Jan. 21, 2015
Gregory interview (video) | Gregory interview (audio) | Complete Game Notes | ACC Network Affiliates
THE FLATS – Making its fourth road trip in six games to start the Atlantic Coast Conference season, Georgia Tech continues in search of its first conference win of the season when the Yellow Jackets pay a visit to No. 2-ranked Virginia for an 8 p.m. regionally-televised contest Thursday at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
Tech, in its fourth season under head coach Brian Gregory, is 9-8, 0-5 in the ACC, after suffering another close conference loss in a 70-65 decision Saturday on the road at Pittsburgh. The Jackets have lost their three ACC road games by a combined 19 points, one of those in double overtime Jan. 3 at Notre Dame.
Virginia, 17-0 overall and 5-0 in the ACC in its sixth season under head coach Tony Bennett, returns home after pulling away late for a 66-51 win at Boston College on Saturday. The Cavaliers, 9-0 at home this season, have won their games by an average of 19.4 points, and their ACC games by an average of 12.6. Virginia’s closest call has been an 89-80 win at Miami that took the Cavaliers two overtimes to win.
Thursday’s game will be televised regionally on the ACC Network (WATL-TV in Atlanta) and will be streamed live on ESPN3. The Georgia Tech IMG Radio Network, with flagship station WCNN (680 AM/93.7 FM) will also carry the game. Tech’s radio coverage can be heard in satellite radio nationally (Sirius Ch. 108, XM Ch. 193).
Following Thursday’s game, Tech returns home to face Boston College at 1 p.m. Sunday at McCamish Pavilion.
STARTING FIVE FOR THURSDAY’S GAME
• Georgia Tech has won two road games vs. top-10 teams (against two losses) during Brian Gregory’s tenure, a 71-69 victory at No. 6 Miami on March 6, 2013 and a 67-62 win at No. 7 Syracuse on March 4 of last season.
• At No. 2, Virginia is the highest-ranked team Georgia Tech has faced in Brian Gregory’s tenure, and the highest-ranked team the Yellow Jackets have faced, home or away, since Jan. 16, 2008, an 83-82 loss at No. 1 North Carolina.
• Tech’s last 10 ACC road trips have produced three wins, an overtime loss, a double-overtime loss, a three-point loss, a four-point loss, a five-point loss and a seven-point loss and a 10-point loss. Tech has won six of its last 17 ACC road games after winning only three times in 36 ACC road games before that, dating back to the 2008-09 season.
• Tech has lost its five ACC games by seven, one, seven, three and five points (4.6-point average margin of defeat). The seven-point loss at Notre Dame was a double-overtime defeat. Only one of Tech’s five losses this season have come by more than seven points. In fact, only two of Tech’s nine wins have come by more than nine points.
• Tech’s only win against Tony Bennett’s Virginia teams was a 66-60 decision on Feb. 3, 2013 at McCamish Pavilion. In the two games since, the Yellow Jackets have scored a total of 99 points.
COACHES VS. CANCER SUITS AND SNEAKERS AWARENESS WEEKEND
• The Virginia-Georgia Tech game is part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Awareness Week, celebrated Jan. 19-25.
• The nationwide event unites coaches across the country to raise awareness about the fight against cancer, and promote the American Cancer Society as a place for help and support.
• On Thursday, the Virginia and Georgia Tech coaching staffs will wear sneakers with their game attire as a visible reminder about the importance of nutrition and physical activity in reducing one’s cancer risk. The Tech and Boston College coaching staffs will do the same at Sunday’s 1 p.m. game at McCamish Pavilion.
ACC SPORTSMANSHIP WEEK
The Atlantic Coast Conference continues its sportsmanship awareness campaign by recognizing Winter Sportsmanship Week from Monday, January 19 through Sunday, January 25. ACC Sportsmanship Weeks are a campaign to emphasize sportsmanship as it relates to ACC teams, the conference and fans by designating one week during the fall, winter and spring sports seasons.
At all ACC home competitions during this week, every league team will showcase its continued dedication to sportsmanship by participating in a pregame handshake. In addition to the teams’ efforts, the conference and member schools will highlight the initiative to its fans through releases, social media platforms and on official websites.
SERIES NOTES VS. VIRGINIA
• Virginia has won seven of the last eight meetings, but Georgia Tech leads the all-time series, 39-36. • Virginia won the only regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2013-14, winning 64-45 at McCamish Pavilion after finishing the game on a 22-1 run.
• Tech has four wins in its last nine trips to Charlottesville, but is just 1-4 at John Paul Jones Arena and has lost on its last three trips to Charlottesville.
• The Yellow Jackets were 10-16 against Virginia at University Hall, the Cavaliers’ former homecourt, Tech’s best winning percentage on any ACC foe’s home court.
• Virginia had won three straight meetings in Atlanta before its loss to the Yellow Jackets on Feb. 3, 2013, including its last two in Alexander Memorial Coliseum and one at Philips Arena. Overall, Tech was 21-8 against the Cavaliers in Alexander Memorial Coliseum, is 23-11 on all home courts and 25-12 in games played in the city of Atlanta.
• Since Tech joined the ACC, the Yellow Jackets are 37-35 against Virginia.
• Tech was 11-8 against Virginia under Paul Hewitt, including wins in all three meetings in Hewitt’s first season of 2000-01. Brian Gregory is 1-3 vs. Virginia, and Tony Bennett is 6-1 vs. Tech.
• Tech has averaged just 56.9 points per game in seven meetings against Bennett’s Virginia teams.
• Tech and Virginia have played to overtime seven times since the 1983-84 season, including a 72-71 triple-overtime win for Tech in Atlanta on Jan. 23, 1984, and an 88-85 double-overtime triumph for Virginia in Charlottesville on Jan. 22, 1995.
• In the ACC Tournament, Tech has won five of nine games, including a 70-61 Jacket victory in the 1990 final in Charlotte.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is beginning its fourth year under head coach Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackets have been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played 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 (@GTMBK). For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
Tickets for men’s basketball can be purchased here.
