Georgetown center Joshua Smith has been ruled academically ineligible for the remainder of the season, coach John Thompson III announced Friday prior to the team's departure for Saturday's game against Creighton.

Joshua Smith, who was averaging 11.5 points and 3.4 rebounds, will miss the remainder of the season. Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

"Josh Smith is ineligible for the remainder of the year because of academics,'' Thompson said in a statement provided by the Hoyas. "It's disappointing. A lot of what we did was geared toward his presence."

The 6-foot-10, 350-pound Smith transferred from UCLA last December and sat out the spring 2013 semester. He received a waiver to play in the fall without having to sit out a full two semesters. Receiving a waiver isn't uncommon when a medical issue is given as the reason, but Smith was given a rare exception for two seasons of remaining eligibility -- despite having played in six games for the Bruins in the fall of 2012 as a junior.

"This is Georgetown and we have a set of standards and everyone has a responsibility above and beyond what goes on outside of those doors [to McDonough Arena],'' Thompson said.

Smith debuted against Oregon in the Armed Forces Classic in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on the U.S. Army base at Camp Humphreys. He scored 25 points in 27 minutes in that game.

He played in 13 of Georgetown's 18 games and averaged 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 19.9 minutes.

The Hoyas (11-7, 3-4 Big East) were running much of their offense through Smith when he was on the floor, but Smith's inability to remain eligible, combined with an injury to Jabril Trawick (jaw, out the past four games), will make the Hoyas even more guard-oriented.

Georgetown has lost three in a row and four of its last five. Smith didn't play in any of those games while sitting out due to academics. His last appearance was in a 17-point win Jan. 4 over St. John's, when he played 23 minutes and had five points and six rebounds.