Jackets Begin Homestand Against Clemson

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THE FLATS – Now into the last two weeks of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season, Georgia Tech opens a three-game homestand Tuesday night, hosting Clemson for a 9 p.m. tip at McCamish Pavilion. It is the first of two games between the two rivals.

Georgia Tech update (13-14, 7-9 ACC) – With four games left in the regular season, Tech sits alone in ninth place in the ACC standings, one game behind a four-team tie for fifth. The Yellow Jackets are 4-3 over their last seven conference games, a stretch that includes three straight home victories over NC State (64-58), Virginia Tech (76-57) and Louisville (64-58) and a road win at Wake Forest (86-79). In this three-game homestand, Tech faces the Tigers, Miami and Pittsburgh.

Clemson update (14-12, 8-8 ACC) – Clemson is in the four-way tie for fifth place, having won their last three games, including road wins at Pittsburgh and Boston College sandwiched around a home win against Louisville. The Tigers, 3-5 in ACC road games this season, have averaged 77 points in those three wins while maintaining their place as the conference’s No. 2 defensive team.

Broadcast information – Live television on the ACC Network. Online streaming available via WatchESPN and on the ESPN app. Radio coverage by Learfield IMG College (680 AM and 93.7 FM the Fan in Atlanta, TuneIn app). Tech broadcast available on satellite radio (XM ch. 84, internet ch. 84).

THE TIPOFF

• Home stretch – Tech has only one road game remaining, at Clemson on March 6 to finish the regular season. The Yellow Jackets face the Tigers twice over its last four games, hosting Miami and Pittsburgh in between.
• Never on Tuesday – If the regular season had ended last weekend, Tech would receive a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament for the first time since the conference expanded to 15 teams. The Yellow Jackets (7-9) are alone in ninth place in the ACC standings, one game behind four 8-8 teams, including Clemson, NC State, whom the Jackets have defeated twice this season, Notre Dame and Syracuse, whom the Jackets have lost to twice each. Immediately behind the Jackets are Boston College (7-10) and Virginia Tech (6-10), each of whom Tech defeated in their only meeting of the season.
• More snacks – Tech is 4-5 on the road this season in the ACC, having defeated NC State, North Carolina, Boston College and Wake Forest. It is the first time since the 2007-08 season (4-4 record) that the Yellow Jackets have won four ACC games. The last time Tech won five conference road games was 1995-96 (5-3), when the Jackets finished 13-3 overall and won the ACC regular season title. It is the only time Tech has won as many as five ACC road games.
• Behind the eight ball – A win over Clemson would give Tech eight ACC wins for the first time since the Yellow Jackets went 8-10 in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Since its last regular-season ACC title in 1995-96, Tech has won as many as eight ACC games just six times.
• Never easy – Georgia Tech’s seven ACC losses in January and February have come by an average of 6.5 points. It’s six wins have come by an average of 11.7 points.
• Efficient – Tech has scored at a rate over 100 points per 100 possessions six times in ACC play since the start of January (North Carolina, Boston College, Notre Dame twice, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest). Three of those have come in the Jackets’ last six games, in which Tech has averaged 72.3 points.
• Twelve – The number of games missed due to injury for Tech players this season. Tech has had its full roster available for only 13 games. Leading scorer Michael Devoe was sidelined for three games with an injured left foot. Reserve forward Evan Cole missed two games with an ankle sprain. Jordan Usher did not play in the season’s first seven games, sitting out as a transfer.
• Six – The number of different starting lineups Tech has used this season. The most frequent has been Jose Alvarado, Michael Devoe, Jordan Usher, Moses Wright and James Banks III, used 15 times in the last 18 games, interrupted only by Devoe’s injury that forced him to miss three games. Moses Wright is the only Jacket to start every game this season.
• Offense for defense – Tech ranks seventh in the ACC in scoring average in conference games (70.50) and 10th in scoring defense (71.81). The Jackets have typically ranked near the top in in defense (average ranking 4.3) and near the bottom in offense (14.3) the last three seasons.
• Guard’s game – Tech has four starters averaging in double figures this season in ACC game, but starting guards Michael Devoe and Jose Alvarado, Tech’s two leading scorers, have accounted for 38.7 percent of the Yellow Jackets’ points in ACC games, and 40.3 percent of the scoring in games in which they have both played.
• All-for-ado – Georgia Tech has averaged 70.4 points and shot 46.5 percent from the floor in the 18 games since Jose Alvarado returned to the court from injury Dec. 22. The Yellow Jackets have shot 50 percent or better in six of those games.
• Wright stuff – Moses Wright has hit double figures in Tech’s last six ACC games, averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds over that stretch, and hitting 57.5 percent of his shots from the floor. The 6-9 junior has scored 10 or more in all but five games this season. Until his 33 points at Syracuse, Wright had scored 20 or more in a game only once this season (22 at North Carolina on Jan. 4).
• Big miss – Jose Alvarado has averaged 14.6 points (44.7 FG pct., 34.8 3pt pct.), 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals in 18 games since his return from an ankle injury on Dec. 22. He has scored 20 or more points six times in his last 14 games.
• Ushering in – Jordan Usher has started every game since he became eligible on Dec. 18. the 6-7 junior has 10.3 ppg (34-of-62 FG), 4.7 rpg, 2.7 apg in the nine games Tech has won since he became eligible.
• No ducking – Georgia Tech’s schedule is the 22nd-strongest in the nation according to the NCAA NET rankings. Tech has played eight games against quad 1 teams (two wins) and 10 against quad 2 teams (four wins), five of those against non-conference teams. The Jackets have one remaining game each against quad 1 teams and quad 2 teams (both Clemson). The Jackets’ non-conference schedule rates 79th in the NET.

