THE FLATS – Georgia Tech men’s basketball fell into an early 10-0 hole and never recovered in a 76-61 Atlantic Coast Conference loss to visiting NC State on Tuesday evening at McCamish Pavilion.
After racing out to the 10-0 lead just three minutes into the game, NC State led 51-26 at halftime and extended the advantage to as many as 30 points early in the second half. The Wolfpack shot a blistering 59.4 percent (19-of-32) in the first half, including 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from 3-point range.
Tech, which has lost three straight games, cut the deficit to 17 points on three occasions midway through the second half and clawed within 14 late in the contest, but couldn’t pull any closer in the defeat. The Yellow Jackets made just 37.5 percent of their shots in the game (24-of-64), including 22.7 percent (5-of-22) on 3-pointers.
Center Rodney Howard was a bright spot for Georgia Tech (10-15, 3-11 ACC), posting his second double-double of the season with a career-high 14 points and 11 rebounds. Michael Devoe led Tech with 18 points and Kyle Sturdivant rounded out three Jackets in double-figures with 10.
Terquavion Smith had a game-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting (6-of-8 3-pointers) to lead NC State (11-16, 4-12 ACC).
Georgia Tech returns to action on Saturday at Pittsburgh, the first game of a two-game road trip which includes a Monday tilt at Syracuse. Tipoff Saturday is set for 7 p.m. and the contest will be televised nationally on ACC Network.
Michael Devoe led the Jackets with 18 points and four assists. (photo by Anthony McClellan)
Post-Game Notes
- Tech surrendered its highest point total in any half this season to NC State, 51 points in the first half, which surpassed the 48 in the second half to North Carolina on Dec. 5.
- After NC State shot 59.4 percent in the first half, Tech held the Wolfpack to 23.3 percent after intermission and 41.9 percent for the game.
- Tech returned to its most frequently used starting lineup this season (13th time). Tech has utilized eight different starting lineups this season.
- Tech utilized 10 players against NC State, and eight of them scored. At least nine players have seen action in 19 of the Jackets’ 25 games, and in 10 of 14 ACC games.
- Tech missed its first eight three-point field goal tries before Michael Devoe hit one with 1:23 left in the first half. The Jackets finished the game 5-for-22, their lowest accuracy since Jan. 19 vs. Wake Forest (also 5-for-22).
- Tech’s seven bench points were its fewest of the season after its reserves had outscored opponents 79-20 in the last two games. The Jackets’ bench has outscored that of its opponent in 14 of 25 games this season (only six of 26 last season).
- Tech has reached the 70-point mark just three times in ACC games.
- Tech has won the turnover battle in eight of its last 11 games (won 11-13 vs. NC State) and has forced 14.0 turnovers against ACC teams this season (No. 3 in the conference).
- Tech has reached double digits in steals in seven of its last 11 games after getting nine vs. NC State. The Yellow Jackets are No. 2 in the ACC in steals in conference play (9.1 per game) and ahead of their 2020-21 pace, when they led the ACC (9.0).
- Tech has committed more fouls than its opponent in 19 of 25 games this season (76 percent of the time). In Josh Pastner’s first five seasons, the Jackets did so in 65 of 157 games (41.4 percent of the time).
- Michael Devoe surpassed both John Salley (1,587 from 1982-86) and Bruce Dalrymple (1,588 from 1983-87) to move into 15th place on Georgia Tech’s career scoring chart. The senior from Orlando, Fla., finished the night with 1,595 points.
- Rodney Howard posted his first double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) since the first game of the season against Miami (Ohio). The 6-10 center reached double figures in points for the second straight game after not having done so since Nov. 26 vs. Georgia Southern. It was his fifth double-figure game of the season and his career high against an ACC team.
- Howard went 7-of-8 from the floor against NC State and is 12-of-15 over Tech’s last two games.
- Kyle Sturdivant (10 points vs. NC State) reached double figures for the fourth time in his last eight games, for the fifth time against an ACC team and for the eighth time overall this season.
- Sturdivant did not turn the ball over for the second straight game, covering more than 50 minutes. The 6-2 junior has eight turnover-free games this season, seven of them vs. ACC teams.
- Jordan Usher snapped a streak of 10 straight games with at least one three-point field goal. His last game without one was Jan. 4 at Duke when he did not attempt one.
Rodney Howard scored 14 points with 11 rebounds for his first double-double since the first game of the season. (photo by Anthony McClellan)
