December 1, 2019

Devoe Powers Georgia Tech Past Wildcats

THE FLATS – Michael Devoe scored a three-point play on a driving layup and a free throw with 7.0 seconds remaining in the game, lifting Georgia Tech men’s basketball past Bethune-Cookman, 68-65, at McCamish Pavilion on Sunday night.

The Yellow Jackets (3-2) shot 52 percent in the back-and-forth affair that featured nine lead changes and 11 ties. The Wildcats (5-3) hit 44 percent from three-point range and held a 20-10 advantage in offensive rebounds to keep the game close.

Including the game-winner, sophomore Devoe led the way for Tech, putting up 27 points off 11-of-16 shooting, including 17 points in the second half. The Jackets’ big men also played a huge role in the win as junior Moses Wright recorded his first-career double-double, hauling in a career-high 12 rebounds to go along with his 12 points. Also reaching a double-double was senior James Banks III, who finished two blocks shy of a triple-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and eight blocks.

Wright and Banks III both recording double-doubles marks the first game Georgia Tech has had two accomplish the feat since 2017 (Ben Lammers and Josh Okogie vs. Notre Dame). Banks III’s eight blocks are also the most since Lammers in 2016 (vs. Southern – 9).

Bethune-Cookman was led by two double-digit scorers in seniors Cletrell Pope and Isaiah Bailey. Pope finished with an impressive statline of 22 points and 19 rebounds for the game, while Bailey finished with 12 points.

Tech returns to action Wednesday, Dec. 4, when it hosts Nebraska in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tipoff is at 7:15 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion, and the game will be televised live on ESPNU.

Junior forward Moses Wright recorded his first-career double-double, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the 68-65 win over Bethune-Cookman. (photo by Danny Karnik)

Post-Game Notes

TEAM NOTES

Tech trailed at halftime for the fourth time in five games this season. The Jackets are 12-42 under Josh Pastner when trailing at halftime.
Tech’s four games other than Elon (64-41 win) this season have been decided by nine points.
Tech improved to 33-0 all-time vs. MEAC with its win over Bethune-Cookman.
Evan Cole started in place of James Banks III against Bethune-Cookman, creating the third different lineup Georgia Tech has used in five games this season. It was Cole’s first start since Nov. 13, 2018 at Tennessee, the second game of last season. Ironically, that was the day Tech received the news that Banks received immediate eligibility from the NCAA after his transfer from Texas, and he played his first game for the Yellow Jackets that night.
Tech had two players record double-doubles in same game (James Banks III with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Moses wright with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds) for the first time since Ben Lammers (12/10) and Josh Okogie (14/10) vs. Notre Dame on Feb. 26, 2017.
Tech, second in the nation in blocked shots coming into the game, swatted nine against Bethune-Cookman and now has 40 in five games this season (8.0 per game).
Tech has held four of its five opponents this season under 40 percent from the floor (Bethune-Cookman finished at 38.2 percent after a 50-percent first half) and has yielded 35.0 percent for the season, No. 2 in the ACC and No. 4 in the nation.
Tech shot 52 percent against Bethune-Cookman, hitting the 50-percent mark for the first time this season. The Jackets, who finished last season with three straight games above 50 percent, hit 49.2 percent at NC State for its previous high-water mark this season.
Tech opponents have taken 58 more shots from the floor than have the Yellow Jackets this season, an average of nearly 12 attempts per game. But Tech has made nine more (45.5 percent to 35.0 percent). Bethune-Cookman attempted 68 shots to Tech’s 50, each team connecting on 26.
Tech has connected on just 4-of-21 three-point field goals in its last two games (2-for-11 vs. Arkansas, 2-for10 vs. Bethune-Cookman) after hitting 21-of-63 (33.3 percent) in the first three games of the season hit just 2-of-11 three-point field goals, a season low in percentage and number of three-pointers made.
Tech’s 13 turnovers against Bethune-Cookman were a season low, one game after the Jackets committed 24, a three-year high.
Tech’s 70.6 points per game this season is more than any Yellow Jacket team has been able to sustain over a full season since 2015-16 (73.2). That is the only time the Jackets have finished a season at 70 points or more per game in the last nine seasons.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Michael Devoe, the ACC’s leading scorer coming into tonight’s action, scored 27 points against Bethune-Cookman including the game-winning points with his driving layup and free throw with seven seconds remaining. He reached double digits for the 20^th time in his career and for the fifth time in five games this season. He also notched his fourth 20-point game this season and fifth of his career.
Devoe is also the ACC’s leading three-point shooter by percentage, hitting 13-of-21 this season (61.9 percent), including 2-of-4 against Bethune-Cookman. He went 11-of-16 overall, improving his season rate to 53.9 percent, which ranks in the ACC’s top five.
Moses Wright posted his first career double-double and his first double-digit rebound game after scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against Bethune-Cookman. Wright is averaging 12.0 points and 8.0 rebounds this season, and has hit 58.5 percent of his shots from the floor (6-of-8 vs. Bethune-Cookman). He is one field goal made shy of qualifying for the ACC rankings, and would be No. 2.
James Banks III maintained his hold on the No. 1 spot in the the nation by blocking a career-high eight shots against Bethune-Cookman. It was the most for Tech player since Ben Lammers’ nine vs. Southern on Nov. 14, 2016.
Banks posted his 10th double-double in a Tech uniform and his third this season with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Bethune-Cookman. Banks also had 20 points and 13 boards at NC State and 20 points with 14 rebounds against Arkansas.
Banks went 6-for-8 from the free throw line against Bethune-Cookman and is 14-for-18 in Tech’s last two games. He has hit 71.4 percent of his charity tosses this season on a team-high 35 attempts.
Evan Cole made his first start since Nov. 13, 2018 at Tennessee and the 10^th start of his career against Bethune-Cookman, scoring four points with three rebounds, two steals and one assist in 18:16.