February 8, 2015

@GTMBK Travels to Virginia Tech

Feb. 8, 2015

Interviews: Gregory/Bolden interview | Georges-Hunt interview
Other links: Complete Game Notes | WatchESPN link

THE FLATS – Coming off a solidly-played home-court win over Wake Forest Saturday, Georgia Tech goes back on the road for the seventh time in Atlantic Coast Conference play in a 9 p.m. contest Monday night against Virginia Tech in Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va.

Tech, in its fourth season under head coach Brian Gregory, improved to 11-12 overall and 2-9 in the ACC Saturday with a wire-to-wire win over Wake Forest, 73-59, at McCamish Pavilion. The Yellow Jackets, who have lost eight of their ACC games by a total of 32 points, have won their two conference games by 34 points.

Virginia Tech (9-14, 1-9 ACC) is coming off a 73-65 home loss Saturday to Florida State. In their first year under head coach Buzz Williams, the Hokies defeated Pittsburgh in overtime for their only ACC win on Jan. 27, and their last four losses have come by a total of 16 points.

Monday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and will be streamed live on the WatchESPN app. 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 on satellite radio nationally (Sirius Ch. 84, XM Ch. 84).

Tech returns to action Saturday at home against Florida State.

STARTING FIVE FOR MONDAY’S GAME

• Monday’s game is the back end in the first of three consecutive Saturday-Monday turnarounds for the Yellow Jackets, following a Saturday home game against Wake Forest. Next weekend, Tech is home for both games against Florida State (Saturday) and Clemson (Monday). The following weekend, Tech visits North Carolina (Saturday) and hosts Louisville.

• Tech’s strength of schedule is ranked No. 15 in ESPN’s RPI rankings, and its non-conference strnegth of schedule is ranked No. 66.

• Tech ranks 14th in the nation in rebound margin (+8.0) and 11th in offensive rebounds per game (14.0).

• Virginia defeated Tech by 29 points, but the Yellow Jackets’ other eight conference defeats have come by a total of 32 points (4.0 points per game), two of those in overtime. Tech’s other eight ACC losses have come by seven, one, seven, three, five, two, one and six points. The seven-point loss at Notre Dame was a double-overtime defeat.

• Tech has a minus-0.49 “Luck” rating, KenPom.com’s measure of a team’s number of close games and its success in them. The Jackets rank No. 285 in that category, or to look at it another way, the 69th unluckiest team in the country.

SERIES NOTES VS. VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia Tech has won 14 of 20 all-time meetings with Georgia Tech, including 10 of 15 as a member of the ACC.

Georgia Tech has won the last two meetings, however, including a 62-51 win at McCamish Pavilion in the teams’ only regular-season meeting of the 2013-14 season, and a 64-54 win on Feb. 9, 2013, in Blacksburg.

• The Feb. 9 win in Blacksburg was the first ever for Georgia Tech at Cassell Coliseum in eight tries. The Hokies have won five of eight meetings in Atlanta, including four of six in the Yellow Jackets’ former home arena, Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

• Tech has defeated Virginia Tech only three times in eight meetings at home since the Hokies joined the ACC, and the Yellow Jackets received extroardinary performances by a couple of individuals to win two of those games. On Jan. 19, 2008, reserve guard Matt Causey came off the bench to hit seven threes and pour in 30 points in the Jackets’ 81-70 victory. On Jan. 25, 1911, current New York Knick Iman Shumpert recorded the fourth triple-double in Tech history with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Jackets’ 72-57 win.

• The Hokies, led by future NBA star Dell Curry, held off the Jackets and their future All-Americans Mark Price and John Salley, 77-74, in the teams’ first meeting at Cassell Coliseum in 1984.

• The teams have split two ACC Tournament encounters, the Jackets capturing a 73-54 victory in the first round of the 2005 tournament in Washington, D.C., and the Hokies winning a 59-43 decision in the fi rst round in 2011.

• Georgia Tech’s first victory over Virginia Tech occurred on Dec. 27, 1962, a 73-72 overtime triumph at the Gator Bowl Tournament that was part of an 11-0 start for the Yellow Jackets. Tech went on to finish the season 21-5. Both teams were ranked in the UPI poll at the time, Georgia Tech at No. 18, Virginia Tech at No. 14.

• Both teams were members of the old Metro Conference, but not at the same time. Georgia Tech was a member for three seasons from 1975-76 through 1977-78 before leaving to join the ACC. Virginia Tech joined the league for the 1978-79 season.

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.