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| D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera climbs career lists, but Hoyas have fallen | D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera climbs career lists, but Hoyas have fallen |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Less than five minutes into his team’s opener of the 2012-13 college basketball season, Georgetown Coach John Thompson III located freshman D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera on the bench and signaled for him to enter the game. | Less than five minutes into his team’s opener of the 2012-13 college basketball season, Georgetown Coach John Thompson III located freshman D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera on the bench and signaled for him to enter the game. |
| Sixteen seconds later, Smith-Rivera swished the first three-pointer of his career. Two minutes later came a second three-pointer, with a third shortly after that. By the time the 6-foot-3 guard finished with 19 points in a 61-55 win against Duquesne at Verizon Center, there was little doubt the prized recruit from Indianapolis was going to be a major contributor to the program. | Sixteen seconds later, Smith-Rivera swished the first three-pointer of his career. Two minutes later came a second three-pointer, with a third shortly after that. By the time the 6-foot-3 guard finished with 19 points in a 61-55 win against Duquesne at Verizon Center, there was little doubt the prized recruit from Indianapolis was going to be a major contributor to the program. |
| “The kid can get buckets,” Thompson said Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the Hoyas’ home finale against Butler in which Smith-Rivera and senior classmates Bradley Hayes and Riyan Williams will be recognized in a pregame ceremony. | “The kid can get buckets,” Thompson said Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the Hoyas’ home finale against Butler in which Smith-Rivera and senior classmates Bradley Hayes and Riyan Williams will be recognized in a pregame ceremony. |
| Saturday’s contest, however, comes at perhaps the most desperate point in Thompson’s 11-year tenure at Georgetown. The Hoyas have lost three in a row and six of seven to drop to 14-14 overall, 7-8 in the Big East. Thompson is in danger of finishing with his worst record in 15 seasons as a head coach and, barring an improbable upswing, outside the NCAA tournament field for the second time in three years. | Saturday’s contest, however, comes at perhaps the most desperate point in Thompson’s 11-year tenure at Georgetown. The Hoyas have lost three in a row and six of seven to drop to 14-14 overall, 7-8 in the Big East. Thompson is in danger of finishing with his worst record in 15 seasons as a head coach and, barring an improbable upswing, outside the NCAA tournament field for the second time in three years. |
| [Maryland’s March, Part 5: Terps tested by chemistry equation] | |
| Smith-Rivera has been the Hoyas’ most dependable player in an otherwise rocky season. He leads the team in scoring (16.3 points per game), assists (4.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and steals (1.6). He has played at least 38 minutes in 11 games, including 40 minutes four times. Smith-Rivera leads the Big East in minutes (35.4), averaging one more per game than last season, when he also led the Hoyas in that category. | Smith-Rivera has been the Hoyas’ most dependable player in an otherwise rocky season. He leads the team in scoring (16.3 points per game), assists (4.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and steals (1.6). He has played at least 38 minutes in 11 games, including 40 minutes four times. Smith-Rivera leads the Big East in minutes (35.4), averaging one more per game than last season, when he also led the Hoyas in that category. |
| His career numbers rank in exclusive company. He has scored 1,842 points and counting, placing him fifth all-time at Georgetown. The only players ahead of Smith-Rivera in career scoring are Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Williams and Alonzo Mourning. Ewing was named to the Associated Press’s all-American first team three times; Floyd, Williams and Mourning, once apiece. | His career numbers rank in exclusive company. He has scored 1,842 points and counting, placing him fifth all-time at Georgetown. The only players ahead of Smith-Rivera in career scoring are Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Williams and Alonzo Mourning. Ewing was named to the Associated Press’s all-American first team three times; Floyd, Williams and Mourning, once apiece. |
| With 14 more rebounds, Smith-Rivera will become the only player in school history with at least 1,800 points, 500 rebounds and 350 assists. | With 14 more rebounds, Smith-Rivera will become the only player in school history with at least 1,800 points, 500 rebounds and 350 assists. |
| [Grayson Allen plays dirty, and Coach K declines to put his foot down] | [Grayson Allen plays dirty, and Coach K declines to put his foot down] |
