Georgetown senior guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and sophomore forward Isaac Copeland earned preseason honors at the Big East’s annual media day Wednesday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
In a poll of league coaches, Smith-Rivera earned a spot on the preseason All-Big East first team and Copeland was named All-Big East Honorable Mention. The Georgetown duo make up the prime returning components of a Georgetown team that finished with 22 wins last year and advanced to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Smith-Rivera, the Hoyas’ leading scorer last season, averaged 16.3 points per game off 42 percent shooting during the 2014-15 season. He also was the Hoyas’ leading assist man, 3.2 per game, and is their highest returning rebounder, 4.2, after the departure of last year’s starting center Joshua Smith.
A late bloomer last year, Copeland averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for the Hoyas in 2014-15. The Raleigh, N.C. native hit his stride after hitting the game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds of the Hoyas’ home victory over Butler last season. After only scoring 10 or more points two times and grabbing no more than four rebounds in any game up to that point, Copeland averaged 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the Hoyas’ final 17 games.
Although Smith-Rivera was the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year at last season’s media day, Providence junior guard Kris Dunn earned the honor this year. Dunn shared the Conference Player of the Year award with Villanova senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono after the 2014-15 regular season. Arcidiacono joins Smith-Rivera on the Preseason First Team along with Xavier junior forward Jalen Reynolds, and a pair of Butler players, senior guard Kellen Dunham and senior forward Roosevelt Jones.
Villanova freshman guard Jalen Brunson, a highly touted recruit from Lincolnshire, Ill., was named Preseason Freshman of the Year.
The full list of honors is below.
2015-16 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Kris Dunn, Providence, G, Jr., 6-4, 220, New London, Conn.
2015-16 BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-2, 199, Lincolnshire, Ill.
2015-16 BIG EAST Preseason All-Big East First Team
Kellen Dunham, Butler, G, Sr., 6-6, 200, Pendleton, Ind.
Roosevelt Jones, Butler, F, Sr., 6-4, 225, O’Fallon, Ill.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-3, 214, Indianapolis, Ind.
Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-3, 195, Langhorne, Pa.
Jalen Reynolds, Xavier, F, Jr., 6-10, 232, Detroit, Mich.
2015-16 BIG EAST Preseason All-Big East Second Team
Billy Garrett, Jr., DePaul, G, Jr., 6-6, 205, Chicago, Ill.
Henry Ellenson, Marquette, F, Fr., 6-10, 245, Rice Lake, Wis.
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, F, So., 6-9, 230, Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic
Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall, G, So., 6-4, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Daniel Ochefu, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-11, 245, Baltimore, Md.
2015-16 Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown, F, So., 6-9, 220, Raleigh, N.C.
Luke Fischer, Marquette, C, Jr., 6-11, 245, Germantown, Wis.
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-2, 199, Lincolnshire, Ill.
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, G, So., 6-6, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.
