THE FLATS – Georgia Tech men’s basketball closed the first half with a 32-7 run and never looked back on its way to a 103-53 win over Clayton State on Sunday evening at McCamish Pavilion.
Georgia Tech led just 19-13 midway through the first half, but turned the six-point edge into a commanding 51-20 halftime lead thanks to its 32-7 run over the final 10:18 of the opening period. The stretch included runs of 11-0, 7-0 and 8-0 as the Yellow Jackets made 20-of-36 field goals (55.6 percent) and 9-of-16 3-pointers (56.3 percent) before the break to build the 31-point halftime lead.
Tech (8-10) shot an even more-blistering 55.9 percent from the field in the second half (19-of-34), including 75% from 3-point range (6-of-8). For the game, the Jackets outshot Clayton State by a 55.7%-33.3% margin (including a 62.5%-15.4% advantage in 3-point shooting) and outrebounded the Lakers, 47-25. Always a stat highlighted by head coach Josh Pastner, Tech had assists on 22 of its 39 made field goals.
Sunday’s game against nearby Clayton State of the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference, was scheduled a little over a week ago as a replacement for Georgia Tech’s Dec. 23 contest versus Alabama A&M, which was canceled due to health and safety protocols.
Tech’s Michael Devoe scored 17 of his game-high 20 points in the first half to lead all scorers. Devoe made 7-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and also dished out a game-high seven assists. The Yellow Jackets were plus-40 in the scoring column in his 20 minutes on the floor. Jordan Usher, Jalon Moore and Deebo Coleman rounded out four Jackets in double-figures with 16, 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Jalen Shaw scored 10 points on 4-of-4 field goals to lead Clayton State (6-10).
Georgia Tech returns to Atlantic Coast Conference action and continues a four-game homestand on Wednesday versus Florida State. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion and the game will be televised nationally on the ACC Network.
Deebo Coleman reached double figures for the fifth time this season and hit four three-point field goals. (photo by Danny Karnik)
Post-Game Notes
- Tech went back to the original starting lineup with which it began the season and used for six of the first eight games. The Jackets had not used that starting five since Dec. 5 vs. North Carolina. Tech has utilized eight different starting lineups this season.
- Tech utilized all of its scholarship players with the exception of Tristan Maxwell, who had a thumb injury, and played its walk-on players for the first time this season (with the exception of Jermontae Hill, who is redshirting). It was the seventh time this season that 10 or more Jackets have played in a game, and eleven players made the scoring column.
- Tech reached the century mark (100 points) in regulation for the first time since Nov. 19, 2015 in a 107-77 victory over Green Bay. The Jackets scored 120 in a losing effort and four overtimes in the 2020-21 season opener vs. Georgia State.
- Tech recorded its largest margin of victory (50 points) since defeating Winston-Salem State, 97-46, on January 3, 2007. It was the first time Tech had defeated an opponent by as many as 40 points since Jan. 30, 2011 (a 98-50 win over Kentucky State). The Jackets’ largest margin of victory under Josh Pastner has been 38 points vs. Tusculum on Feb. 7, 2017 (96-58).
- Tech’s 15 three-point field goals beat its previous season best of 12 vs. Lamar in game 2 of this season, and its 62.5-percent success rate (15-of-24) matched a high under Josh Pastner (10-of-16 vs. NC State on Jan. 15, 2017).
- Tech also set season high’s for field goals with 39 (35 vs. Charleston Southern was the previous high), rebound margin with 22 (18 vs. Georgia State), and steals with 13 (previous best 11 in two games) and matched its season best for assists with 22 (also vs. Stetson and Lamar). Nine players had at least one assist.
- Tech has exceeded 50 percent from the floor five times this season (55.7 percent vs. Clayton State, third-best mark of the season).
- Tech has held six opponents under 40 percent from the floor this season (Clayton State hit 33.3 percent), and the Lakers’ 53 points were one more than the Yellow Jackets’ low yield of the season (52 vs. Stetson).
- Tech limited Clayton State to 20 first-half points, the lowest yield this season (Lamar and Stetson scored 22).
- Tech’s last eight opponents have shot 28.7 percent from three-point range combined (51-of-178).
- Tech received 47 points from its bench against Clayton State, whose reserves contributed 35. It was the 10th time in 18 games this season that Tech’s bench has outscored that of its opponent. That happened just six times in 26 games in 2020-21. The Jackets’ reserves have scored 123 points in their last four games.
- Tech has recorded 43 steals across its last four games, establishing a season high of 13 against Clayton State, spread out over nine players.
- Michael Devoe hit the 20-point mark for the 10th time this season and 30th time in his career, scoring an even 20 points against Clayton State. He matched his season-high for assists with seven and also grabbed six rebounds. The 6-5 senior has reached double figures 74 times in his career.
- Devoe stands No. 18 on Tech’s all-time scoring list with 1,480 career points and needs 18 to surpass Kenny Anderson (1,497 points from 1989-91) for 17th
- Tech’s freshman trio of Deebo Coleman (12 points on 4-of-5 from three-point range), Miles Kelly (six points on a pair of three-point field goals) and Jalon Moore (13 points on 5-of-6 from the floor) combined for 31 points, a season high.
- Kelly drained multiple three-point field goals in a game for the first time this season and scored six points. The freshman was 5-for-30 entering the game.
- Moore nearly doubled his scoring output for his previous four games this season. The 6-7 Birmingham native had gotten into the scoring column in two of his four games for a total of seven points.
- Jordan Usher has scored in double digits 15 times in 18 games this season, and has done so in Tech’s last 10 games. During that stretch, the senior has averaged 16.5 points per game (62-123 FG, 50.4 pct., 15-40 3pt FG). He averages 15.2 for the season, 14.4 in ACC games.
- Saba Gigiberia matched his season scoring high with eight points, while Jordan Meka set a season high with four. They and Rodney Howard combined for 16 points and 11 points from the post position.
Freshman Miles Kelly knocked down multiple three-point field goals in a game for the first time. (photo by Danny Karnik)
