Jan. 1, 2011
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech completes a two-game weekend homestand and gets its last test before beginning Atlantic Coast Conference play, hosting Charlotte at 6 p.m. Sunday at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Tech (7-5) has won three of its last four games, getting an 87-78 homecourt win over Mercer Friday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets, who have victories over UTEP and Richmond this year away from home and a near-miss loss to No. 9 Syracuse, are 5-1 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum this season, the only belmish being a 1-point loss to Georgia on Dec. 7.
Head coach Paul Hewitt’s team returns two starters and eight letterwinners from a team that won three games in last year’s ACC Tournament to reach the championship game, then won their first-round game in the NCAA Tournament. Tech has been picked to finish ninth in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Charlotte (7-6) comes to Atlanta after defeating Mercer, 64-63, in Macon on Thursday and has won its last three games, beginning with a 49-48 win over 7th-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 17. The 49ers’ win over Mercer Thursday was their first win on an opponents’ home floor after three earlier losses (Oregon State, East Carolina, Davidson).
The Yellow Jackets have played half of their 2010-11 schedule to date away from Alexander Memorial Coliseum. But Tech’s final two non-conference games, including a Feb. 16 game with Chattanooga, all are at home.
Hewitt is in his 11th season at Tech, the third-longest tenure of any ACC head coach behind Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski (30th season) and Maryland’s Gary Williams (22nd season), and has a record of 184-149.
Game Data
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5, 0-0 ACC) vs. Charlotte 49ers (7-6, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
Date: Sunday, January 2, 2011
Tipoff: 6 p.m. Eastern time
Site: Alexander Memorial Coliseum (capacity 9,191), Atlanta, Ga.
Television: MASN – Jason Knapp, play-by-play; Craig Esherick, color (available in Atlanta on DirecTV Ch. 640 and Dish Network Ch. 432)
Radio: Georgia Tech/ISP Sports Network, live on flagship station WQXI-AM (790 the Zone) and WYAY-FM (106.7) – Wes Durham, play-by-play; Randy Waters, color.
Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 215; XM Ch. 190
On the web: www.Ramblinwreck.com; www.twitter/com/gtathletics; www.facebook.com/gtathletics
Tech Record Breakdown: 5-1 at home, 0-3 on the road, 2-1 neutral
Series History: Tech leads, 6-0 (3-0 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum)
At Alexander Memorial Coliseum: Georgia Tech is 551-189 in its 54th and final season in the building.
National Rankings: Georgia Tech is unranked; Charlotte is unranked.
Series History – Tech vs. Charlotte
Georgia Tech has won all six previous meetings with Charlotte, including a 76-67 victory on the 49ers home court last January.
The teams are meeting for the third time since 2007. The Yellow Jackets captured an 82-77 win over Charlotte in the Paradise Jam on Nov. 16, 2007. Tech ans Charlotte also met twice in the early 1970s, both in Atlanta, and had a home-and-away series in the mid 1980s.
Tech has won all three meetings at Alexander Memorial Coliseum by double digits (13.4 average margin of victory). The closest game was an 87-76 win for the No. 2-ranked Yellow Jackets the last time the 49ers visited on Feb. 6, 1986.
Ticket Policy for Fordham Cancellation
Georgia Tech’s game with Fordham, which was cancelled Monday, will not be rescheduled. Patrons who have single-game tickets to Monday’s game can exchange those for tickets to Sunday’s game vs. Charlotte (6 p.m.) at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Fans wishing to make the exchange should do so at the ticket booth at Gate 1 (10th Street side of the Coliseum) beginning 90 minutes prior to tipoff.
Season-ticket holders will be credited for the face value of the ticket ($20) on their accounts for the 2011-12 season.
Last Meeting vs. Charlotte
Gani Lawal had 29 points and rescued Georgia Tech from a late collapse as the Yellow Jackets overcame 31 points from Derrio Green in a 76-67 victory over Charlotte in the Queen City.
After squandering a 15-point second-half lead, Lawal hit several key free throws and had a big block in the final minute and Georgia Tech (11-2) recovered to win its third straight.
Green hit seven 3-pointers in his career-best night for the 49ers (10-3), who trailed by 12 with 8 minutes left before a 17-4 run put them ahead 66-65 with 2:38 left.
But D’Andre Bell answered with a 3-pointer and Lawal hit two free throws. Up 70-66, Lawal rejected Chris Braswell in the lane and later put it away at the line.
Lawal hit 17 of 20 free throws and added 10 rebounds. Iman Shumpert added nine points in his first game back from knee surgery.
