think college basketball really loses something when you lose someone of that quality, coach, person, the brand that he created there,” said Caputo. “It’s sort of unfortunate at that young age.”

Caputo considers himself a member of the Virginia coaching tree, as Miami Head Coach Jim Larrañaga was an Assistant Coach under former UVA coach Terry Holland, who famously retired at the age of 48.

In a similar circumstance to Bennett, Holland left Virginia after making two Final Fours and was the winningest coach in program history before Bennett broke his record in 2023. 

“Virginia now has had two Hall of Fame level coaches leave early in their time,” said Caputo. 

With the landscape of college basketball and the constant cycle college coaches now have with the transfer portal, Caputo understands Bennett’s move away from the sport. 

He does not believe that NIL is playing a factor, but rather the lack of continuity in the NCAA rules and regulations. 

“The rules have changed 10 times since I got the job. It’s very hard to be strategic when you don’t have any rules or what you think the rules might be like,” said Caputo. 

With ever-changing rules, life and planning ahead have only become more challenging for today’s coaches. The Revs used the original transfer rule which stated that players who transferred once already must sit out a year if they wanted to transfer again. GW purposefully went after players such as Darren Buchanan, Garrett Johnson and Benny Schröder knowing that they would not be able to transfer again under those rules. These regulations were a large reason why the Revs had the fourth youngest team in the country and among the most minutes for freshmen per game. 

“I don’t think being able to transfer without sitting out is good for the players. It actually might be good for the coaches at times, because you can turn your roster and flip your roster very quickly and they say that this is player empowerment,” said Caputo. “You know, not everything that’s that you’re empowered to do is good for you, right?”

Caputo believes that once the COVID year is up for many players, the overall graduation rates will drop. He thinks that players sitting out for a season allows them to get older, stronger and smarter which makes a big impact; just take a look at GW redshirting Christian Jones last season. 

“I have a tremendous, tremendous amount of respect for [Bennett] as a person. Great, great, great coach, generationally great coach, Hall of Fame coach. It’s disappointing to me that somebody who’s relatively young…he’s about 10 years older than me, it’s disappointing that somebody who really should be doing this for another ten to 15 years, is leaving the game.”

Coach Caputo Mourns Amir Abdur-Rahim

By: Abe Rothstein (@RothsteinAbe)

In a tragic announcement with the basketball season on the brink, the University of South Florida announced that Head Coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, 43 years old, had passed away. 

This devastating news has shaken up college basketball, with tributes pouring in from all across the basketball community. 

“You’ll see some of the things that people have said about him,” said GW Head Coach Chris Caputo. “I think they were all legitimate. They were true. You know, Tom Crean is a good friend of mine. He worked for Coach Crean, and I know he speaks very, very highly of him.”

The name Abdur-Rahim may sound familiar to many, as his brother Shareef Abdur-Rahim played 13 years in the NBA, and currently serves as the President of the NBA G League. 

Amir was a three-time All-Southland Conference selection at Southeastern Louisiana, where he had an illustrious career. He would finish in the top seven in all-time career points and top two in 3-pointers and steals. 

Abdur-Rahim was an assistant coach for 14 years at five different stops before getting the head coaching job at Kennesaw State. 

Upon his arrival at Kennesaw State, the program was among the bottom of the barrel in all of college basketball, finishing 1-28 in his first year. Over the next three years, there was a drastic improvement, with the team winning five, 13, and then 26 games, which won the Atlantic Sun Conference and led the Owls to an NCAA Tournament berth. 

Abdur-Rahim was hired by the University of South Florida before the 2023-2024 season, and the Bulls had a tremendous season, finishing at 25-8 while making the second round of the NIT Tournament. Heading into this season, the team once again had high hopes.

 “Obviously, a guy my age in the profession, his star was sort of rising in terms of success he was able to have in South Florida last year,” said Caputo. 

While Caputo was not extremely close with Abdur-Rahim, they knew each other from coaching circles and would connect with each other. 

Amir Arrington, who is entering his second season at GW as a walk-on, was actually recommended to Caputo by Abdur-Rahim, who knew Arrington’s high school coach in Florida. 

“Just a terrible tragedy, and a guy who I think would have had a great effect on a lot more people in his life, only 43 years old,” Caputo said. “Just tragic.”

Abdur-Rahim, one of 13 siblings, is survived by his wife and their three children. 

WRGW Sports mourns the tragic loss. 

Some General Stats / Details to Follow:

1. Last season GW was:
   1. GW 8-2 when over 15 assists in a game 
   2. 9-4 when over they had 35 rebounds or more.
   3. 6-1 when they made 2+ threes 
   4. 6-2 with 7+ blocks in a game
   5. Surprisingly 0-8 when they commit less than 10 turnovers
   6. 6-2 when they commit 15+ turnovers
2. Delaware was 8-3 when Gerald Drumgoole had at least one steal 
3. In the scrimmage against Navy, Darren Buchanan came off the bench, of course, this won’t happen during the regular season, but coaches tinkered with Hansen and Castro both on the floor.