THE FLATS – Michael Devoe, the 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player and an honorable mention All-ACC choice the last two seasons, has been named to the Preseason All-ACC second team in voting by the official conference media panel.
The senior guard is the Yellow Jackets’ top returning scorer from a team that captured the ACC Championship in 2021, the Institute’s first in 28 years, and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years. The 6-5 Orlando, Fla., native averaged 15.0 points per game overall, which ranked 10th in the ACC, and finished No. 2 in the conference in three-point field goals per game (2.47) and No. 3 in percentage (.412) in league games. He also ranked among the ACC’s top 10 in assists and minutes played.
A career .407 shooter from behind the arc, Devoe begins his senior year No. 13 in career three-point field goals (153) and No. 36 in career points (1,149). His career percentage currently ranks No. 4 all-time.
Georgia Tech also was projected by the media panel to finish 10th in the conference regular season. Since the ACC expanded in 2005, Miami is the only defending ACC Champion to be projected lower than 10th the next season (12th prior to 2013-14 season). In the last three seasons, the Jackets have surpassed expectations, having been picked to finish 13th, 12th and ninth, respectively, before eventually finishing 10th, fifth and fourth in the regular season. No team that went on to win the ACC championship had ever been projected to finish as low as ninth before last season.
Tech opens the 2021-22 regular season Nov. 9 against Miami of Ohio, kicking off a three-game homestand that includes Stetson (Nov. 12) and Lamar (Nov. 15). The Yellow Jackets will tune up for the regular season with an exhibition game against Morehouse, at 2 p.m. Sunday, October 31.
Tech (17-9, 11-6 ACC last season) is coming off its first ACC championship season since 1993 and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. The Yellow Jackets welcome back five of their top seven scorers for head coach Josh Pastner’s sixth season, including Devoe, senior forward Jordan Usher (Canton, Ga.), senior guard Bubba Parham (Snellville, Ga.), senior forward Khalid Moore (Briarwood, N.Y.) and junior guard Kyle Sturdivant (Norcross, Ga.). Those returnees are bolstered by the transfer of guard Deivon Smith (Loganville, Ga.) from Mississippi State and a freshman class ranked No. 28 in the nation.