Jan. 9, 2016
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– MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
• Georgia Tech starting lineup: Georges-Hunt, Smith, Stephens, Mitchell, White
• First subs for Georgia Tech: Jacobs at the 15:26 mark of the first half
• On the floor for Georgia Tech at the end: Georges-Hunt, Heath, Mitchell, Smith, Stephens
• Opening tap won by Georgia Tech. Tech has won the opening tap eight times in 16 games this season.
• Series record vs. Virginia: Tech is 40-37 overall, 24-12 at home, 2-1 at McCamish Pavilion, 2-4 under Brian Gregory, 2-7 vs. Tony Bennett
• Current series streak: Tech snapped a three-game losing streak in the series
• Georgia Tech is 9-1 at McCamish Pavilion this season, 38-22 in its fourth season in the building, 38-22 under Brian Gregory
• Georgia Tech’s next game: January 13, 2016 vs. at Notre Dame, 9 p.m. ET, Purcell Pavilion, South Bend, Ind.
TEAM NOTES
• Georgia Tech’s last win over a team ranked in the top 5 was Jan. 9, 2010, a 71-67 win over Duke (5/5) at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Its last win over a team ranked No. 4 or higher was March 12, 2005, a 78-75 win over North Carolina (2/2) in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C. That was also Tech’s last win over a top-5 team when the Yellow Jackets were unranked.
• This was Tech’s third win over a team ranked in the top 10 under Brian Gregory. The Jackets previously won at Miami (6/7) on March 6, 2013 and at Syracuse (7/7) on March 4, 2014.
• Tech improved to 1-3 this season against top-25 teams – lost 69-52 to #8/9 Villanova on Nov. 27 and 86-78 at #7/8 North Carolina previously.
• Tech has opened its ACC schedule with three straight top-25 opponents – #7/8 North Carolina, #24/21 Pittsburgh and #4/4 Virginia – for the first time since the 2000-01 season – #13/14 North Carolina, #17/17 Maryland, #10/9 Virginia (#6/6 Wake Forest made it four in a row that year). Tech lost the first two games and won the next two.
• Virginia was the highest ranked team to visit McCamish Pavilion in the short 3-plus-year history of the arena. Duke, ranked No. 5/6 at the time, previously held that distinction, having played here on Feb. 18, 2014. Tech is now 1-6 against top-25 teams in McCamish Pavilion. The Jackets’ last win over a top-25 team at home came Jan. 19, 2010 over No. 17/16 Clemson (66-64) in Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
• Tech made two significant changes to its starting lineup for Virginia, Quinton Stephens stepping in for Josh Heath and James White for Nick Jacobs. They are only the second departures this season from the lineup Brian Gregory has used for 13 of Tech’s 16 games.
• White made his third start of the season, having replaced Jacobs in the lineup for Tech’s games against Southeastern Louisiana and Colgate. Stephens made his first start since replacing the injured Marcus Georges-Hunt for the Yellow Jackets’ ACC Tournament game against Boston College to finish last season.
• Tech improved to 9-2 when leading at the half this season. The Jackets have trailed at the half of their last three games before Virginia.
• Tech out-rebounded Virginia 41-29, besting its 13th opponent on the board in 16 games (there has been one tie, at Georgia). Tech improved its season rebounding margin to +8.8 per game, which ranks 22nd in the nation.
• Tech took 11 offensive rebounds and scored 15 points off them, both below its season averages of 13.9 and 15.5, respectively, but were key numbers in the game.
• Tech continued its recent success taking care of the ball, committing nine turnovers in the game. It was the 10th time this season the Jackets have stayed at 10 or fewer and the sixth game in a row. Nationally, the Jackets have improved from 195th in the nation last year to 19th this year (10.4 per game, 9.3 in ACC games so far) and are fourth in the ACC in fewest turnovers committed.
• Tech assisted on 12 of its 24 field goals and remains fifth in the ACC at 14.8 per game. The Jackets entered the game ranked 96th nationally in that category after finishing the 2014-15 season 244th. In last year’s game at Virginia, Tech had two assists.
