Lance Terry has played all 40 minutes in each of Tech’s ACC wins. (photo by Danny Karnik)
In another sign of its improvement, Louisville has averaged 49 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range over its last four games. Even more impressive, their opponents (Miami, Virginia, Clemson, Duke) rank 1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th in the ACC in defensive efficiency.
Leading the charge is 6-3 guard El Ellis (18.1 ppg, 4.6 apg), the ACC Co-Player of the Week who scored 31 in the Cards’ win over Clemson. One of the ACC’s top heat-check scorers, he’s an athletic finisher with a knack for making tough pull-ups. One of their favorite actions for him involves a down screen for a post player, who sprints from the block to the top of the key to set a screen for Ellis. The Cardinals have also gained back 6-10, 250-pound Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (7.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg), who didn’t play in the first meeting with Tech due to a foot injury.
El Ellis – Last 4 games
- PPG: 25.8
- FG%: 55.3%
- 3pt.%: 48.0%
- FT%: 90.4%
As Louisville smooths out its dribble drive-heavy offense, teams no longer have the luxury of loading up on Ellis. Six-foot-8 J.J. Traynor has scored 16 points in back-to-back games and has made 7 of his last 10 threes. Six-foot-8 Jae’Lyn Withers (42.9% 3pt.) only had 2 points against Duke but poured in a season-high 19 against Tech in Louisville. Guard Mike James (9.3 ppg) can also rip and shoot off the bounce.
Despite their record, the Cardinals rank a surprising 5th in the ACC in three-point percentage in conference play (35.6%). They’ve also tamped down their turnovers of late, which had been a season-long source of frustration for Cardinals fans. Tech will need to keep its stick hand high against Louisville’s jumbo shooters – its close-outs were sometimes a tick slow against Pittsburgh, leading to some untimely threes. They’ll also need to win 50-50 balls and rotational-rebound better – a minus-14 margin didn’t help Tech’s cause in the first meeting.
*****
An impressive turnaround that may have gone overlooked Tuesday:
When they faced Pittsburgh in Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets slogged through their second worst two-point field goal percentage of the season.
In the rematch, they finished with their second highest percentage of the season.
2pt. FG%
- Jan. 14 vs. Pittsburgh – 32.4% (12 of 37)
- Feb. 21 at Pittsburgh – 63.0% (17 of 27)
The Jackets will aim for a similar 180 against the Cardinals, who possess long, athletic guards and forbidding size underneath. Georgia Tech’s season worst two-point field goal percentage was against Louisville (32.3%), part of a languid shooting night against the ACC’s worst efficiency defense.
Tech didn’t have Deivon Smith or Lance Terry, but they’ll need to do a better job getting below the free throw line against Louisville’s zone. Can Tech’s ball movement test Louisville’s defensive discipline and chop down their size? And can they avoid the erratic shots that Louisville uses to trigger fast breaks, where they love to set drag screens for Ellis?
*****
When Josh Pastner pursed his lips and subbed out Lance Terry after the senior picked up his third foul at the 12:04 mark of the first half against Pittsburgh, it was a reluctant but necessary move. It also set an ominous tone for the Yellow Jackets’ chances.
No pressure Lance, but he’s played all 40 minutes in each of Georgia Tech’s ACC wins.
