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Preview: Georgetown vs. Northeastern
Shooting guards D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and Demetrius Pollard will try to pick up where they left off Thursday when Georgetown meets Northeastern on the opening day of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Smith-Rivera scored 25 points in the Hoyas’ most recent game Nov. 13 against Wright State, an 88-70 victory. Pollard tied a Northeastern school record by making eight 3-pointers in Saturday’s blowout victory against Central Connecticut State.
Smith-Rivera dropped about 20 pounds from his freshman playing weight but is still showing signs of being the same streaky shooter. Before connecting on 8-of-12 shots against Wright State, Smith-Rivera was 2-for-10 in the season-opening loss to No. 18 Oregon. The same can be said of Pollard, who combined for three points in the first two games before exploding for 27 against Central Connecticut State.
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU.
ABOUT GEORGETOWN (1-1): The Hoyas have to be satisfied with the play of their starting backcourt this season. Markel Starks is paired with Smith-Rivera and the 6-2 point guard is averaging 19.5 points through the first two games. Starks and Smith-Rivera will be asked to continue carrying the scoring load after last season’s leading scorer, Otto Porter, was selected third overall in last June’s NBA Draft and third-leading scorer Greg Whittington suffered a season-ending torn ACL in June.
ABOUT NORTHEASTERN (1-2): Scott Eatherton figures to lock up with Joshua Smith of Georgetown in a battle of post players. Eatherton is a 6-8 forward who sat out last season after transferring from St. Francis, where he was voted the Northeast Conference Most Improved Player in 2012 after averaging 14 points and shooting 62.5 percent from the floor. Eatherton should get some help guarding the 6-10 Smith from Reggie Spencer, a 6-7 forward who had 18 points and eight rebounds in a seven-point loss to Stony Brook last week.
TIPS INS
1. Smith gained two years of immediate eligibility after transferring from UCLA, where he played two full seasons in 2010-11 and 2011-12 and the first six games last year.
2. Another post player player Northeastern will have to contend with is 6-9 forward Mikael Hopkins, who seems to have improved his rebounding after averaging 2.9 boards in 20.1 minutes last season.
3. Quincy Ford, the top returning scorer for Northeastern (12.2), was home-schooled from kindergarten through high school.
PREDICTION: Georgetown 78, Northeastern 65.
