Georgia Tech vs. Georgia Southern
Friday, November 26, 2021 | 12 p.m. ET | Atlanta, Ga. | McCamish Pavilion
Television: Regional Sports Network (Bally Sports South in Georgia) | Where to Watch | Live Stream
Play-by-Play: Tom Werme | Analyst: Brian Oliver
Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 The Fan | XM 371, SiriusXM app 371 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra | Analyst: Randy Waters
THE FLATS – Playing the second of four straight games at home, Georgia Tech celebrates Black Friday with a noon basketball game against Georgia Southern at McCamish Pavilion.
Coming off its first ACC championship season since 1993 and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011, the Yellow Jackets (4-1) have won four straight games, including an 85-70 win over Charleston Southern Monday night, since dropping a 72-69 decision to Miami of Ohio in their season opener on Nov. 9. In between, the Yellow Jackets downed Stetson (77-52), Lamar (75-66) and Georgia (88-78).
Reigning ACC Tournament MVP Michael Devoe (Orlando, Fla.), averaging a team-high 22.8 points and 5.3 assists per game, leads the Yellow Jackets along with senior forward Jordan Usher (Canton, Ga.), averagong 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Georgia Southern (4-1) won its first four games by sizable margins, including a 53-41 road win at South Florida, before dropping a 70-52 decision at Wofford Sunday. The Eagles, in their second season under head coach Brian Burg, went 13-13 overall and 7-9 in the Sun Belt Conference last season.
Friday’s game will be televised live on the ACC’s Regional Network, which included Bally Sports South in the Southeastern United States, and also streamed live on the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station WCNN (680/93.7 the Fan), as well as on satellite radio (XM channel 371, SiriusXM app 371).
4 straight wins and 4 new career highs. What a day to be a Yellow Jacket 🐝 #HugTheWin #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/Jei5WMOm1l
— Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) November 23, 2021
SERIES VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern are meeting for the first time since the 1997-98 season, when the Yellow Jackets took a 77-45 victory at home.
Tech has won the last three meetings after losing the firt two in a series that dates back to 1953, when Georgia Southern was known as Georgia Teachers College.
Tech’s three home games in the series all were played at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, the Yellow Jackets’ former on-campus home.
Friday’s game is Tech’s first of two scheduled meetings against members of the Sun Belt Conference and second of three meetings against teams from the state of Georgia. The Yellow Jackets will host Georgia State on Dec. 21 and defeated Georgia on Nov. 19.
Happy birthday to our guy!! 🎉🥳🎊 @bubbap_3 #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/deRennqzIo
— Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) November 23, 2021
THE OPENING TIP
- The Big 8-0 – Georgia Tech has not scored 80 or more points in three consecutive games since late in the 2007-08 season when the Yellow Jackets defeated Clemson (80-75), Boston College (86-78) and Virginia (94-76) in succession. Tech defeated Georgia, 88-78, Friday night and Charleston Southern, 85-70, Monday night.
- From downtown – Tech enters Friday’s game ranked No. 3 in the ACC and No. 13 nationally in three-point percentage (.425). After hitting just four 3s in 17 attempts (all by Michael Devoe) against Miami of Ohio, Georgia Tech has gone 33-of-70 (47.1 percent) in the last four games, including 4-of-11 against Charleston Southern.
- Friendly confines – The Jackets play seven of their first eight games this season at McCamish Pavilion. Tech does not leave the state of Georgia to play until Dec. 18, when it travels to Phoenix, Ariz., to play Southern California.
- Mikey likes it – Michael Devoe leads the ACC in scoring at 22.8 points per game (No. 8 in tne nation) and No. 2 in three-poknt field goal percentage at 65.0 percent (No. 2 nationally). He also ranks third on the ACC in assists (5.0 apg), No. 2 in three-point field goals per game (3.25), and No. 2 in minutes (35.35 per game).
- Two-point conversion – Splitting the point guard duties nearly evenly, Kyle Sturdivant and Deivon Smith have combined to average 14.4 points and 5.2 assists over four games, while compiling a 26:12 assist/turnover ratio. Sturdivant has started all five games, but Smith has averaged about three more minutes per game. They played together for much of Monday’s win over Charleston Southern in the absence of Michael Devoe.
- Big3 – A rotation of Rodney Howard and Saba Gigiberia, and Jordan Meka in a more limited role, has filled the 5-spot vacated by ACC Player of the Year Moses Wright, Tech has received an aggregate 10.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game from those three. Howard, who has started all five games and averaged 27.4 minutes, has accounted for most of that production, and has posted a positive plus-minus in each game thus far (aggregate +52).
- Small ball – Tech has utilized a small lineup, sometimes by choice, sometimes not, without either of its three bigs, using both Khalid Moore and Jordan Usher at the 5-spot. Tech played small the final 2:11 at Georgia after Howard fouled out, outscoring the Bulldogs, 9-4.
- Gang rebounding – Tech has outrebounded each opponent this season and has a plus-8.4 rebound margin collectively, which ranks No. 2 in the ACC.
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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 Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in 2021 after finishing fourth in the regular season. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), playing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and playing 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.
