Second half energy propels Hoyas over Bisons

December 1, 2013 - At intermission of Georgetown's Verizon Center game with Lipscomb University on Saturday, the Hoya Nation would have been right to have a sense of deja -vu, as their Hoyas allowed a once 11 point lead to read 27-26 at intermission. Given the Hoyas' recent loss to Northeastern in Puerto Rico - like Lipbcomb a mid-major program - a state of uneasiness was to be expected.

Unlike the Northeastern game, the Hoyas took care of business, downing the Bisons 70-49 before stated attendance of 8,165. The Hoyas are now 4-2 on the season, Lipscomb stands 3-4.

The difference between halves? More or less, energy.

"I thought in the first half, overall they are playing harder than we were" afterward said junior guard/forward Jabril Trawick, attributing that effort to "the reason they were in the game". As such, "My mindset in the second half was to just come out and bring the energy on both sides of the floor, and to just be aggressive...I knew that would help us keep a lead on them".

Forward and fellow junior Mikael Hopkins, felt similarly, sharing "I just wanted to bring the energy off the bench" in the second stanza. This included "the little things, rebound, get easy baskets", since the Hoyas already boast "good guards - Markel Starks and D'Vauntes (Smith-Rivera) - and Josh (Smith) in the middle".

Trawick started the Hoyas' second half scoring with a dunk and layup, later adding another followed by Hopkins' doing the same. A bit later Mikael poured in nine points over close to four minutes, and the Hoyas led 61-43. Hopkins finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, caroms which head coach John Thompson III applauded. Trawick also contributed seven rebounds - three offensive - to go along with eight points over 25 minutes.

Lipscomb's Malcom Smith was a second stanza target of the Hoyas; a junior forward, Smith had 12 points, eight rebounds in the first half, finishing with 19 and 10, respectively. Thompson said of Smith "he was getting every offensive rebound he wanted" in the first half, work that placed him in the Hoyas' cross-hairs. Hopkins noted it, before saying "so we just had to come back out, be aggressive, attack the glass - they were a smaller team. Use our athleticism". The Hoyas turned a slight two rebound, halftime advantage into besting the Bisons in caroms by nine for the game.

Martin Smith, another Lipscomb junior forward was the team's only other double digit scorer, dropping 16 points. Freshman guard Josh Williams finished with six points and eight rebounds.

Sophomore guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera paced the Hoyas with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, to which Thompson remarked "The 17 points I'll say 'Whatever' to that. But the seven assists and eight rebounds is something we need more from him. I thought he did a good job".

Joshua Smith, G'Town's mammoth junior center joined Smith-Rivera and Hopkins in double figure scoring, dropping 14 points (6-6 shooting), while also pulling down five rebounds. Senior forward Nate Lubick snatched seven boards, while classmate and team captain Starks supplied six assists and eight points. Senior guard Aaron Bowen came off the bench with seven rebounds and five boards.

G'Town welcomes High Point Thursday, November 5th and 9p. Lipscomb hosts Tennessee Tech the same day.

Note: Before the contest, Georgetown announced junior Greg Whittington had been dismissed from the program. Click here for more.

Our real time, in-game chat is here.