• Tech went 8-for-15 from three-point range and improved its season success rate to 38.5 percent (sixth in the ACC). Tech has made 35 percent or better in 10 straight games, hitting 42.9 percent collectively in those games. The Jackets have made exactly 50 percent of their threes (25-for-50) in three ACC games to date.
• After giving up an average of 87.5 points in its first two ACC games, Tech held Virginia to 64, the 10th time this season the Yellow Jackets have held a team under 70 points. Tech is 8-2 in those games. • Tech’s 68 points were its fewest since dropping a 75-61 decision at Georgia on Dec. 19. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 77.5 points for the season and 76.7 in ACC games.
• Tech’s scoring average of 78.1 points ranks seventh in the ACC and is its highest since the 2006-07 season. The Jackets have averaged 81.0 points in its two ACC games.
• Tech has averaged 68.7 offensive possessions this season compared to 63.1 last season. Its team offensive efficiency rating is 112.9 compared to 97.2 last season. The Jackets ranked 40th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom.com entering the Virginia game. To compare, Tech’s first four ACC opponents rank No. 2 (North Carolina), No. 10 (Pittsburgh), No. 4 (Virginia) and No. 5 (Notre Dame).
• Tech used nine players in the game, the first time this season the Jackets did not play at least 10. Travis Jorgenson did not play for the second time this season (VCU was the other game he missed).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Quinton Stephens went 4-for-4 from three-point range and scored a season-high 16 points, his highest scoring game since getting 17 midway through last season against Boston College. Stephens drained four of his first five shots in the game, including a pair of threes, and had 10 points by the 10-minute mark of the first half. He reached double figures for the third time this season and first since Dec. 1 vs. Wofford. Stephens had scored a total of seven points in the previous five games.
• James White got his third start of the year to help on the offensive glass and did exactly that, getting three baskets early in the second half on rebound putbacks. He finished the game with six points and nine rebounds, personal highs for an ACC game.
• Nick Jacobs scored 16 points off the bench and reached double figures for the eighth time this season and for the first time since scoring 14 against Duquesne on Dec. 29. He went 5-for-7 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the line, including 4-for-4 in the last 30 seconds of the game.
• Adam Smith cooled off, but not much, hitting four threes in nine attempts and finishing with 16 points. He also had two assists and did not turn the ball over (in 35 minutes) for the third straight game and for the eighth time this season.
• Smith has made at least one in every game this season and in his last 18 straight games dating back to last season. He has made at least three in seven straight games. He has made at least one in 85 of 94 games in his career for a total of 216+today after the Pitt game. His career total would rank seventh all-time Georgia Tech had he played his entire career here.
• Smith reached double figures for the 13th time this season. He has scored in double figures 60 times in his career and has 1,258 career points.
• Smith leads the ACC in three-pointers per game (3.50) and third in percentage this season (now 47.1 percent). He has jumped to 10th nationally in three-pointers per game and 11th in percentage.
• Smith has gone 29-for-53 (54.7 percent) in over his last six games and is 18-for-32 in Tech’s three ACC games this season.
• In 16 games, Smith has made more three-pointers (56) than Tech’s leader in each of the first four seasons under Brian Gregory. They are the most since Brian Oliver accumulated 63 (in 36 games) in the 2009-10 season.
• Tech’s starting lineup changes left Marcus Georges-Hunt in the point guard role for the Yellow Jackets for much of the game, and he finished with four assists and two turnovers in 33 minutes, scoring a season-low five points (1-6 FG, 3-4 FT).
• Georges-Hunt has averaged 2.4 assists per game and has averaged 4.0 over his last four games, including six at Pitt and four vs. Virginia.
• Georges-Hunt improved his career scoring total to 1,360 points and holds 22nd place on Georgia Tech’s all-time list. He needs two to catch Bobby Kimmel (1,362 points from 1954-57), who holds 21st place.
• Josh Heath played 17 minutes off the bench and had three assists and no turnovers, improving his season assist-turnover ratio to 3.61-1. He ranks second in the ACC in that category. He came off the bench for the first time this season.
