What Ed Cooley’s Switch from Providence to Georgetown means for the Big East

The ultimate act of betrayal. Leaving your hometown team for a conference rival. Ed Cooley did the unthinkable. The former Providence College Men’s Basketball coach left the Friars for the Georgetown Hoyas. Ed Cooley was born and raised in East Providence, Rhode Island. This left many PC Hoops fans furious and lost. This move means a lot for both the Providence and Georgetown programs, as well as the Big East and the entire College Basketball World. 

Firstly, this move will almost certainly bring Georgetown back into relevance. Patrick Ewing led the Hoyas to only TWO Big East wins in the past two seasons. Ed Cooley’s squads tend to make the tournament every single year. Cooley has proven that he is the king of the Transfer Portal. For Providence, it puts them in a tough position. They brought in a new, young head coach named Kim English. Kim was previously the Head Coach at George Mason. English successfully kept Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter to maintain the momentum that Cooley built. If English capitalizes on these NBA prospects, the Friars should see themselves in the tournament. 

As for the Big East, it just adds another team to an already deep conference. Xavier, Crieghton, Villanova, Providence, St. Johns, UConn, and now Georgetown all will make the NCAA tournament next year. Additionally, this will make the Big East Tournament even more electric. Georgetown has a massive Alumni base in the greater NYC area. If Georgetown, UConn, Providence, and Villanova all play in the semi-finals, the Garden will be electric. Nationally, the Georgetown Brand has a major impact. Georgetown has a massive deal with Air Jordan. College Basketball itself does better when Georgetown is relevant.