Story By: Richard Thomas
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
For the Hoyas, they will look back at this game and say that second half was really a battle, and that it was as the 68-49 final score doesn’t reflect the battle they had in the second half against Maryland Eastern Shore tonight. For UMES, the bottom line was too much of the Hoyas guard D’Vauntes Smith Rivera.
Smith-Rivera made five three-pointers for Georgetown (3-3), which has won back-to-back games heading into Saturday’s meeting with No. 14 Syracuse. It was the fourth 30-point game in Smith-Rivera’s career and his first since scoring 32 against West Virginia in the first round of the 2014 NIT.
Ryan Andino scored 16 points for the Hawks (1-5), who fell to 0-7 all-time against Georgetown.
Smith-Rivera who helped the Hoyas finally fend off UMES. He scored five of the Hoyas’ points in a 6-0 spurt to push the lead to 58-39 with 4:28 to go.
Guard Tre Campbell (illness) had seven points in his first game since Georgetown’s Nov. 17 loss at Maryland. Forward Isaac Copeland, the Hoyas’ top scorer on the season, went 0 of 3 from the field and did not score.
UMES shot 35.3 percent from the field and committed 16 turnovers.
“They played some tough defense on our guys in the second half. Our guys did a good job finding ways to beat them and their trap, said Hoyas Head Coach John Thompson III.
Georgetown hosts Syracuse on Saturday in the first meeting between the longtime rivals since 2013.
