By Andy Demetra | Voice of the Yellow Jackets
Their legs fresh, their leading scorer back from illness, a win over Virginia Tech in tow, Georgia Tech (9-11, 3-6 ACC) may have the ideal circumstances to tackle one of the biggest enigmas in program history.
Beating Notre Dame in South Bend.
Evidently the Yellow Jackets made a deal with a malevolent deity when they beat the Fighting Irish at the Joyce Center in February of 1990 en route to the Final Four. Tech hasn’t won at Purcell Pavilion since, an 0-10 streak they’ll look to snap on Tuesday.
But the Yellow Jackets have the confidence of a gritty, 71-64 win over the Hokies in which the starters accounted for 93% of the minutes played. They have the proof of concept of beating Notre Dame earlier this season. They even have inspiration for erasing a tortured history in a road gym courtesy of the team they’ll be facing on Tuesday: Notre Dame (9-10, 3-5 ACC) routed Virginia in Charlottesville last weekend, snapping an 0-9 record at John Paul Jones Arena.
Fresh legs and a fresh start. Georgia Tech hopes one can lead to the other in South Bend. Enjoy the top notes from my chart as the Yellow Jackets try to bookend their bye with a win (9 p.m. ET, Georgia Tech Sports Network):
Javian McCollum (2) poured in a career-high 21 points in Tech’s first meeting vs. Notre Dame. (photo by Danny Karnik)
One number that should give Tech belief: The Yellow Jackets averaged 1.33 points per possession in their win over the Fighting Irish on New Year’s Eve. It was their second-highest efficiency rating in an ACC game in the last 20 years.
| Highest PPP vs. ACC opponent – Since 2004-05 | ||
| Opponent | Date | PPP |
| Syracuse | 2/28/2023 | 135.9 |
| Notre Dame | 12/31/2024 | 133.8 |
| North Carolina | 1/4/2020 | 132.2 |
Asked how his team did it, Damon Stoudamire didn’t overcomplicate. The Yellow Jackets shared the ball. They made the simple play. They drove to the rim, drew foul shots, and played “connected, intentional” basketball. Tech will need to work the second and third side to open the lane versus a Notre Dame defense that likes the pack the paint and recover hard on shooters.
Another number that should give Tech fans belief: 80% of the Jackets’ starting lineup has scored either a season or career high against Notre Dame. Last year, Nait George (24) and Baye Ndongo (22) recorded career highs against the Irish in the ACC Tournament. Javian McCollum (21) recorded his season high against the Irish in December. Duncan Powell (21) posted a career high as well, which he surpassed last week against Virginia Tech.
It won’t come as a surprise, but Georgia Tech’s three lowest turnover rates in ACC play have all come in wins. Check out the Jackets’ points off turnover differential in those games as well:
Points off turnovers – ACC
- Wins: +33 (+11/game)
- Losses: -30 (-5/game)
As efficient as they can be, the Irish have had spurts of sloppiness – they rank 14th in the ACC in turnover percentage in conference play. Boston College and Virginia Tech rank 16th and 18th, respectively. Does that neighborhood bode well for the Jackets on Tuesday?
Georgia Tech dodged it the first time.
They’ll have to deal with the beast of Burton on Tuesday.
Notre Dame point guard Markus Burton missed the matchup at McCamish Pavilion due to a knee injury, but the preseason first-team All-ACC pick is back to getting buckets. The 6-0, 190-pounder native trails only Duke’s Cooper Flagg for the highest scoring average in ACC play (21.7 ppg), with an impressive slash line of 43% FG/44% 3pt FG/85% FT.
Burton can be a one-man panic attack at point guard, a shifty, ball-on-a-string dribbler who can burst to the basket and needs little daylight to get off shots. Even with his injury absence, Notre Dame ranks 40th in the nation in offensive efficiency, making them the only team in the top 50 nationally in efficiency with a losing record. They also lead the ACC in three-point percentage in league play (40.1%).
The Fighting Irish didn’t have a player who could break down defenders off the dribble in Atlanta. Burton gives them that. Along with guard Braeden Shrewsberry (#2 ACC 3-pt FGM/g) and sinewy, 6-9 wing Tae Davis (career-high 27 points vs. Georgia Tech), the Irish have one of the more dynamic scoring trios in the ACC. The Jackets will need to fight around ball screens and keep Davis from getting angles where he can attack with his right hand. Can the return of Lance Terry also take some sting out of Burton’s scoring?
Baye Ndongo (11) has averaged 11.0 rebounds in Tech’s last 3 games. (photo by Danny Karnik)
Feature or a bug?
They don’t necessarily have a reputation as one of the ACC’s most ferocious rebounding teams, but in the last two years, Notre Dame has posted three of its five highest offensive rebounding percentages against Georgia Tech.
Highest OR% – Since ’23-24
- Boston College (1/13/25) – 51.5%
- Georgia Tech (12/31/24) – 40.0%
- Georgia Tech (2/14/24) – 38.1%
- Virginia (12/30/24) – 37.0%
- Georgia Tech (1/9/24) – 36.1%
Virginia Tech’s OR% was the second highest Tech had allowed this season behind Notre Dame’s. Baye Ndongo (11.0 rpg last 3 games) has looked reinvigorated on the boards, though foul trouble handcuffed him in the first matchup against the Irish. Guard rebounding may be even more key on Tuesday – Tech can’t allow Notre Dame to get the 50-50 balls and long caroms that they can recycle into threes.
Two sons of a blockbuster trade will cross paths on Tuesday.
Notre Dame forward Sir Mohammed is the son of Nazr Mohammed, a former center at Kentucky and 18-year NBA journeyman.
In 2001, Mohammed was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a deal for… future Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, the father of the Yellow Jackets’ Ryan Mutombo.
Now that we’re prepared, we hope you are as well. Join us for pregame coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. ET on the Georgia Tech Sports Network. See you in South Bend.
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Legendary Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps dropped in to Tech’s shootaround Wednesday to greet Tech coach Damon Stoudamire.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its second year under head coach Damon Stoudamire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 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 X (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be reserved here.
