Tech Hosts #12 Miami to Open 2023Tech Hosts #12 Miami to Open 2023
Men's Basketball

Tech Hosts #12 Miami to Open 2023

Yellow Jackets and Hurricanes tip off at 7 p.m. Wednesday at McCamish Pavilion

Georgia Tech (7-6, 0-3 ACC) vs. #12/12 Miami (13-1, 4-0 ACC)

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech concludes a four-game homestand and hosts its second straight top-25 team when No. 12/12 Miami comes to McCamish Pavilion for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday.

Tech (7-6, 0-3 ACC) looks to dig out of an 0-3 start to conference play, having lost to North Carolina, Clemson and Virginia, all by double digits, and open 2023 on a strong note. The Yellow Jackets are 6-2 at home this season, with their most significant win coming over Georgia (79-77) on Dec. 6, and the losses coming at the hands of the Tigers and Cavaliers.

Miami (13-1, 4-0 ACC), picked to finish fourth in the ACC in preseason projections, has won its four conference games by an average of nearly 16 points, the closest being a 66-64 triumph at Virginia on Dec. 20. The Hurricanes closed December by defeating Notre Dame 76-65 on Friday, and also have defeated Louisville and NC State in conference play.

Wednesday’s game will be televised live on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network (Bally Sports South in Georgia), with a live stream available on the ESPN app. Radio coverage is on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station 680 the Fan (680 AM/93.7 FM), and also on satellite radio (SiriusXM channel 386, SXM app 976.

THE TIP-OFF

  • Tech is concluding its longest homestand of the season (four games). The Yellow Jackets hosted Alabama State, Clemson and Virginia since its last road game Dec. 10 at North Carolina. Tech’s next two games are on the road at Florida State Saturday and Notre Dame next Tuesday.
  • Virginia and Miami are the first two AP/Coaches Top 25 teams the Yellow Jackets have faced this season. Duke is the only team remaining on Tech’s schedule currently ranked in the top 25.
  • Tech has lost six straight games to teams ranked in the AP and/or Coaches Top 25. The Yellow Jackets’ last win over a top-25 team was its 80-75 victory over No. 15/13 Florida State in the 2021 ACC Championship game.
  • Miami owns the second-highest offensive efficiency rating (114.5), according to KenPom.com, of any Tech opponent to date (No. 11 nationally) behind Marquette. The Hurricanes have averaged nearly 79 points per game overall, 77.5 in their four conference games.
  • Despite committing 23 turnovers against Virginia, Tech’s turnover rate of 11.1 per game is still better than the best rate the Yellow Jackets have recorded for a full season going back to the 1992-93 season. The previous best is 11.2 accomplished in 2020-21 and 2015-16.
  • The last time Tech faced a Miami team ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams, the Yellow Jackets defeated the Hurricanes, 64-54, on Jan. 23, 2018 at McCamish Pavilion.
  • Tech is 4-4 against Miami under head coach Josh Pastner.
  • Tech ranks No. 269 in the nation in D-I experience with an average of 1.48 years according to KenPom.com. Among Tech’s opponents to date, Virginia is No. 4 (3.49), North Carolina is 18th (2.97) and Miami is 30th (2.83). Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, both of whom Tech will face next week, are No. 3 (3.55) and 20th (2.95).
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Miles Kelly has scored in double figures in eight straight games and averaged 16 points over that steetch. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

SERIES VS. MIAMI

  • Miami swept the regular-season series against Georgia Tech in 2021-22, taking a 73-62 decision in Atlanta and a 79-70 win in Coral Gables. The Jackets had won both meetings in 2020-21, an 87-60 win in Atlanta and a 70-66 decision in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.
  • Miami has 15-10 edge against the Yellow Jackets since it joined the ACC. Tech won the first two meetings against Miami after they became members of the ACC, but Hurricanes won nine of the next 11 before the Yellow Jackets captured six of the last 12.
  • Miami is 7-6 against Tech on the Yellow Jackets’ home court, including a 4-2 mark at McCamish Pavilion. The Hurricanes also defeated the Jackets twice at Philips Arena in the 2011-12 season, one during the regular season and the other in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.
  • Miami was the opponent for Tech in its last game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, a game the Yellow Jackets won 66-57 to close out the 2010-11 regular season. Tech won four of six games against the Hurricanes in the building.
  • Tech is 6-9 against Miami teams coached by Jim Larrañaga, and 7-9 against Larrañaga, including a 70-62 win over his George Mason team on Nov. 20, 2009 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • Tech coach Josh Pastner is 6-4 against Miami, including a pair of victories during his term as head coach at Memphis.

