Georgia Tech vs. Miami
Saturday, January 29, 2022 | 12 p.m. ET | Atlanta, Ga. | McCamish Pavilion
Television: ACC Regional Sports Network (Where to Watch)
Play-by-Play: Bob Rathbun | Analyst: Brian Oliver
Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 The Fan | XM 380, SiriusXM app 970 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra | Analyst: Randy Waters
THE FLATS – Finishing off a week in which it faces the top two teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Georgia Tech hosts the ACC-leading Miami Hurricanes Saturday in a noon contest at McCamish Pavilion. The first of two scheduled meetings between the two teams this season, Saturday’s game concludes a four-game homestand for the Yellow Jackets.
Tech (9-10, 2-6 ACC) has won its last two games, including a 75-61 victory over Florida State Wednesday night and a 103-53 win Sunday over Division II Clayton State. The Yellow Jackets had lost their first four conference games at home prior to Wednesday night’s triumph over the Seminoles.
Reigning ACC Tournament MVP Michael Devoe (Orlando, Fla.), the ACC’s No. 2-leading scorer (19.2 points per game), No. 5 three-point shooter by volume (2.44 per game) and No. 3 by percentage (38.8), leads the Jackets along with senior forward Jordan Usher (Canton, Ga.), averaging 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
Miami (15-5 overall, 7-2 ACC), moved into first place alone after Wednesday’s games when the Hurricanes defeated Virginia Tech on the road, 78-75 on a last-second shot. The ACC’s top scoring team in conference games (79.33 ppg), the Hurricanes have won 11 of their last 13 games, losing only to Florida State, twice by one point.
Saturday’s game will be televised live on ACC’s Regional Sports Networks (Bally Sports South in Georgia), with a live stream available through the ESPN app (out-of-market) and on the Bally Sports South app (in-market). Radio coverage will be on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station WCNN (680/93.7 the Fan), and on satellite radio (XM channel 380, SiriusXM app 970).
Jordan Usher put up big numbers against Florida State 📈🐝
▫️19 points
▫️8 rebounds
▫️5 assists
▫️5 steals @gtmbb @Callmeush | #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/aXXQwYVb8x— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) January 27, 2022
THE OPENING TIP
- At home – Georgia Tech is looking for its second conference win at home after an 0-4 start at McCamish Pavilion, where the Yellow Jackets are 7-6 overall this season. Miami is 2-1 on the road in ACC play this season, 4-1 in all games.
- Taking on the top – Georgia Tech has played seven of its first eight ACC games against the teams in the top half of today’s conference standings. The Jackets are facing the top two teams (Florida State and Miami) at home this week.
- Grand theft basketball – Saturday’s game pits the top two teams in the ACC for steals in conference games. Miami has averaged 9.89 per ACC game, while the Yellow Jackets average 9.13. Tech has averaged 10.8 steals over its last four conference games. The teams also rank No. 1 and 3 in turnover margin in ACC games.
- Eight lineups – For the last two games, Tech has returned to the original starting lineup with which it began the season and used for six of the first eight games (Michael Devoe and Kyle Sturdivant at the guards, Jordan Usher and Khalid Moore at the forwards, Rodney Howard at center). The Jackets had not used that starting five since Dec. 5 vs. North Carolina. Tech has utilized eight different starting lineups this season, and Jordan Usher and Khalid Moore are the only players to play and start all 19 games.
- Hot streak – Usher has averaged 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds over Tech’s last 11 games, having hit 68-of-137 shots from the floor (49.6 percent) and 20-of-47 threes (42.6 percent).
- Over a thousand – Senior Jordan Usher cleared the 1,000-point milestone for his career when he scored 22 points Jan. 15 at North Carolina. He has 1,056 points, 782 of them scored in a Tech uniform, giving Tech three 1,000-point scorers on its roster, including Michael Devoe (1,460) and Bubba Parham (1,452).
- Mikey likes it – Senior guard Michael Devoe fell from the top spot in the ACC in scoring average for the first time this season after his 13-point game at Boston College, and is currently No. 2 at 19.2 points per game behind Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams (20.4). Devoe is No. 3 in the ACC in three-point percentage (38.8) and No. 5 in three-point field goals per game (2.44).
