Jackets Continue Homestand Against Miami

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THE FLATS – Now into the last two weeks of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season, Georgia Tech continues a three-game homestand Saturday night, hosting Miami for an 8 p.m. tip at McCamish Pavilion. It is the only scheduled meeting between the two teams this season.

Georgia Tech update (14-14, 8-9 ACC) – With three games left in the regular season, Tech is tied for seventh place in the ACC standings, tied with NC State and Clemson. The Yellow Jackets are 5-3 over their last eight conference games, a stretch that includes four straight home victories over NC State (64-58), Virginia Tech (76-57), Louisville (64-58) and Clemson (68-59) and a road win at Wake Forest (86-79). Miami is the middle game of this three-game homestand that began Tuesday night with a win over Clemson.

Miami update (14-13, 6-11 ACC) – Miami is tied for 11th place in the ACC standings with Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes, 2-7 on the road, dropped an 87-71 decision at Notre Dame Sunday night, snapping a three-game winning streak that included victories over Boston College (85-58), Wake Forest (71-54) and Virginia Tech (102-95, 3ot).

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. 388, internet ch. 978).

THE TIPOFF

• Nine tonight – A win over Miami would give Tech nine ACC wins for the first time since the Yellow Jackets went 9-7 in its Final Four season of 2003-04. Since its last regular-season ACC title in 1995-96, Tech has won as many as eight ACC games just seven times (including this season), and has finished the regular season .500 in conference games just four times, last in 2007.
• Never on Tuesday – If the regular season ended today, 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 (8-9) are tied for seventh place in the ACC standings with NC State and Clemson, teams the Jackets are 3-0 against this season. Tech is one game behind Notre Dame and Clemson, teams the Jackets are 0-4 against this season. Immediately behind the Jackets are Boston College (7-11) and Virginia Tech (6-11), each of whom Tech defeated in their only meeting of the season.
• Home stretch – Georgia Tech has won its last five home games (four ACC) after starting the season 3-6 within the confines of McCamish Pavilion. Tech has won as many as five straight ACC home games only four times since 1995-96 (8-0 at home) – in 2001, 2003, 2007 and 2010.
• 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 road 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.
• Never easy – Georgia Tech’s seven ACC losses in January and February have come by an average of 6.5 points. It’s seven wins have come by an average of nine points.
• A make-or-miss game – After ranking near the bottom of the ACC in shooting over the first three years under Josh Pastner, Georgia Tech now ranks No. 2 in the ACC in field goal percentage (46.5) against the conference, No. 6 in three-point percentage (33.9) and No. 10 in scoring (70.4 ppg).
• More balance – Tech ranks 10th in the ACC in scoring average in conference games (70.4) and ninth in scoring defense (71.1). The Jackets have typically ranked near the top in defense (average ranking 4.3) and near the bottom in offense (14.3) the last three seasons. Tech ranks right in the middle (8th) in both offensive and defensive efficiency against the league, according to KenPom.com.
• Clamping down – Tech has won its last four ACC games at home (NC State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Clemson), holding all four to less than 60 points (58.0 ppg) and limiting them to 31.2 percent shooting from the floor, 15.3 percent from three-point range.

SERIES VS. MIAMI

• After winning the first two meetings against the Hurricanes after they became members of the ACC, Georgia Tech has lost three of the last four meetings with Miami and have dropped 13 of the last 18. The Hurricanes won the only regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2018-19, an 80-65 win in Coral Gables.
• Miami has a 14-9 lead in the all-time series which dates back to 1953, and is 13-7 against the Yellow Jackets since joining the ACC.
• Miami had won five straight meetings in Atlanta and was 3-0 at McCamish Pavilion before Tech’s 2018 win (64-54). Miami also won the only regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2011-12, as well as their ACC Tournament meeting, both games at Philips Arena.
• Miami was the opponent for Tech in its last game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, a game the Yellow Jackets won 66-57 to close out the 2010-11 regular season. Tech won four of six games against the Hurricanes in the building.
• Fourteen of the 23 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Tech is 3-7 against Miami teams coached by Jim Larranaga, and 4-7 against Larranaga, including a 70-62 win over his George Mason team on Nov. 20, 2009 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Tech coach Josh Pastner is 3-2 against Miami (1-2 while at Tech), including a pair of victories during his term as head coach at Memphis.