| “It’s crazy to really think that I’d finish where I thought I would be coming into my freshman year,” Smith-Rivera said. “I always knew at some point I’d be among the best players here, and I told Coach Thompson that when I first stepped on campus. I don’t think he believed me up until now.” | “It’s crazy to really think that I’d finish where I thought I would be coming into my freshman year,” Smith-Rivera said. “I always knew at some point I’d be among the best players here, and I told Coach Thompson that when I first stepped on campus. I don’t think he believed me up until now.” |
| As a team, the Hoyas are reeling, having dropped into a tie with Providence, Butler and Marquette for fifth place in the 10-team Big East. Georgetown holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against only the Golden Eagles. | As a team, the Hoyas are reeling, having dropped into a tie with Providence, Butler and Marquette for fifth place in the 10-team Big East. Georgetown holds the head-to-head tiebreaker against only the Golden Eagles. |
| [Big East has two No. 1 seeds in bracket projections, but expect one to drop] | |
| If Georgetown finishes out of the top six in the regular season and thus fails to earn a bye in the Big East tournament, it would have to win four games in as many days to claim the conference’s automatic NCAA berth. The Hoyas have not advanced beyond the Big East semifinals since the 2009-10 season and last won the tournament title in 2006-07. | If Georgetown finishes out of the top six in the regular season and thus fails to earn a bye in the Big East tournament, it would have to win four games in as many days to claim the conference’s automatic NCAA berth. The Hoyas have not advanced beyond the Big East semifinals since the 2009-10 season and last won the tournament title in 2006-07. |
| Of more immediate concern is trying to avoid the worst record in Thompson’s career, a 16-15 finish in 2008-09, five seasons after taking over for Craig Esherick, who went 13-15 in 2004-05 and was fired. | Of more immediate concern is trying to avoid the worst record in Thompson’s career, a 16-15 finish in 2008-09, five seasons after taking over for Craig Esherick, who went 13-15 in 2004-05 and was fired. |
| Regardless of Smith-Rivera’s contributions, Georgetown has reached this point because of frequent offensive lapses. The Hoyas rank eighth in the Big East in scoring offense (73.1 points per game), scoring margin (plus-2.6) and field goal percentage (43.7). They are averaging 68.7 points and shooting 39 percent over their last three games. | Regardless of Smith-Rivera’s contributions, Georgetown has reached this point because of frequent offensive lapses. The Hoyas rank eighth in the Big East in scoring offense (73.1 points per game), scoring margin (plus-2.6) and field goal percentage (43.7). They are averaging 68.7 points and shooting 39 percent over their last three games. |
| Even Smith-Rivera has not been immune, collecting a season-low three points in a 75-72 loss at Providence on Feb. 13. But such lulls have been the exception during a season in which Smith-Rivera has reached double figures in 25 of 28 games, including matching a career high with 33 points in a 93-73 win against St. John’s on Jan. 13 at Madison Square Garden. | Even Smith-Rivera has not been immune, collecting a season-low three points in a 75-72 loss at Providence on Feb. 13. But such lulls have been the exception during a season in which Smith-Rivera has reached double figures in 25 of 28 games, including matching a career high with 33 points in a 93-73 win against St. John’s on Jan. 13 at Madison Square Garden. |
| Smith-Rivera sank 5 of 8 three-pointers in that game on his way to becoming Georgetown’s career leader in three-pointers made (244). He’s also second all-time in free throw percentage (82.8), sixth in free throws made (452) and eighth in free throws attempted (546). | Smith-Rivera sank 5 of 8 three-pointers in that game on his way to becoming Georgetown’s career leader in three-pointers made (244). He’s also second all-time in free throw percentage (82.8), sixth in free throws made (452) and eighth in free throws attempted (546). |
| “His growth as a player and person is phenomenal,” Hayes said of Smith-Rivera, who flirted with the NBA draft last March before a conversation with his parents persuaded him otherwise. | “His growth as a player and person is phenomenal,” Hayes said of Smith-Rivera, who flirted with the NBA draft last March before a conversation with his parents persuaded him otherwise. |
| “His freshman year, I remember the game that he first got in, and I think he dropped like 20, or something like that. When I saw him do that, I was like, ‘Yeah, this kid is serious.’ Seeing that, I think it inspired me to push myself to be better, seeing how hard he worked and his mind-set and how successful he wanted to be.” | “His freshman year, I remember the game that he first got in, and I think he dropped like 20, or something like that. When I saw him do that, I was like, ‘Yeah, this kid is serious.’ Seeing that, I think it inspired me to push myself to be better, seeing how hard he worked and his mind-set and how successful he wanted to be.” |