Tech Men’s Basketball Visits No. 21 ClemsonTech Men’s Basketball Visits No. 21 Clemson
Men's Basketball

Tech Men’s Basketball Visits No. 21 Clemson

Yellow Jackets and Tigers tip off at 9 p.m. EST Tuesday at Littlejohn Coliseum

GEORGIA TECH (10-12, 4-7 ACC) vs. #21 CLEMSON (18-4, 10-1 ACC)

 

THE FLATS – Fresh off its first win of the season against a top-25 team, Georgia Tech gets another opportunity Tuesday night when the Yellow Jackets travel to No. 21 Clemson for a 9 p.m. Atlantic Coast Conference contest at Littlejohn Coliseum. The Tigers captured a 70-59 victory over Tech in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 14 in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech (10-12, 4-7 ACC) opened the month of February with a 77-70 victory over Louisville Saturday at McCamish Pavilion, its second win in its last three games. All four of the Yellow Jackets’ ACC wins this season have come at home, including Notre Dame, Boston College and Virginia Tech. But Tech remains in search of its first road win (0-6). The Jackets are one of four teams tied for 11th place at 4-7 on league play.

Clemson (18-4, 10-1 ACC), alone in second place in the ACC, one game behind Duke, extended its current winning streak to six games Saturday with a 68-58 win at NC State, and the Tigers have matched the best ACC start in program history. Clemson is 11-1 at home, with its only loss coming Dec. 14 in overtime to Memphis, and its only ACC loss occurred at Louisville on Jan. 7.

Tuesday’s game will be televised live on the ACC Network, 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). The Tech broadcast is also available on Sirius XM channel 381 and the SiriusXM app.

D9K_9954-e1738551027383

Naithan George has scored in double digits nine straight games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

THE TIP-OFF

  • Clemson is the sixth top-25 team Tech has faced this season and second in two games. The Yellow Jackets are 1-4 against top-25 teams this season after defeating No. 21/22 Louisville Saturday. They were 3-1 against them in 2023-24.
  • A win Tuesday would also be Tech’s second against a Quad 1 opponent in the NCAA’s NET rankings this season (Louisville is No. 29, Clemson is No. 30). The Yellow Jackets are 1-5 against Quad 1 opponents this season after going 4-7 against such teams last year. One more Quad 1 opportunity exists on Tech’s schedule, at Wake Forest (69) on March 8.
  • Tech is 5-15 against Clemson teams that have been ranked in the nation’s top 25. Seven of those meetings took place between 2007 and 2010, with the Jackets winning four of the seven.
  • Tech’s most recent back-to-back victories against top-25 teams occurred last season – Nov. 28 over No. 21 Mississippi State and No. 7 Duke.
  • Unlike last season, when 14 of Georgia Tech’s 20 ACC games were decided by less than 10 points, only five of the Yellow Jackets’ first 11 conference games this season have been decided by single digits, including Tech’s last three games (71-64 win over Virginia Tech, 71-68 loss at Notre Dame, 77-70 win over Louisville).
  • In the last meeting between Tech and Clemson at Littlejohn Coliseum (Jan. 16, 2024), Tech erased a 9-point deficit in the final 1:43 of regulation and captured a 93-90 victory in double-overtime. Naithan George made two three-point field goals in the final 20 seconds of regulation, and made two more field goals in the final minute of the second overtime (10 of his team-high 20 points).
  • Five Yellow Jackets have averages in double-digits for ACC games – Lance Terry (16.0), Javian McCollum (13.9), Duncan Powell (13.1), Naithan George (11.6) and Baye Ndongo (11.1).
  • Tech has played either six or seven players in its last five games. The Jackets had played 8 or more in every game prior to the last meeting with Clemson on Jan. 14, 9 or more in 11 games.
  • Tech has utilized 7 different starting lineups through its first 22 games this season, all because of injury. Ibrahim Souare and Javian McCollum have each started Tech’s last five games, and Duncan Powell has started two of the last five.
  • Tech rotation players have missed a total of 39 games this season because of injury or illness. Kowacie Reeves, Jr., has missed the last 16 games (foot injury), Luke O’Brien missed the last 11 games (toe injury) and Jaeden Mustaf has missed the last 4 (foot). Lance Terry missed 2 of the last 5 (hand/illness). Javian McCollum missed 4 games earlier in December with a concussion.
  • Tech has never had its entire roster available for an ACC game this season. Kowacie Reeves, Jr., has not played in an ACC game this season, while Luke O’Brien has played in only one.
  • Despite Tech’s shorter rotation the last three weeks, the Yellow Jackets’ bench remains one of the more productive in the ACC, ranking fifth in points per game (23.1), and 121st nationally.

