Tech Steps Out of Conference to Host Clayton State

Georgia Tech vs. Clayton State

Sunday, January 23, 2022 | 5 p.m. ET | Atlanta, Ga. | McCamish Pavilion

Television:  ACC Network Extra

Play-by-Play:  Wiley Ballard  |  Analyst: Jon Babul

Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 The Fan | XM 386, SiriusXM app 976 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn

Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra  |  Analyst: Randy Waters

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THE FLATS – In the second game of a four-game homestand, Georgia Tech steps out of conference to host neighboring Clayton State for a 5 p.m. contest Sunday at McCamish Pavilion. This game was scheduled a week ago to replace the Yellow Jackets’ cancelled Dec. 23 game against Alabama A&M. Patrons holding tickets for the Alabama A&M game may use them for Sunday’s game.

Tech (7-10, 1-6 ACC) looks to rebound from a pair of double-digit Atlantic Coast Conference losses in the last week to North Carolina (88-65) and Wake Forest (80-64). The Yellow Jackets have lost nine of their last 11 games, defeating Georgia State at home (72-62) and Boston College on the road (81-76).

Reigning ACC Tournament MVP Michael Devoe (Orlando, Fla.), the ACC’s third-leading scorer (19.4 points per game), No. 6 three-point shooter by volume (2.38 per game) and No. 2 by percentage (38.8), leads the Jackets along with senior forward Jordan Usher (Canton, Ga.), averaging 15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

Clayton State (6-8 overall, 1-4 PBC pending Saturday result), a Division II program competing in the Peach Belt Conference, scheduled Sunday’s game between a pair of conference games Saturday at Georgia College and Monday at home against Lander.

The teams met once previously, a 74-41 Tech win in a 2014 exhibition game at McCamish Pavilion.

Sunday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available through 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), and on satellite radio (XM channel 386, SiriusXM app 976).

THE OPENING TIP

• Rescheduled – Sunday’s game against Clayton State fills what was a bye in the Yellow Jackets’ Atlantic Coast Conference schedule and created a four-game homestand for Tech. The ACC has also rescheduled Tech’s postponed ACC game at Syracuse for Monday, Feb 21 at 7 p.m. (was originally scheduled for Dec. 29). That will give the Jackets three conference games in a five-day stretch (Feb. 19 at Pitt, Feb. 21 at Syracuse, Feb. 23 vs. Virginia Tech).
• At home – Georgia Tech is looking for its first conference win at home after an 0-4 start at McCamish Pavilion, where the Yellow Jackets are 5-6 overall this season. Clayton State is 3-5 on the road this season.
• Eight lineups – After starting a lineup without a true “5” player at Boston College and North Carolina (Georgia Tech’s tallest starters being Jordan Usher and Khalid Moore, both 6-foot-7), Georgia Tech inserted sophomore Saba Gigiberia for his first collegiate start against Wake Forest, creating the Yellow Jackets’ eighth different starting lineup this season. The small lineup produced one of the Jackets’ most efficient offensive games this season at Boston College (an 81-76 win), but left Tech vulnerable defensively in losses to the Tar Heels and Wake Forest, who scored the most points the Jackets have yielded this season.
• Over a thousand – Senior Jordan Usher cleared the 1,000-point milestone for his career when he scored 22 points Jan. 15 at North Carolina. He has 1,021 points, 747 of them scored in a Tech uniform, giving Tech three 1,000-point scorers on its roster, including Michael Devoe (1,460) and Bubba Parham (1,452).
• Hot streak – Usher has averaged 16.6 points and 7.0 rebounds over Tech’s last nine games, having hit 55-of-112 shots from the floor (49.1 percent) and 15-of-36 threes (41.7 percent).
• Mikey likes it – Senior guard Michael Devoe fell from the top spot in the ACC in scoring average for the first time this season after his 13-point game at Boston College, and is currently No. 2 at 19.4 points per game behind Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams (20.3). Devoe is No. 2 in the ACC in three-point percentage (38.8) and No. 6 in three-point field goals per game (2.38).
• Climbing the ladder – After beginning the season No. 36 in career points at Tech, Devoe has risen to No. 18 on the Tech career points list with 1,460 points, passing such Tech luminaries as Iman Shumpert, Drew Barry, Jarrett Jack, Michael Maddox, Tico Brown, Marvin Lewis, Anthony Morrow, Lenny Horton and former teammate Jose Alvarado. The senior needs 38 points to take over 17th place from Kenny Anderson (1,497 from 1989-91).
• Getting Moore done – Senior forward Khalid Moore has averaged 6.6 points over Tech’s last 10 games, after scoring a total of 23 points in the Jackets’ first six games of the season. He has hit 27-of-57 from the floor over that stretch.

Sophomore center Saba Gigiberia scored a career-high eight points against Wake Forest. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

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