SERIES VS. CLEMSON

• This is the oldest and longest-running series the Yellow Jackets have with an ACC member. The 136 all-time meetings are more than 30 greater than Tech has played with any other ACC opponent. The series dates back to the 1912-13 season, when John Heisman coached the Tech basketball team.
• Clemson is one of two permanent home-and-away opponents on Tech’s schedule each year (Notre Dame is the other).
• Clemson has won the last five meetings, having swept the regular-season series each of the last two seasons.
• The Yellow Jackets trail 40-35 to the Tigers since joining the ACC.
• Tech has an all-time record of 43-26 against the Tigers at home, including a 27-15 record at Alexander Memorial Coliseum and a 3-4 mark at McCamish Pavilion.
• Tech is 1-5 under head coach Josh Pastner against Clemson (the one victory was vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions), and 3-16 vs. Tiger teams coached by Brad Brownell.

WHAT’S TRENDING

• Among ACC teams (according to KenPom.com), Tech ranks No. 4 in effective field goal percentage (51.4) against the league, the Yellow Jackets’ highest ranking in that category since they were No. 2 in 2010 (49.0). They also are No. 7 in offensive efficiency (102.3).
• The Jackets rank No. 3 in percentage of points scored on two-point field goals (58.3), and have been the No. 1 team in the ACC in that category all four years under Josh Pastner. Tech ranks No. 8 nationally in all games (59.2 pct.).
• Tech has exceeded 100 points per 100 possessions 10 times, seven of those games coming since Jan. 4 at North Carolina, which was the Jackets’ highest efficiency rating of the season (132.2). In its last five games, Tech exceeded 100 against Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
• Tech ranks No. 33 nationally in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com (92.7 points per 100 possessions), No. 26 nationally in effective defensive field goal percentage (45.5) and No. 22 in three-point field goal defense (29.5).
• Tech has held 12 opponents this season under 40 percent from the floor (five ACC opponents, Louisville hit 33.9 percent), and nine under 30 percent from three-point range (four ACC opponents, Louisville hit 12.5 percent).
• Tech’s adjusted tempo is 69.6 possessions per game according to KenPom.com (No. 101 in the nation), its best rate and ranking in Josh Pastner’s four years at Tech. The Yellow Jackets’ tempo in league play (69.7) is the fourth-highest, hitting 70 or more in each of the last three games (Louisville, Wake Forest, Syracuse), and 15 times overall this season.
• Two fouls in the first half? No problem. Georgia Tech ranks No. 1 in the nation, according to KenPom.com, in 2-foul participation, a measure of percentage of available minutes played by players with two fouls (68.7 percent for Tech). The Jackets led the nation in this category in 2018-19, was fourth in 2017-18 and 35th in 2016-17.
• Tech has scored more than 80 points in three of its four ACC road wins this season, and has averaged 73.9 points in its nine ACC road games. Tech’s 86 points against Wake Forest was its second highest point total this season behind the 96 it scored at North Carolina on Jan. 4. In all games, Tech has averaged 72.2 points on the road, 66.0 at home.
• Tech lost for just the second time this season when leading at halftime (Louisville on Jan. 22 was the other). The Jackets are 8-2 this season when leading at the half.
• Tech has averaged 31 free throw attempts in its last three games, connecting on 72 percent (67-of-93). The Jackets went 29-of-39 in their last game at Wake Forest, both highs for Tech under Josh Pastner.
• Tech has hit 29-of-77 (37.7 percent) of its three-point attempts in its last five games.
• Tech has averaged 72.3 points, has shot 46.8 percent from the floor, and 34.7 percent from three-point range over its last six ACC games.
• Twenty-two Georgia Tech players have fouled out this season, the most for the Yellow Jackets since the 1989-90 season (28 in 38 games). In conference play, 15 Jackets have fouled out, the most ever for the Jackets in an ACC season.
• Tech was whistled for 26 fouls at Syracuse, matching the team’s season high of 26 set Dec. 22 against Boise State. It was the fifth time this season the Jackets have committed 25 or more in a game. Tech has been whistled for 51 fouls in its last two games, 98 in its last four.
• Tech has won the rebounding battle seven times and held even twice in 12 games since the beginning of January. The Jackets are plus-24 on the boards in ACC games for the season, averaging 1.6 per game more than their opponents.