SERIES NOTES VS. CLEMSON

  • The oldest and longest-running series the Yellow Jackets have with an ACC member, the 147 all-time meetings are more than 30 greater than Tech has played with any other ACC opponent. The series dates back to the 1912-13 season, when John Heisman coached the Tech basketball team.
  • Clemson is one of two permanent home-and-away opponents on Tech’s schedule each year (Notre Dame is the other).
  • Clemson has won seven of the last nine meetings in the series, including a 70-59 win in Atlanta on Jan. 14.
  • The Yellow Jackets have swept the season series just once (2019-20) since the 2004-05 season.
  • The Yellow Jackets trail 56-40 to the Tigers since joining the ACC.
  • Tech is 9-22 vs. Tiger teams coached by Brad Brownell and 1-2 vs. Clemson under head coach Damon Stoudamire.
  • Tech is just 18-49 all-time in games played at Clemson, including an 10-42 mark in Littlejohn Coliseum. The Jackets lost 14 straight games on the road in the series, and 13 in a row at Littlejohn, before Tech won on March 6, 2020. Tech was Clemson’s first opponent in Littlejohn Coliseum back on Nov. 30, 1968. The Tigers won, 76-72.
  • Tech’s 111-108 win against the Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum on Jan. 24, 2001 is the highest-scoring regulation game Tech has had with any ACC opponent. The Jackets’ current record of 17 three-point field goals was set in that game. The Jackets defeated Florida State by the same score in Tallahassee (in two OTs) on Feb. 11, 1999, and lost to Wake Forest in the 2007 ACC Tournament, 114-112 in double-overtime.
D9K8527

Lance Terry (0) has scored 20 or more points four times in ACC games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

TECH BYTES

  • Tech scored 50 points in the second half against Louisville, the fourth time this season and the third time in the last six games (SMU, Florida State, Louisville) it has done so.
  • Tech has shot 47.9% from the floor in its last 3 games (47.1% vs. Virginia Tech, 49.1% at Notre Dame, 47.6 vs. Louisville). The Jackets had connected on an aggregate 40.2% during their 4-game losing streak before the win over Virginia Tech.
  • Tech has had fewer than 10 turnovers in its last two games (8 vs. Notre Dame, 9 vs. Louisville) and six times this season.
  • Tech has assisted on 57.4% of its made field goals this season, 55.2% in ACC games (5th highest in the conference).
  • Tech has exceeded a point per possession in each of its last four games (1.080 vs. Florida State, 1.067 vs. Virginia Tech, 1.090 at Notre Dame, 1.076 vs. Louisville) after falling below that standard in three straight games. Tech’s efficiency rating at FSU and Notre Dame are its two highest in road games this season. The Jackets have scored over a point per possession in all 10 of their wins this season, and in 3 of their 12 losses.
  • 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 14. Ndongo has started 51 consecutive games, George 50, dating back to last season.
  • Tech has attempted 37 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. Tech’s percentage of free throw attempts to field goal attempts in ACC play (32.7%) ranks 6th in the league.
  • Tech’s 57.4% assist rate is the 6th highest of any Yellow Jacket team since the inception of KenPom.com metrics in 1997 – 2016-17 (62.4%), 2000-01 (62.9%), 1999-2000 (62.9%), 1998-99 (58.1%) and 2001-02 (57.7%).

PLAYER NOTES

  • Senior guard Lance Terry has scored 20-plus points in 7 games this season, 4 times in ACC games. The senior guard, who missed the Clemson game with a hand injury and the Virginia Tech game with an illness, has averaged 17.1 points in his last 8 games, hitting 50.5% (52-of-103) from the floor, 40.4% (19-of-47) from three-point range.
  • In ACC games, Terry leads the Jackets at 16.0 points per game, while four other Yellow Jackets also average in double figures in conference games – Javian McCollum (13.9), Duncan Powell (13.1), Naithan George (11.8) and Baye Ndongo (11.1).
  • Sophomore guard Naithan George has scored in double digits in 9 straight games, averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 assists per game. He has shot 45.4% (44-of-97) from the floor, 32.6% (14-of-43) from 3-point range, 12-of-17 from the foul line, during that stretch.
  • George is the ACC’s No. 2 assist dealer with 6.3 per game (14th in the nation, and ranks No. 4 in assist/turnover ratio at 2.62 per game. He has posted 11 games of 7 or more assists this season.
  • George’s 274 career assists are the 6th most all-time in Tech annals through a Yellow Jackets’ first two seasons, and most since Shumpert’s 274 from 2008-10.
  • Sophomore forward Baye Ndongo has five double-doubles this season (11 for his career) after scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds against Louisville. He has three in ACC games (19 points, 12 rebounds at North Carolina, 14 and 12 vs. Clemson).
  • Junior forward Duncan Powell has averaged 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds over his last 9 games, including three games of 20 points or more. The Sacramento State transfer has hit 44.9% (44-of-98) from the floor, 40.4% (19-of-47) from three-point range and 75.6% (34-of-45) from the foul line in that stretch.
  • Senior guard Javian McCollum has averaged 15.1 points over his last 10 games, scoring 20 in four of those games. The Oklahoma transfer has connected on 42.5% (51-for-120) from the floor, 35.7% (20-of-56) from three-point range and 29-of-33 from the free throw line. He has added 36 assists (4.0 per game) and 14 steals.
  • In ACC games, McCollum is averaging 13.9 points and 4.0 assists, hitting 42.9% from the floor, 33.3% from three-point range, and is 85.7% from the foul line. He also has just 16 turnovers and a team-high 17 steals.

 

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.