- Climbing the ladder – After beginning the season No. 36 in career points at Tech, Devoe has risen to No. 18 on the Tech career points list with 1,495 points, passing such Tech luminaries as Iman Shumpert, Drew Barry, Jarrett Jack, Michael Maddox, Tico Brown, Marvin Lewis, Anthony Morrow, Lenny Horton and former teammate Jose Alvarado. The senior needs three points to take over 17th place from Kenny Anderson (1,497 from 1989-91).
- Getting Moore done – Senior forward Khalid Moore has averaged 7.0 points over Tech’s last 13 games (he averages 6.8 ppg vs. ACC), after averaging 3.8 in the Jackets’ first six games of the season. He has hit 31-of-64 from the floor over that stretch.
- Sturdy Sturdivant – Kyle Sturdivant has a 15:3 assist/turnover ratio over Tech’s last six games. The junior guard has averaged 7.5 points with two double-digit efforts over that stretch.
- Rescheduled – The ACC has rescheduled Tech’s postponed ACC game at Syracuse for Monday, Feb 21 at 7 p.m. (was originally scheduled for Dec. 29). That will give the Jackets three conference games in a five-day stretch (Feb. 19 at Pitt, Feb. 21 at Syracuse, Feb. 23 vs. Virginia Tech).
Freshman Deebo Coleman has scored 26 points and hit 7-of-10 from three-point land over Tech’s last two games. (photo by Danny Karnik)
SERIES NOTES VS. MIAMI
- Georgia Tech has won the last three meetings with Miami to close the gap in the all-time series to 14-12 in favor of the Hurricanes.
- Tech won the first two meetings against Miami after they became members of the ACC, but Hurricanes won nine of the next 11 before the Yellow Jackets captured six of the last 10.
- Miami has 13-10 edge against the Yellow Jackets since it joined the ACC.
- Tech won both meetings between the two teams in 2020-21, including the only regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2020-21, an 87-60 victory at the Watsco Center on Feb. 20 which is the Yellow Jackets’ biggest ACC road win in terms of margin over victory. Tech captured a 70-66 win in the ACC Tournament.
- Tech has won three of its last five games against Miami in Coral Gables, including a 71-69 victory over 6th-ranked Miami on March 6, 2013. It was Tech’s first win at the Watsco Center since Feb. 26, 2005. The Jackets also captured a 70-50 win against No. 23 Miami on Jan. 28, 2015.
- Miami had won five straight meetings in Atlanta and was 3-0 at McCamish Pavilion before Tech won the last two. Miami defeated the Jackets twice at Philips Arena in the 2011-12 season, one during the regular season and the other in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
- Miami was the opponent for Tech in its last game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, a game the Yellow Jackets won 66-57 to close out the 2010-11 regular season. Tech won four of six games against the Hurricanes in the building.
- Sixteen of the 26 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less.
- Tech is 6-7 against Miami teams coached by Jim Larranaga, and 7-7 against Larranaga, including a 70-62 win over his George Mason team on Nov. 20, 2009 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Tech coach Josh Pastner is 6-2 against Miami, including a pair of victories during his term as head coach at Memphis.
- The last meeting between the two schools prior to Miami’s joining the ACC occurred in December of 1997 as part of the Orange Bowl Classic doubleheader at Miami Arena, the Hurricanes’ home court until the team moved into the on-campus Convocation Center. The Yellow Jackets, led that year by senior forward Matt Harpring, won that game, 69-61, over a Hurricanes’ team coached by Leonard Hamilton.
- Tech played Miami twice under former head coach Whack Hyder, losing the first-ever meeting in the series by 22 points in 1953, then taking a six-point homecourt victory in 1967. That was the only pre-ACC visit by the Hurricanes to Alexander Memorial Coliseum, and the 90-84 Tech win has been the highest scoring game in the short series.
Kyle snatching their last stock 🎮#TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/yuI42J13qc
— Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) January 27, 2022
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ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in 2021 after finishing fourth in the regular season. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), playing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and playing in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