Moses Wright’s 33 points at Syracuse were the third-most ever scored by a Tech player in an ACC road game. (photo by Chuck Wainwright)

PERSONNEL TRENDS

• Moses Wright scored 33 points at Syracuse to beat his previous career high by eight (25 vs. Notre Dame in the 2019 ACC Tournament), and added 10 rebounds to notch his seventh double-double this season.
• Wright’s 33 points were the most by a Tech player in an ACC road game since Tony Akins scored 33 at Florida State on Feb. 21, 2000. It tied for the third most points ever scored by a Tech player in an ACC road game.
• Wright’s 14 field goals matched the third-most by a Tech player in an ACC game (school record: 16 by James Forrest vs. Maryland, 1/4/1994).
• Wright has hit double figures in Tech’s last six ACC games, averaging 17 points and 7.5 rebounds over that stretch, and hitting 57.5 percent of his shots from the floor. The 6-9 junior has scored 10 or more in all but five games this season. Until his 33 points at Syracuse, Wright had scored 20 or more in a game only once this season (22 at North Carolina on Jan. 4).
• Wright hit 14-of-17 shots from the floor at Syracuse, improving his season rate to 53.2 percent in ACC games, and 55.3 percent in all games, which ranks No. 2 in the ACC.
• Jose Alvarado (eight points, two 3pt FG) has made a three-point basket in 14 straight games. That is the longest streak for a Tech player since Adam Smith knocked down a three in 24 straight games during the 2015-16 season.
• Alvarado has hit 29-of-75 shots (38.6 pct.) from three-point range in his last 14 games (2-of-6 at Syracuse) and is 69-of-145 overall (47.6 pct.) during that stretch. He has hit 35.7 percent from distance in ACC games.
• Last six games for Michael Devoe – 16.8 points per game, 4.7 assists per game, 51.6 percent (32-of-62) from the floor, 42.8 percent (12-for-28) from three-point range, 86.2 percent (25-of-29) from the free throw line. He has hit 42.6 percent of his threes in ACC games.
• Jordan Usher had a season-high eight rebounds at Syracuse.
• James Banks III has fouled out in four straight games, and has averaged just 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds over that stretch. He has also blocked just five shots in those games.
• Alvarado and Devoe have combined to score 38.7 percent of Tech’s points and sink 38.6 percent of their three-point attempts in ACC games, 46.2 percent overall from the floor.

Jose Alvarado has hit a three-point field goal in 14 straight games. (photo by Chuck Wainwright)

Alexander-Tharpe Fund

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and Athletics Initiative 2020, Georgia Tech athletics’ ongoing $125 million initiative to allow Tech to recruit the nation’s most elite student-athletes, build a better student-athlete once they arrive on The Flats and, ultimately, win! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.   

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL

Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its fourth year under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has 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 (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.

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