Jordan Usher (4) has been the Yellow Jackets’ backup “5” man the last five games. (photo by Danny Karnik)
Georgia Tech has scaled down its lineup lately, using Bubba Parham as a third guard and jettisoning a traditional “5” man. They’ve also moved 6-7 Jordan Usher or 6-7 Khalid Moore to the “5” when 6-9 Moses Wright is on the bench.
Conventional wisdom says a small lineup makes a team more vulnerable to blocked shots. Yet in its first three games after “sizing down,” Georgia Tech was only blocked once apiece by Kentucky, Nebraska and Florida State.
Why is that significant? All three teams rank in the top 25 nationally in average height. North Carolina ranks eighth.
Average Height (KenPom)
- Florida State
- Kentucky
- North Carolina
- Nebraska
N.C. State used a smaller lineup against UNC December 22 and had success spreading out and dribble-driving the Tar Heels. It spurred the Wolfpack to a 17-point first-half lead, which allowed them to withstand several rallies in a 79-76 win. It also continued a troubling trend of the Tar Heels giving up big early deficits (they’ve trailed by double digits in the first half in six of their first eight games).
Can the Jackets use sharp cutting and quick ball reversals to get clean looks and clear driving lanes against North Carolina’s length? And can they shake any post-holiday rust quickly and pin the Tar Heels with another early deficit?
*****
Jose Alvarado led Tech in assists, steals, and points in ACC play last year. He also led the Yellow Jackets in most friends and family members who came to see him play on the road.
Rarely did the Yellow Jackets play a road game without Alvarado bringing his own enthusiastic cheering section. Such was the case in Chapel Hill last year, when they watched Alvarado finish with 25 points, 8 assists and 6 steals for Tech’s first win at the Smith Center since 2010. Among the well-wishers was one of his youth league coaches from New York City, who first started coaching him in sixth grade.
The only problem: he came to the game wearing North Carolina gear. Alvarado sheepishly explained that his coach was a UNC fan growing up, though he still showed plenty of love to his former player that night.
*****
Coming off a career high-tying 29 points against Delaware State, Alvarado and Michael Devoe will duel with an all-freshman backcourt consisting of McDonald’s All-Americans Caleb Love (11.1 ppg) and R.J. Davis (10.1 ppg). Love is a dynamic finisher around the rim who’s trying to pull himself out of a season-long shooting slump; Davis, like Alvarado a product of New York City Catholic league basketball, was named by Lindy’s as the best freshman shooter in the ACC. Both labored in UNC’s loss to N.C. State (8-28 FG combined). They’re not the only ones who have struggled: North Carolina is making just 25.6 percent of its threes, which ranks No. 316 in the country.
Tech’s guards already frazzled one young backcourt in Kentucky, forcing them into turnovers, tentative decisions, and out-of-system jump shots. Can they do it again against a North Carolina backcourt that’s been heavily scrutinized and may be looking for a breakout game?
