Tech Returns Home to Face Virginia TechTech Returns Home to Face Virginia Tech
Men's Basketball

Tech Returns Home to Face Virginia Tech

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

GEORGIA TECH (8-11, 2-6 ACC) vs. VIRGINIA TECH (8-10, 3-4 ACC)

 

THE FLATS – After playing three games on the road in the last four, Georgia Tech returns to McCamish Pavilion to face Virginia Tech for a 7 p.m. Atlantic Coast Conference tip Wednesday night.

Georgia Tech (8-11, 2-6 ACC) is looking to stop a four-game skid after suffering road losses at Syracuse (62-55) and SMU (93-71), then a home defeat to Clemson (70-59) and a road loss at Florida State (91-78) last week. Prior to that, the Yellow Jackets had evened their conference record with home wins over Notre Dame (86-75) and Boston College (85-64). Tech is 2-2 at home this season in conference play and sits alone in 15th place.

Virginia Tech (8-10, 3-4 ACC) is tied for ninth place in the ACC standings following their 72-63 home loss to Wake Forest Saturday. The Hokies had won three of four before that, including home wins over Miami (86-85) and NC State (79-76) and a road win at California (71-68). The Hokies; three ACC wins have come by a total of seven points.

Wednesday’s game will be televised live on ESPNU, with a live online 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). The Tech broadcast is also available on Sirius XM channel 383 and the SiriusXM app.

123123_MBKB_vs_ND_0363The Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket men’s basketball team competes against Notre Dame on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 in McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA.

Lance Terry (0) has averaged 17.8 points over Tech’s last seven games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

THE TIP-OFF

  • Unlike last season, when 14 of Georgia Tech’s 20 ACC games were decided by less than 10 points, only two of the Yellow Jackets’ first eight conference games this season have been decided by single digits (68-65 loss at North Carolina on Dec. 7, 62-55 loss at Syracuse Jan. 7).
  • Tech players have missed a total of 47 games this season because of injury, illness or other absence. Kowacie Reeves, Jr., has missed the last 13 games with a foot injury, Luke O’Brien missed the last 8 games, with a toe injury, and center Doryan Onwuchekwa has missed the last 9 for personal reasons. Those three players had combined to start 32 games before their current absences. Leading scorer Lance Terry missed the Clemson game (hand injury), and Jaeden Mustaf (foot) missed the Florida State game,
  • Reeves, Jr., has not played in an ACC game this season, while O’Brien and Onwuchekwa have played in only one each.
  • Five Yellow Jackets have averages in double-digits for ACC games so far – Lance Terry (15.2), Javian McCollum (14.0), Baye Ndongo (11.9), Naithan George (10.6) and Duncan Powell (10.3).
  • Sophomore guard Naithan George remains the ACC leader in assist average (6.2 per game) and ranks 18th nationally. He is the first Tech player since Iman Shumpert to reach 100 assists in each of his first two years.
  • Over Tech’s last seven games (post-Christmas break), Lance Terry and Javian McCollum have accounted for 42.3% of the Yellow Jackets’ scoring production. Terry has averaged 17.8 points per game, while McCollum has averaged 16.6. The duo has produced seven games of 20 or more points combined.

SERIES NOTES VS. VIRGINIA TECH

  • Virginia Tech has won 23 of 32 all-time meetings with Georgia Tech, including 19 of 27 as a member of the ACC.
  • The Hokies have won three of the last four meetings, winning the only scheduled regular-season meeting in 2023-24 and sweeping both games in the 2021-22 season. The Yellow Jackets won the only scheduled regular-season meetings in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2022-23.
  • Tech has defeated Virginia Tech only five times in 14 meetings at home since the Hokies joined the ACC, and the Yellow Jackets received extraordinary performances by individuals to win two of those games. On Jan. 19, 2008, reserve guard Matt Causey came off the bench to hit seven threes and pour in 30 points in the Jackets’ 81-70 victory. On Jan. 25, 2011, Iman Shumpert recorded the fourth triple-double in Tech history with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Jackets’ 72-57 win.
  • The Hokies, led by future NBA star Dell Curry, held off the Jackets and their future All-Americans Mark Price and John Salley, 77-74, in the teams’ first meeting, a first-round post-season NIT game, at Cassell Coliseum in 1984.
  • Both teams were members of the old Metro Conference, but not at the same time. Georgia Tech was a member for three seasons from 1975-76 through 1977-78 before leaving to join the ACC. Virginia Tech joined the league for the 1978-79 season.
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Javian McCollum (2) has averaged 16.6 points over Tech’s last seven games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

