Post-game Quotes (Game 9)

Dec. 17, 2017

Recap |  Final Stats |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery 

–

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

• Georgia Tech starting lineup: Alvarado, Jackson, Okogie, Lammers, Wright
• First subs for Georgia Tech: Alston, Cole at 14:07 – 1^st half
• On the floor for Georgia Tech at the end: Alston, Brown, Cole, Jester, Moore
• Opening tap won by Florida A&M. Georgia Tech has won the opening tap twice in nine games this season.
• Series record vs. Florida A&M: Georgia Tech is 7-0 overall, 7-0 at home, 1-0 under Josh Pastner, 1-0 vs. Robert McCullum
• Current series streak: Tech has won the last seven meetings
• Georgia Tech is 5-2 at McCamish Pavilion this season, 65-32 in its sixth season in the building, 22-6 under Josh Pastner
• Georgia Tech is 0-1 on the road this season, 0-2 away from McCamish Pavilion
• Georgia Tech’s next game: December 19, 9 p.m. at Georgia, Stegeman Coliseum

TEAM NOTES

• With the return of Josh Okogie to action, head coach Josh Okogie employed his fourth different starting lineup this season, inserting Okogie along with Jose Alvarado, Tadric Jackson, Ben Lammers and Moses Wright. Jackson started his fourth straight game, and Wright made his first start since the season opener against UCLA, replacing Abdoulaye Gueye, who started the first eight games of the season. Curtis Haywood II, who had started the last seven games, sat out due to a shin injury.
• Alvarado and Lammers have started every game this season. Lammers has started Tech’s last 46 consecutive games.
• Two freshmen have started each game for the Yellow Jackets, with Alvarado starting all nine. Curtis Haywood II has started seven games, Moses Wright two.
• Tech led at the half (35-22) for the second straight game and went into the locker room with its biggest halftime advantage of the season (previous 35-29 vs. Bethune-Cookman). The 22 points were the second-fewest the Jackets have allowed in the first half (19 vs. North Texas). Tech is 5-1 this season and 22-3 under Josh Pastner when leading at the half.
• Tech built its largest lead of the season (38 points with 5:04 left in the game) and settled for its largest margin of victory under coach Josh Pastner with the 25-point win. It was the Jackets’ largest margin of victory since defeating Tusculum, 96-58, last Feb. 7 and its largest over a Division I team since a 107-77 win vs. Green Bay on Nov. 19, 2015.
• Tech put together its third-best shooting performance from the floor this season (47.5 percent, including 46.7 in the first half and 48.3 in the second). The Jackets have converted 51.5 percent of their shots in the last two games, including a season-high 57.1 percent from the floor against Wofford, the highest accuracy rate for the Yellow Jackets under Josh Pastner.
• Tech’s 79 points, 28 field goals and 59 field goal attempts were all season highs.
• Tech canned a six three-point field goals in 15 attempts against Florida A&M, and has made 43 three-pointers in 115 attempts (37.4 percent) its last seven games (6.0 threes per game).
• Tech held Florida A&M to 32.3 percent from the floor, the lowest by any opponent this season and the sixth opponent in nine games to convert less than 40 percent. Tech is 20-6 under Josh Pastner when holding an opponent under 40 percent and 26-4 when shooting a higher percentage than an opponent.
• The Yellow Jackets have held every opponent under its season scoring average this season, all of them significantly lower except for Tennessee. Florida A&M averaged 61.5 points per game through its first 13 games and scored just 54 against the Yellow Jackets.
• Tech’s 45-34 rebound margin was easily its best of the season, beating the plus-7 marks against Bethune-Cookman and Wofford.
• Tech entered the game No. 9 nationally in scoring defense at 58.6 points per game, and No. 42 in field goal percentage defense (38.6 percent). The Jackets were No. 20 in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com.
• Tech entered the game 20th nationally according to KenPom.com in lowest two-point field goal percentage yield (40 percent), and No. 7 in block percentage (19.3).
• Tech’s 11 steals matched a season-high first set against North Texas on Nov. 24.
• Tech blocked seven shots and Ben Lammers had only one of them. Six different Jackets had a blocked shot.
• Pastner meter 1 (assists to made field goals): Tech assisted on 15 of 28 made field goals (53.6 percent), falling short its nightly goal of 60 percent for the first time this season. The Jackets have assisted on 65.3 percent of their made field goals in eight games (ranked No. 7 in the nation according to KenPom.com coming in), after finishing last season at 62.7 percent (63.2 percent rate in ACC games).
• Pastner meter 2 (free throws made to opponents’ attempts): Tech made 17-of-27 free throws to FAMU’s 9-of-15 (goal of making more than opponent tries accomplished). For the season, Tech has converted 144 free throws, while opponents have attempted 147. Tech is 25-6 under Josh Pastner when attempting more free throws than the opponent.
• Pastner meter 3 (guard rebounding): Tech’s guards combined for 11 of Tech’s 31 defensive rebounds, five from Jose Alvarado.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Moses Wright notched his first career double-figure game against Florida A&M with 19 points (he scored 28 total in the first eight games). The 6-9 freshman had scored 12 by halftime, easily doubling his previous best of six points against both Tennessee and Wofford. He has averaged 10.3 points in his last three games (12-19 FG).
• Wright, who made his first start since the season opener vs. UCLA, also set new personal highs for field goals (8-9), free throws (3-7), rebounds (7) and steals (3) against FAMU.
• Tadric Jackson has scored in double digits in each game since returning to the court, and had 11 against Florida A&M in just 14 minutes. The senior guard has reached double figures 15 times in his last 17 games and for the 28 times since the beginning of last season. Jackson did not play in the second half due to sprained ankle.
• Jackson, who finished second in the balloting for ACC Sixth Man of the Year last season, made his fourth start of the 2017-18 season, and the 6-2 senior has started 16 games in his career.
• Josh Okogie made his 2017-18 debut for the Yellow Jackets against Florida A&M, starting and playing 28 minutes. He scored 19 and surpassed the 600-point plateau for his career. The 6-4 sophomore went 6-of-13 from the floor (with two 3s) and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. He reached double figures on a fast break basket with 16 minutes remaining in the game, giving him his 33^rd game in double digits in 38 career games. He wound up one point short of his 10^th career 20-point game.
• Jose Alvarado dished a career/season high in assists with seven (previous six vs. Texas-Rio Grande Valley) and had just one turnover in 26 minutes.
• Ben Lammers scored six points to reach exactly 800 for his career. He committed two fouls early in the first half and wound up playing only 22 minutes, but he grabbed eight rebounds and had two assists.
• Lammers blocked one shot against FAMU, giving him 204 for his career. He is in sole possession of fourth place in Tech history, needing 39 to catch John Salley (243 from 1982-86) for third place.
• Brandon Alston made his first three-point field goal since the Grambling State game and scored nine points, his most since scoring nine against Grambling State.