Inside The Chart: Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech

By Andy Demetra | Voice of the Yellow Jackets

Lance Terry exited the Tucker Center locker room, navy jersey slacked in sweat, the tape on his injured right wrist ripped off, sporting a pair of fresh, feral-looking scratches across his bicep.  The senior shuffled down the hallway and toward the Florida State press conference room, part man, part metaphor.

Terry was beat up, scratched, physically spent – and yet, still standing.

“I love these guys. They played hard as hell,” Damon Stoudamire said in his postgame radio interview after Georgia Tech’s 91-78 loss in Tallahassee.  Whatever frustration Tech’s head coach felt at the outcome, whatever diagnosing of the film would come afterwards, he felt far more appreciation in that moment for his team’s fight.  A rotation whittled down to six players, facing one of the longest teams, with the longest bench, in the ACC, and still giving it everything they had.

Georgia Tech (8-11, 2-6 ACC) couldn’t get the breakthrough at the Tucker Center, fatigue and foul trouble ultimately causing their comeback to collapse in the final five minutes.  The Seminoles, Stoudamire pointed out, simply made the last run.

But Stoudamire acknowledges there’s a difference between competing and being competitive.  Short bench or not, Tech knows it needs to bridge that gap, and Wednesday’s matchup against Virginia Tech (8-10, 3-4 ACC) offers them another opportunity.  Enjoy the top notes from my chart as the Yellow Jackets look to leave their losing streak in the cold in Atlanta (7 p.m. ET, Georgia Tech Sports Network):

Duncan Powell’s 11-of-12 free throw performance at Florida State were the most by a Tech player in five years. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

Let’s play some Wheel of Fortune:

_ _ _ I   L A W A L

As a Tech fan you wouldn’t be faulted for guessing former Yellow Jacket Gani Lawal.  But on Wednesday, Georgia Tech fan will need to solve a different puzzle:  slowing down Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal.

The 6-8, 200-pound junior (no relation to Gani) leads the Hokies in scoring (12.4) and rebounding (6.5) while shooting an incredible 62% from the field and 46% from three-point range.  He’s a pogo stick forward whom the Hokies also use as a small-ball “5,” with a bounciness reminiscent of former Jacket Ja’Von Franklin.  Virginia Tech is the only ACC team whose two leading scorers are forwards – in addition to Lawal, 6-9, 260-pound Mylyjael Poteat (10.6 ppg) scored a career-high 18 points against Tech last year and likes to carve out deep post-ups.

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For the past few years, the Hokies have been defined by savvy, slippery guards like Storm Murphy, Hunter Cattoor and Sean Pedulla, who flew around screens and made “hockey assist” passes for three-pointers.  Virginia Tech may not have someone in that exact mold this year, but they still run an offense that’s loaded with Zoom actions, back screens, pindowns, and crafty counters, and they’re still shooting 39% from three-point range in ACC play.  Pay attention to guards Jaden Schutt and Brandon Rechsteiner, who have combined to make 45% of their threes (9 of 20) over the past two games.  Virginia Tech is also an active offensive rebounding team, with 6-5 freshman Tyler Johnson especially good at divebombing for boards.

Unlike years past, though, Virginia Tech is far more turnover prone – while not forcing many turnovers themselves:

Virginia Tech – Turnover % (ACC only)

• Offense: 7%  (last ACC)
• Defense: 3% (last ACC)

Georgia Tech allowed Florida State to finish with its second lowest turnover percentage of the season on Saturday.  Can the Jackets find a way to win the turnover battle against the Hokies?  Can they take away the fluidity from Virginia Tech’s cutting and screening and “be prepared to play against multiple actions” according to Stoudamire?  And can they defend Lawal and Poteat without getting their front line in foul trouble?  Ryan Mutombo was a personnel-driven DNP versus Florida State, but his size could be needed against Poteat.

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Every ACC venue has its charms and quirks, but Florida State’s Donald L. Tucker Center may have an idiosyncrasy that stands alone.

The Seminoles’ arena adjoins the Leon County Civic Center, which has a series of ballrooms and convention spaces.  A concrete corridor that runs behind the length of the basketball court connects the two buildings.

The Civic Center will often host events at the same time as FSU basketball games, making for some… interesting mashups when Georgia Tech visits there.  During last year’s game, a conference room 50 yards from the court was set up for what appeared to be a quinceañera.  Saturday’s game took place at the same time as a youth jiu jitsu competition.

Lance Terry (0) scored a game-high 23 points at Florida State. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

His martial arts skills are unclear, but Duncan Powell used his physical, straight line driving to rack up foul trips against Florida State.  The redshirt junior connected on a career high 11 of 12 free throws in Tallahassee, including a run of 10 straight.

That’s impressive in its own right, but even more so considering this:  at one point in the second half, Powell had more free throw attempts than the entire FSU team.  The Seminoles led the ACC and ranked 22nd nationally in free throw rate.  Powell’s 12 free throws were the most by a Yellow Jacket against an ACC opponent since Michael Devoe made 8 of 12 on January 30, 2021 against… Florida State.

He and the Yellow Jackets will face a Virginia Tech team that likes to quick hedge and get in rotation, with a ball screen coverage similar to Notre Dame.  That may bode well for a Georgia Tech team that shot 56% in a win over the Fighting Irish this month.  The Jackets will need to make the extra pass and keep the Hokies moving; if so, it could enable Tech’s guards to get going early, something that’s eluded them of late.

George/McCollum/Terry – Last 4 games

• 1st Half: 3% 3pt. (6 of 31)
• 2nd Half: 4% 3pt. (17 of 41)

Worth noting:  Virginia Tech won’t exactly rev up the tempo.  Its KenPom adjusted tempo ranks 314th nationally, and they’re only averaging 4.0 fast break points per game in ACC play.

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Homage?  Gimmick infringement?  You be the judge.

According to Virginia Tech’s media notes, 5-11, 170-pound freshman Ben Hammond has been nicknamed “Mighty Mouse” by the team’s strength and conditioning coach.

He’ll be playing, of course, against the team led by the most famous Mighty Mouse in basketball history.

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Now that we’re prepared, we hope you are as well.  Join us for pregame coverage starting with the “Ramblin’ Wreck Tipoff Show” at 6:30 p.m. ET on the Georgia Tech Sports Network.  See you at McCamish.

 

-AD-

 

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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.

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Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its second year 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 X (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be reserved here.