TECH BYTES

  • Tech played its shortest rotation of the season at Florida State (6 players), and fielded only 7 vs. Clemson. The Jackets had played 8 or more in every game prior to Clemson, 9 or more in 11 games.
  • Tech has utilized 7 different starting lineups through its first 19 games this season, all because of injury. Ibrahim Souare and Duncan Powell made their first starts of the season against Clemson as Lance Terry sat out with a hand injury, while Ibrahim Souare remained the lineup when Terry returned at Florida State, replacing Duncan Powell. Javian McCollum returned to the starting five vs. Clemson for the first time since Nov. 23 vs. Cincinnati.
  • Sophomores Baye Ndongo and Naithan George are the only Yellow Jackets to have appeared in every game this season, and also the only ones to start every game this season. No one else has started more than 13. Ndongo has started 48 consecutive games, George 47, dating back to last season.
  • After connecting on 56.3% of its field goal tries and setting season highs in three straight wins (Alabama A&M, Notre Dame, Boston College), Tech has hit just 40.2% in its last three games, all losses (Syracuse, SMU, Clemson, FSU). Similar difference exists from the three-point line as well – 44.8% in the three wins, 31.2% in the three losses. Tech also went to the line 73 times in the three wins, 68 in the four losses.
  • Tech has attempted 28 more free throws than its opponents in ACC play. The Yellow Jackets have finished a season with more free throw attempts than their opponents since the 2016-17 season, and only once since 2000.
  • Four Tech players are averaging in double figures for the 2024-25 season – Lance Terry (15.8), Javian McCollum (12.9), Baye Ndongo (11.5) and Naithan George (10.4).

PLAYER NOTES

  • Senior guard Javian McCollum has averaged 16.6 points over his last 7 games, scoring 20 in four of those games. He has connected on 44.7% (38-for-85) from the floor, 39.4% (13-of-33) from three-point range and 23-of-25 from the free throw line. He added 28 assists and 13 steals.
  • In ACC games, McCollum is averaging 14.9 points and 4.1 assists, hitting 45.5% from the floor, 39% from three-point range, and is 18-of-20 from the foul line. He also has 29 assists and just 11 turnovers with a team-high 12 steals.
  • Senior guard Lance Terry has scored 20-plus points in 6 games this season, 3 times in ACC games. The senior guard, who missed the Clemson game with a hand injury, has averaged 17.8 points in his last 6 games, hitting 40-of-77 (51.9%) from the floor, 14-of-36 from three-point range (38.9%).
  • Terry, who missed the Clemson game with a hand injury, has averaged 17.8 points in his last 6 games. The senior guard has gone 40-of-77 (51.7%) from the floor, 14-of-36 from three-point range (38.9%).
  • In ACC games, Terry leads the Jackets at 16.3 points per game while connecting on 44% from the floor and 33.3%from bonus land.
  • Duncan Powell has averaged 12. 6 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last 6 games. The Sacramento State transfer has hit 42.4% (28-of-66) from the floor, 38.7% (12-of-31) from three-point range and 71.4% (20-of-28) from the foul line in that stretch.
  • Powell has scored in double figures 7 times this season, all vs. Power 4 opponents, 5 vs. ACC teams. He is averaging 11.5 ppg vs. ACC teams, 10.8 vs. P4 teams.
  • Naithan George has scored in double digits in six straight games, averaging 11.3 points per game, and has averaged 6.5 assists over the same stretch.

 

Head coach Damon Stoudamire on the ACC Weekly Coaches Zoom Monday

 

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL

Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its second season under head coach Damon Stoudamire. 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.