The Georgetown men's basketball team overcame an injury to forward Otto Porter as freshman D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera scored 19 points to lead the Hoyas to a 61-55 win over Duquesne on Sunday.
Porter, a preseason honorable mention All-American, suffered an apparent eye injury in the first half and didn't return to the floor or bench as the second half began. Porter, who averaged 9.7 points and a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game last season, didn't score in six minutes.
Georgetown (1-0) used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to gain a 45-35 lead over Duquesne (1-1).
The Dukes later went on a 7-0 run, capped by Sean Johnson's three-point play, to cut Georgetown's lead to 54-50 with 2:27 left.
After the teams traded two scoreless possessions, Georgetown guard Markel Starks made a layup and Duquesne guard Jeremiah Jones answered with a 3-pointer with 31 seconds left.
Duquesne then sent Jabril Trawick to the free-throw line, and Trawick missed the first of a one-and-one. But Greg Whittington, who finished with 15 rebounds, grabbed the miss, took a foul and made both his free throws to push Georgetown's lead to 58-53.
Georgetown played one half against No. 10 Florida on Friday before the game, the Navy-Marine Corps Classic played aboard the USS Bataan in Jacksonville, was ended due to condensation on the court. Florida was leading 26-23, but the game was ruled a no-contest won't either team's record or statistics.
The Hoyas have won their last eight season openers, but Sunday's victory came with plenty of early kinks. Other than Smith-Rivera, who made all four of his 3-pointer attempts Sunday, Georgetown shot 5-of-22 with seven turnovers in the first half. The Hoyas finished with 17 turnovers.
Georgetown actually still trails its all-time series with Duquesne, 10-4, but the Hoyas have won both matchups since the 1962-63 season. Georgetown beat Duquesne, 88-86, during the 1995-96 season
