Deja vu for DSR

March 3, 2015 - With Georgetown up 56-54 and 12 ticks remaining the clock, Hoya senior center Joshua Smith had an opportunity to nearly ice the game for his team from the free throw line; hit both of his one and one foul shots and Butler prevailing would have been extremely difficult. Hoya Nation members had reason to feel good, given Smith's then 2-2 mark from the charity stripe.

After strolling to the line confidently, Smith (10 points) rimmed the attempt, which fell into the hands of Butler senior forward Kameron Woods, sending the Hinkle Arena faithful into delirium. Unbeknownst to all, senior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, having other plans, slipped behind Woods, knocked the ball loose and was fouled six seconds later. Two Smith-Rivera free throw attempts plus a pair later by freshman guard Tre Campbell, and the Hoyas had gutted out a 60-54 road win at Butler.

"Just down the stretch I know my team needs me to make plays" recalled Smith-Rivera afterward of that sequence. "At that time I felt like I needed to make a crucial play to open the game up a little".

Pacing the game with 16 points and adding seven rebounds, that his big play was on defense is somewhat ironic, given a similar impact on January 17th, when Smith-Rivera's block of Butler junior forward Roosevelt Jones's layup saved that tilt for the Blue and Grey.

Impressed was Fox Sports 1 studio commentator Ben Howland, a former UCLA coach who noted Smith-Rivera or 'DSR' "really made the key play of the game right there on defense, that again won the game for them".

Head Hoya John Thompson III was pleased with his team's resolve.

"This is a heckuva league we have. Our guys were tough, they could have easily folded" he said. "We hung in there. That's such a tough team, they make you work, they make you earn everything at both ends of the court. I just like the way our guys responded".

Toughness was certainly necessary. Butler, despite nine straight points to start the game from Hoya senior swingman Jabril Trawick (game high four assists) grinded out a 20-15 lead. Woods, finishing with a team best 15 points and game pacing 16 caroms, scored seven points during that stretch.

Showing mettle, Campbell (10 points) sparked a 15-4 Hoya run nailing a three pointer. The reserve's ball pressure and timely shooting were thorns in Butler's side.

At the break Georgetown managed 56% shooting to the Bulldog's 33%, yet led only 30-24. Keeping the game close was a Butler, nine-zip offensive rebound advantage good for a 6-0 Bulldog, second chance point advantage. Georgetown did manage five first half steals (eight overall), to Butler's three in the period, five total.

Where the Hoyas dominated was blocked shots - G'Town led 10-2 overall in that department, six coming in the last 20 minutes. Senior forward Mikael Hopkins and freshman forward Isaac Copeland were key rejecters, notching three and four, good for first and second in the game, respectively. This included three during a crucial nearly five minute, late second half period when Butler was furiously contesting the game.

Thompson was not surprised at their heroics, noting "He can go get it (Copeland)...Mikael can go get it. And so we've got guys that can protect the rim".

For awhile the Hoyas' couldn't stop junior swingman Kellen Dunham, as he rattled off all eight of his points in during a slightly greater than two minutes, second half stretch. His last shot, a three pointer, gave the Bulldogs their last lead at 40-39.

He and Jones (seven points, three rebounds, three assists) struggled in the first half, collectively then going 1-8 for three points. During the contest Butler, now 21-9 overall, 11-6 and third in the BIG EAST shot an abysmal 10-22 (45.5%) from the charity stripe, a crucial mark compared to Georgetown's 13-15 or 86.7% clip.

Senior guard Alex Barlow contributed 15 points and four rebounds for the Bulldogs, who finished at 35.3% from the field and 40% on three pointers. The team concludes its 2014-15 regular season with a March 7th, home tilt against Providence at 12p EST.

G'Town (19-9, 11-6, 2nd) put 46.5% from the field and 41.2% on threes in the books. Smith joined Campbell and Smith-Rivera in double figure scoring, notching 10 points.

The win is Georgetown's first on the road in-conference against a top team. Howland deemed it huge, as "They have momentum now going into the end of the season, going into the BIG EAST Tournament".

First the Blue and Grey must host Seton Hall, also this Saturday at Noon EST. That tilt will be emotional, as Trawick, Smith, wing Aaron Bowen and Hopkins will all be saying goodbye to Verizon Center as seniors.