TEAM TRENDS

  • Tech’s three sophomores – Miles Kelly, Deebo Coleman and Jalon Moore – who comprised a 2021 signing class ranked 28th in the nation, are currently 1-2-3 on the Yellow Jackets’ scoring chart, accounting for 46.2 percent of the Jackets’ points this season.
  • Kelly and Coleman have taken 131 of Tech’s 258 three-point attempts – more than half – and have converted on 37.4 percent of them. The rest of the team has connected on 26 percent.
  • Tech started its fifth different lineup this season against Virginia. Lance Terry returned to the starting five for the first time since the fifth game of the season (Marquette), and Deebo Coleman started for the first time since North Carolina on Dec. 10. Miles Kelly did not start for the first time since Marquette.
  • Tech used only eight players against Virginia, matching the fewest to see the floor this season. Tristan Maxwell and Jordan Meka, both of whom see minutes most games, did not dress due to illness. Tech had used nine or more players in 11 of the first 12 this season (eight vs. Georgia).
  • Tech’s 23 turnovers against Virginia were a season high, exceeding the previous high of 14 against North Alabama on Nov. 27 and more than doubling its season average of 10.1, which ranked ninth in the nation and was a full turnover lower than its previous best for an entire season. Virginia turned those 23 turnovers into 30 points, also a season-high for an opponent against the Yellow Jackets (Marquette had 24).
  • Tech allowed a season-high 10 three-point field goals to Virginia. Tech ranks No. 2 in the ACC and 18th in the nation in three-point defense (28 pct.).
  • Tech’s bench has outscored that of its opponent in nine of 13 games, and outscored Virginia 31-15. Tech leads the ACC in bench scoring (23.9 ppg).
  • Tech ranks No. 2 in the ACC, in conference games only, in average length of offensive possession (16.9 seconds), according to KenPom.com. The Jackets are middle of the pack (8th) in tempo (68.3 possessions).

PLAYER UPDATES

  • Miles Kelly has reached double figures in points in eight straight games, leading the Yellow Jackets in the scoring column in six of those. Kelly has averaged 16.0 points and 3.9 rebounds over that stretch. He has connected on 44-of-90 shots from the floor (48.8 pct.), 24-of-52 from three-point range (46.1 pct.) and 16-of-17 from the foul line across those eight games.
  • Kelly hit 5-of-9 tries from three-point range against Virginia, both career highs.
  • Jalon Moore has started Tech’s last eight games and also scored in double figures in seven, averaging 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds over that stretch. He has hit 34-of-67 from the floor (50.7 percent) in those seven games.
  • Kyle Sturdivant has started Tech’s last three games, averaged 24.9 minutes, 9.9 points and 5.0 assists over that stretch. He has connected on 12-of-24 shots from the floor, 4-of-10 on threes.
  • Sturdivant dished eight of Tech’s 11 assists against Virginia, a career high. His previous best was seven against Alabama State.
  • Ja’von Franklin produced his first double-figure game in points since Georgia on Dec. 6, tallying 11 points and nine rebounds against Virginia. He missed by one rebound a potential third double-double this season.
  • Rodney Howard has connected on 24-of-31 shots from the floor dating back to Nov. 23 vs. Marquette, covering eight games. That includes a streak of 13 consecutive makes from his last two attempts of the Northeastern game through his first four of the Alabama State game (4-for-4 vs. Georgia, 3-for-3 at North Carolina). For the season he has connected on 65.3 percent (32-of-49).
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Ja’von Franklin missed a double-double by one rebound against Virginia. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

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 has completed six seasons under head coach Josh Pastner, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 2021 and making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and played 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.