WHAT’S TRENDING

• Among ACC teams (according to KenPom.com), Tech ranks No. 4 in effective field goal percentage (51.5) against the league, the Yellow Jackets’ highest ranking in that category since they were No. 2 in 2010 (49.0). They also are No. 8 in offensive efficiency (100.1).
• The Jackets rank No. 2 in percentage of points scored on two-point field goals (57.9), 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 (59.0 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 six games, Tech exceeded 100 against Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
• Tech ranks No. 29 nationally in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com (92.3 points per 100 possessions), No. 22 nationally in effective defensive field goal percentage (45.4) and No. 9 in three-point field goal defense (28.8).
• Tech’s adjusted tempo is 69.7 possessions per game according to KenPom.com (No. 95 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 four games (Louisville, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Clemson), and 16 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 is 9-2 this season when leading at the half.
• Tech has won the rebounding battle eight times and held even twice in 13 games since the beginning of January. The Jackets are plus-28 on the boards in ACC games for the season, averaging 1.6 per game more than their opponents.
• Tech has hit 36-of-93 (38.7 percent) of its three-point attempts in its last six games. The Jackets went 7-for-16 against Clemson.
• Over its last eight ACC games (5-3 record), Tech has averaged 70.8 points, has shot 46.4 percent from the floor, and 34.6 percent from three-point range. The Jackets also have a plus-2.9 scoring margin and a plus-3.5 rebound margin, have scored 14.8 points per game from the foul line and reduced its turnover rate to 14.4. Opponents have shot 41.7 percent from the floor, 23.9 percent from three-point range.
• Tech played one of its better defensive games of the season and did not have a player foul out for the first time since Feb. 4 against Virginia Tech. The Jackets were whistled for just 16 fouls, its fewest in an ACC game since Jan. 25 against NC State. 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.

Michael Devoe has averaged more than 17 points and five assists across his last seven games. (photo by Anthony McClellan)

PERSONNEL TRENDS

• Jose Alvarado (team-high 19 points, 3-of-5 3pt FG against Clemson) has made a three-point basket in 15 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 32-of-80 shots (40 pct.) from three-point range in his last 15 games (3-of-5 vs. Clemson) and is 77-of-159 overall (48.4 pct.) during that stretch. He has hit 37.1 percent from distance in ACC games.
• Michael Devoe (14 points, 2-of-4 3pt FG) has made a three in seven straight games. His longest streak is 13 games, last year as a freshman.
• Last seven games for Devoe – 17.1 points per game, 5.1 assists per game, 50.1 percent (38-of-75) from the floor, 43.8 percent (14-for-32) from three-point range, 86.2 percent (25-of-29) from the free throw line. He has hit 43.1 percent of his threes in ACC games.
• Alvarado and Devoe have combined to score 39.4 percent of Tech’s points and sink 39.6 percent of their three-point attempts in ACC games, 45.8 percent overall from the floor. Against Clemson they combined for 33 of the Jackets’ 68 points, hit 5-of-9 from three-point range and 14-of-27 overall. They also combined for 11 assists against three turnovers and had nine rebounds and four steals.
• Moses Wright has hit double figures in Tech’s last seven ACC games, averaging 16 points and 6.9 rebounds over that stretch, and hitting 54.1 percent of his shots from the floor. Counting the Morehouse game, he has an eight-game streak of double digit games. The 6-9 junior has scored 10 or more in all but five games this season.
• Jordan Usher has averaged 7.0 rebounds over his last three games.
• James Banks III did not foul out (just two fouls) for the first time in five games. He played 31:30 and had seven points, eight rebounds and a career-best four steals.

Moses Wright has hit double figures over his last seven ACC games, averaging 16 points and hitting 54.1 percent from the floor. (photo by Anthony McClellan)

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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