The other shoe, a very big shoe has finally dropped on the Georgetown Hoyas. Starting center Joshua Smith, who has missed the last five games due to academic issues, will miss the remainder of the 2013-14 season.
Coach John Thompson made the announcement during Friday’s media session and before the Hoyas travel to face Creighton on Saturday night.
Smith, who transferred from UCLA to Georgetown last winter, ranked third on the Hoyas with 11.5 points and led the Big East in field goal percentage (65.5).
The 6-foot-10, 350-pound big man provided Georgetown with its lone inside scoring presence, though he struggled throughout the season with rebounding and defense. Consistent foul trouble and conditioning issues limited Smith to 20 minutes per game. However, the Hoyas’ offense struggled without him over the last five games. Georgetown (11-7, 3-3) went 1-4 in that stretch, losing the last three.
The Hoyas also remain without starting guard Jabril Trawick (broken jaw).
“It’s disappointing,” Thompson said outside the team’s practice court at McDonough Arena. “So much was geared toward [Josh’s] presence. Now here in the middle of the season, between him and Jabril, you lose two starters. You have to reshuffle everything.
“But this is Georgetown. We have a set of standards here. Everyone has a responsibility above and beyond what goes on those doors right there. He let his teammates down, but the rest of the group will try to regroup here and figure it out.”
Thompson said Smith will continue practicing with the team with hopes he will be eligible for the 2014-15 season.
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