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Georgetown takes care of rebuilding St. John’s to end three-game skid Georgetown takes care of rebuilding St. John’s to end three-game skid
(about 1 hour later)
With three losses in a row and five in its last seven games, Georgetown was in dire need of an opportunity to get well entering the final stretch of the regular season. With three losses in a row and five in its previous seven games, Georgetown was in dire need of an opportunity to get well entering the final stretch of the regular season.
A visit from rebuilding St. John’s predictably offered the perfect remedy for the Hoyas’ recent woes.A visit from rebuilding St. John’s predictably offered the perfect remedy for the Hoyas’ recent woes.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera scored 24 points and Isaac Copeland had 23 as Georgetown encountered minimal resistance in a 92-67 defeat of the Red Storm to complete a season sweep of the head-to-head series. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera scored 24 points and Isaac Copeland had a career-high 23 as Georgetown encountered minimal resistance Monday night in a 92-67 defeat of the Red Storm before 5,369 at Verizon Center.
L.J. Peak added 20 points as the Hoyas (14-11, 7-5 Big East) claimed their 11th consecutive home defeat of St. John’s. The Red Storm (7-18, 0-12) has not won at Verizon Center since 2003. L.J. Peak added 20 points as the Hoyas (14-11, 7-5 Big East) claimed their 11th consecutive home victory over St. John’s. The Red Storm (7-18, 0-12) dropped their 15th game in a row.
St. John’s got 14 points from Christian Jones as it lost its 15th consecutive game. “Not just passing around the perimeter, but our guys did a good job of penetrating, making the defense collapse and then kicking it out,” Georgetown Coach John Thompson III said. “When you do that, all the sudden those shots for some magical reason go in a lot more. We absolutely shared the game today.”
[Maryland is No. 2 everywhere else, but No. 1 in the Atlantic 11]
Georgetown had three players score at least 20 points in a game for the first time since Nov. 30, 2010, when Austin Freeman (31 points), Jason Clark (26) and Chris Wright (21) did so against Missouri.
“We have a lot of guys who can score the ball,” Smith-Rivera said. “Not every night is it going to be us three. We have other players who can get it done. Tonight, that’s just who it was.”
Georgetown’s postseason prospects have teetered in recent weeks. It had not won since a late rally against Creighton on Jan. 26, falling to Providence at home before dropping games last week at Butler and Seton Hall.Georgetown’s postseason prospects have teetered in recent weeks. It had not won since a late rally against Creighton on Jan. 26, falling to Providence at home before dropping games last week at Butler and Seton Hall.
None of those setbacks were particularly egregious, but collectively they placed a greater onus on the Hoyas to make the most of their remaining games. And there was no doubt the remaining game they could least afford to drop was a home date with St. John’s, which has taken considerable lumps in program legend Chris Mullin’s first year as head coach. None of those setbacks were particularly egregious, but collectively they placed a greater onus on the Hoyas to make the most of their remaining games. And they could ill afford to drop a home date with St. John’s, which is struggling in program legend Chris Mullin’s first year as head coach.
The possibility of an upset was rapidly extinguished as Georgetown got to work against a Red Storm defense ranked last in the Big East by traditional measures (scoring defense) and scarcely better by more progressive metrics (ninth in the league in adjusted defense according to KenPom.com, ahead of only DePaul). The possibility of an upset was rapidly extinguished as Georgetown got to work against the Red Storm’s shaky defense. The Hoyas made all four of their three-point attempts while building an 18-8 lead before Mullin used a timeout. And after the Red Storm cut that advantage in half, Georgetown responded with seven points in a row to make it 25-13 and led by double figures the rest of the way.
The Hoyas made all four of their three-point attempts while building an 18-8 lead before Mullin burned a timeout. And after the Red Storm cut that advantage in half, Georgetown responded with seven points in a row to make it 25-13 and led by double figures the rest of the way. “Just letting them get looks like that and kind of run free, it’s not the way St. John’s-Georgetown basketball is supposed to be,” Mullin said. “Too polite. . . . They have a nice offense, but from my standpoint, way too easy. More like five-on-oh offense.”
For much of the first half, the Hoyas’ perimeter players took turns carving up the Red Storm. Smith-Rivera, who matched his career high of 33 points in Georgetown’s 93-73 rout of St. John’s on Jan. 13, scored his team’s first eight points and had 10 before the break. For much of the first half, the Hoyas’ perimeter players took turns carving up the Red Storm. Smith-Rivera, who matched his career high of 33 points in Georgetown’s 93-73 rout of St. John’s on Jan. 13, scored his team’s first eight points.
Later, Copeland and Peak effectively shredded the Red Storm in a varied manner. Peak made a couple long jumpers, but St. John’s was especially incapable of preventing him from slashing to the basket. It was a distinct change from Peak’s scoreless showing in nine foul-plagued minutes in the teams’ first meeting. [Feinstein on the Final Five: William and Mary knocking again as NCAAs approach]
Copeland, just off an 18-point showing at Seton Hall that marked his best offensive day since mid-November, was efficient and happily exploited the chances the Red Storm offered. Later, Copeland and Peak effectively shredded the Red Storm in a varied manner as the Hoyas built a 48-32 halftime lead. Peak made a couple long jumpers, but St. John’s was incapable of preventing him from slashing to the basket.
Copeland and Peak both had 14 points in the first half as Georgetown built a 48-32 lead and fell just shy of its season-best 49-point first half against Marquette. Peak finished the night 9 of 14 from the floor, while Copeland was 8 of 11 on his field goal attempts. Copeland, who scored 18 points at Seton Hall on Saturday, was efficient and happily exploited the chances the Red Storm offered. He finished the night 8 for 11 from the floor.
It marked the first time since Nov. 30, 2010, that Georgetown had three players score at least 20 points in a game. Austin Freeman (31 points), Jason Clark (26) and Chris Wright (21) all reached that plateau that night in a 111-102 defeat of Missouri. “He’s been all over the place, which I’ve said all along he has the ability to do,” Thompson said. “I just think he’s been really locked in and focused on pursuing rebounds. He’s getting deflections. He’s coming up with loose balls. His defense has been pretty good. All of the sudden, now the points come.”
Perhaps Georgetown’s biggest worry of the night was freshman forward Marcus Derrickson’s spill less than four minutes into the second half. Teammates helped Derrickson off the floor and he did not return, though his presence was hardly required for the Hoyas to close out the rout. There was no immediate word on the severity of Derrickson’s injury, though he watched the rest of the game from the bench. Perhaps Georgetown’s biggest worry of the night was freshman forward Marcus Derrickson’s tailbone injury less than four minutes into the second half. He didn’t return for precautionary reasons, though Thompson said he was “fine.” He wasn’t needed the rest of the way as the Hoyas savored a lopsided victory.
“We needed a game like this,” Copeland said.